Yosemite was one of the first national parks established in the United States, and in my opinion it’s one of the most beautiful places in the world.
If you only have one day in Yosemite National Park, the best way to spend it is in the valley, where you can enjoy the spectacular waterfalls, viewpoints, and hikes. Most of these are located pretty close to each other.
A side trip to the Mariposa Grove is also worthwhile to see the ancient Sequoia trees. Some of these giants are more than 3,000 years old!
You won’t see the whole park in a day, because it covers almost 1,200 square miles, but you’ll have enough time to see a lot of the main highlights.
Best Things To See & Do
• Swinging Bridge Viewpoint
For your first stop in Yosemite, make a quick visit to the Swinging Bridge picnic area. This spot has one of the best views of Yosemite Falls in the park.
Better yet, when we visited in June, we were lucky to see an amazing reflection in the water because of the historic flooding. The Merced River had turned into a lake!
In most months you won’t see that, but it’s still worth a quick stop here to get your first good view of Yosemite Falls. This is the park’s biggest waterfall, and it’s one of the world’s tallest, at 2,425 feet (739 meters).
• Mist Trail
Next, drive to the parking lot for the Mist Trail. This is one of the busiest hikes in Yosemite, so you’ll want to get there early to beat the crowds and secure a parking spot.
You can park at Curry Village or the Yosemite Valley Trailhead Parking. The latter is closer and saves you 10 minutes of walking, but the former has a cafe if you want to grab something to eat before or after the hike.
The Mist Trail is a wonderful hike with two big waterfalls: Vernal Fall and Nevada Fall. If you’re a fit hiker, it’s well worth going at least to the top of Vernal Fall. Otherwise, you can enjoy a nice rainbow below the waterfall.
When you reach the top of Vernal Fall, if you continue for a short distance you’ll get a nice peek at Nevada Fall and the Liberty Cap without adding much to the hike.
Or, you can hike up to Clark Point for an even higher view of Vernal Fall, and then circle back down to the start via the John Muir Trail. Either way, you’ll get a nice variety of scenery in 2 or 3 hours of total hiking.
Remember to bring water, snacks, and sturdy hiking shoes. A poncho can also be handy so you don’t get too wet at the waterfall. That’s how the Mist Trail got its name!
