What to do in Yosemite in 1 day? If you only have one day to spend in Yosemite National Park, but still would like to see and do the best things Yosemite has to offer – you’re going to love my Best One Day In Yosemite Itinerary!
This guide will help you plan an EPIC 1 day trip to Yosemite! I came up with a JAM PACKED YOSEMITE ITINERARY, that will make sure you don’t miss any of the must-see attractions on your trip and make the most of your time.
Yosemite is one of the most beautiful places on Earth, that left me completely in awe! While you could easily spend a week here, sometimes we just don’t have a time for that. This one day Yosemite guide is perfect for weekend warriors or spontaneous adventurers who have only 24 hours to explore the Yosemite.
Have more time to spend in Yosemite? Read this post:
But you still can manage to see everything In Yosemite Valley in just one day! How? – Arrive early, leave late, bring your food and most importantly, follow this guide to make sure you see it all!
One Day Yosemite Itinerary Overview
Watch Sunrise at Tunnel View
Spot the climbers at El Capitan
Bridal Veil Falls
Yosemite Valley top attractions
Vernal Falls /Mist Trail
Yosemite Falls
Sunset at the Valley or Glacier Point
Yosemite – Before You Go
Before we dive into the 1 day guide to Yosemite, here’re the few important things to consider before you go.
- Best Time to Visit Yosemite for 1 day – Late Spring and Summer are the best time to visit Yosemite. The waterfalls are full, the weather is warm and the days are long enough for you to fit in your 1 day trip. Each season is unique and absolutely beautiful in Yosemite, but if it is your first time, I still recommend the Summer.
- Entrance Fee – $35/vehicle or national parks pass
- Reservations – As of 2023, the reservations are not required, but make sure to check here before you go.
- How to get to Yosemite – put the Yosemite Valley, not just Yosemite into your GPS, it will provide more accurate directions for you – see the map here! The closest major airport is Fresno, 2 hours away.
- How to get around – the easiest way to get around is using your car. There’s also a free shuttle system in the park. And you can also use bikes, there’s a great paved loop around Yosemite Valley for bicyclists.
- Check for road closures before going – click here to check!
So, how do you manage to see all Yosemite in one day? There’re a couple of things to consider.
Start Early
To get the most out of your one day in Yosemite, and maximize your time there, make sure to get to the park as early as possible. By doing so, you will fit all the top Yosemite attractions into your one day plan.
You will also cut down on crowds that usually start around 10am.
Be Sure to Follow this Itinerary
Make sure to follow the order of the activities in this Yosemite Itinerary. The traffic in the valley is one-way, so if you miss one of the spots, you can’t turn back, you will need to complete the full loop around the valley, which takes at least 30 min.
Explore Yosemite Valley
Your one day in the Yosemite Park will concentrate around Yosemite Valley, which has the most popular attractions. It is very doable to see all Yosemite Valley in one day, if you stick to this plan.
Food
There are different options to eat around the park (like Base Camp Eatery, Starbucks, Curry Village as well as a grocery store). But since your time is very limited, I recommend bringing food with you! And there are multiple beautiful places around the park to enjoy your lunch/snack. Remember that there are bears in Yosemite, so always keep your food within arms reach and clean up after yourself before leaving.
Click here for a GOOGLE MAP ROUTE OF YOUR ITINERARY or on the map below to open the driving directions in a new tab.
One Day In Yosemite Itinerary
1. Wawona Tunnel
You will enter the Yosemite Valley through an epic 1 mile long tunnel – Wawona Tunnel!
The first views when you drive in the Yosemite Valley are unforgettable. Have your camera ready. Tip: Start recording while driving through the tunnel, and you will get awesome video of tunnel and the first moments of entering to the park.
Right after the tunnel, there are 2 parking lots on either side of the road, make sure to park on either one, as there’s a main viewpoint here that we don’t want to miss – Tunnel View.
Watch this video to get some of idea of what to expect!
2. Sunrise at Tunnel View
Tunnel View is perhaps the Yosemite most iconic view, and something every visitor should see. It is absolutely stunning on the sunrise, so try to make it on time, you wont’t regret it, take my word on this one! From the Tunnel View Viewpoint you can see all Yosemite most famous attractions – El Capitan, Half Dome, Bridal Veil Falls and more.
Absolutely no hiking required. You just park at the parking lot and enjoy the view!
TIP: You can bring your coffee and breakfast, and have the breakfast with the best view ever!
3. Spot Climbers on El Capitan
El Capitan is one of the Yosemite’s Best Marvels. You can recall it from an award winning documentary FREE SOLO, where Alex Honnold successfully attempted to climb El Captain with his bare hands without a rope! TIP: Watch FREE SOLO before visiting, if you haven’t yet – it will make your trip more fun!
You usually can spot some climbers there! Bring your own pair of binoculars to see them better!
4. Bridal Veil Falls
Following El Capitan, the next stop is Bridal Veil Falls. It’s only short walk (0.5 mile round trip) to the waterfalls. The path is flat and easy.
