Yosemite National Park Active and Adventure Vacations

Yosemite National Park Active and Adventure Travel Guide

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Waterfall in Yosemite National Park, California
Yosemite National Park, California (Photodisc/Getty)

Yosemite National Park Active and Adventure Highlights

By Travel Expert: Karen Kefauver

  • Start early in the morning to set out for the approximately 12-hour hike to the magnificent Half Dome. The final climb to the top requires using cables to ascend.
  • A short walk up a paved trail to the bottom of Lower Yosemite Fall provides great views of all of Yosemite Falls, plus a close-up of the lower fall. Note that this waterfall is often dry from August through October.
  • For advanced rock climbers, Snake Dike is the easiest technical climbing route to the top of the famous Half Dome. The summit of Half Dome rises 5,000 feet above the Yosemite Valley floor and provides amazing views of Yosemite and the High Sierra.
  • Though ice climbing can be found in Yosemite, it's a good idea to always check with local climbers and review current weather conditions. The valley is too low to maintain reliable conditions, so often climbs are only in good condition for a week.

Yosemite National Park Overview

California's Sierra Nevada imposes rugged features on a state that many associate with sandy beaches and palm trees. It's a mountain range of great beauty, hidden amid harsh wilderness, and nowhere is the terrain more dramatic than in Yosemite and Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks. Both combine mountains with meadows, waterfalls with wildflowers, and spectacular geology with awe-inspiring vistas that span, in some cases, nearly the breadth of the state. Together, these parks cover 1.6 million acres (roughly 2,520 sq. miles). They host approximately 6 million visitors a year and are home to thousands of species of plants and animals. Read More

Hotels

from: $69 compare hotel rates expert favorite hotel
Wawona Hotel
8308 Wawona Road
Yosemite National Park, CA 95389
Hotel Class: 3 class stars
Distance: 18.8 Miles
(from destination center)
Active Expert Rating
4.0 out of 5
4.0 out of 5
Traveler Rating
4.5 out of 5 4 reviews
4.5 out of 5
Recommended for:
Active and Adventure travel Parks and Outdoors travel
from: $428 compare hotel rates
Ahwahnee Hotel
1 Ahwahnee Road
Yosemite National Park, CA 95389
Hotel Class: 3 class stars
Distance: 6.7 Miles
(from destination center)
Active Expert Rating
4.0 out of 5
4.0 out of 5
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Not Yet Rated
Recommended for:
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from: $39 compare hotel rates
Curry Village
9010 Curry Village Drive
Yosemite National Park, CA 95389
Hotel Class: 3 class stars
Distance: 7.0 Miles
(from destination center)
Active Expert Rating
4.0 out of 5
4.0 out of 5
Traveler Rating
4.2 out of 5 5 reviews
4.2 out of 5
Recommended for:
Active and Adventure travel
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Attractions

expert favorite attraction
Top of Nevada Falls Hike
(Yosemite Valley)
Happy Isles Shuttle Stop #16
Yosemite National Park, California 95389
Distance: 9.6 Miles (from destination center)
Description: This very strenuous, seven-mile round-trip hike... Read More
Active Expert Rating
5.0 out of 5
5.0 out of 5
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Not Yet Rated
Recommended for:
Active and Adventure travel
Top of Half Dome Hike
(Yosemite Valley)
Happy Isles Shuttle Stop #16
Yosemite National Park, California 95389
Distance: 9.6 Miles (from destination center)
Description: If you are in very good shape and willing to... Read More
Active Expert Rating
5.0 out of 5
5.0 out of 5
Traveler Rating
Not Yet Rated
Recommended for:
Active and Adventure travel
expert favorite attraction
Valley Floor Loop
Yosemite Valley
Yosemite National Park, California 95389
Distance: 9.6 Miles (from destination center)
Description: Walk the valley without having to climb. This... Read More
Active Expert Rating
4.0 out of 5
4.0 out of 5
Traveler Rating
Not Yet Rated
Recommended for:
Active and Adventure travel Family travel
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Feature Articles

More Yosemite National Park Active and Adventure Feature Articles (11)
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GORPTravel Trips

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Yosemite National Park Active and Adventure Travel Guides

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