You can get close to one of the Yosemite’s most famous waterfalls. It should take you 20 min total to see this waterfall and get back your car.
If you arrive In Spring-Early Summer, when waterfall is full, prepare that you can get wet. You can bring this waterproof jacket, that easily fits in a small bag, and is perfect for Yosemite, where there’re lots of waterfalls.
5. Cathedral Beach
Your next stop on your Yosemite One Day Itinerary is Cathedral Beach.
It is a great breakfast/lunch spot with a beautiful view of the famous El Capitan, and the morning reflections in the Merced River.
6. Swinging Bridge
Yes, this bridge across the Merced River used to swing. Today the bridge is fixed and safe for visitors to visit. From the bridge you will enjoy a gorgeous view of Yosemite Falls. There’s also a beach next to the bridge, and is very popular spot to swim in Merced River on a hot day.
7. Yosemite Falls Viewpoint
You will see a long stretch of parking , on the left side of the road. I recommend stopping here to admire the views of the Yosemite Falls and Yosemite Valley, you are right in the middle!
8. Sentinel Bridge
It is your next stop, and you can easily walk here from previous parking spot. Take a moment here, to see the most beautiful view of the famous Half Dome.
Walk on wooden boardwalks through Cook’s Meadow. You can alternatively choose to walk the whole Cook’s Meadow loops, which is 1 mile Long and takes 30 min. The views of the Half Dome, Yosemite Falls and Yosemite Valley are unbeatable.
TIP: this part of Yosemite Valley is extremely popular for photography! If you want some good shots, I recommend bringing a dress and a hat (I got both on Amazon).
9. Yosemite Valley Chapel
Just across the street from Sentinel Bridge is a cute Yosemite Valley Chapel. I think it is absolutely unique! Snap some photos, you will love them!
10. Vernal Falls/ Mist trail
Mist Trail is the most beautiful and iconic hike in Yosemite, that takes you to 2 beautiful waterfalls. You probably will not have time to do the whole hike in your 1 day trip to Yosemite, but assuming you arrive early, you will have just enough time to see the most beautiful part of it – Vernal Falls.
Hike to Vernal Falls is 3 miles round trip, but is pretty challenging, as there is a good elevation, so be prepared. Total time is around 2 hours.
You are walking up the steps alongside the powerful waterfall, so you will get wet and it is very slippery. I recommend bringing this rain jacket and a good pair of hiking boots (I love these from Amazon). Also, don’t forget your water bottle (I love this cute one), there are water stations along the hike to refill.
Drive to Curry Village and park your car in the parking lot there. Walk to the start of the Mist Trail. Mist Trail to Vernal Falls is 3 miles round trip, but it is absolutely beautiful. It is an unforgettable experience. I highly recommend squeezing this hike in your Yosemite Itinerary.
11. Yosemite Village and Yosemite Museum
After you’re done with your Mist Trail hike, return to your car, and we will continue with the Yosemite Valley tour to finish your perfect one day in Yosemite!
If you need to stop for a quick coffee, snacks, you can make a stop at Yosemite Village – there are few coffee shops (Starbucks and Degnan’s Kitchen), as well as the grocery store But as I mentioned above, I do recommend bringing your food with you, to maximize your time in the park.
There are also a few points of interests in Yosemite Village – Yosemite Museum, and Ansel Adams Gallery. This gallery is dedicated to the famous photographer who made great images of Yosemite National Park. If you have time to spare, you can explore these.
The Yosemite museum is a quick stop to learn the history of the Yosemite National Park. Behind the Yosemite Valley Museum is the Indian Village of the Ahwahnee, the early inhabitants of the valley, don’t skip it!
12. Lower Yosemite Falls
Let’s finish up the Yosemite Valley Circle. Your last stop, but absolutely beautiful, is Lower Yosemite Falls – an absolute must see in the Yosemite. We already saw this waterfall from a far, but now is the time to get closer. From the parking area, it is a 1-mile loop on a paved road.
The Lower Yosemite Falls should take you about 30 min to see.
Yosemite Falls is best seen in late Spring to early Summer when water flows is at its fullest.
Sunset at Yosemite
Let’s finish your UNFORGETTABLE one day in Yosemite Park with a beautiful sunset. Depending on how much time you have left after the full day of activities in Yosemite, there are a couple of options.
1. Sunset at Glacier Point
If you skipped the Mist Trail, the best place to see the Sunset in Yosemite is driving to the Glacier Point. Glacier Point is located at over 7200′ in elevation, so the view will be phenomenal.
But keep in mind, the drive to the Glacier Point from the Yosemite Valley takes about 1 hour.
Also, make sure to check for road closures here, because nothing is worse driving all the way just to find the road is closed, and you wasted the last few hours of your day.
If you opt out to drive the Glacier Road, there are a couple of vistas on the way. Here are the most popular ones.
- Washburn Point: A parking-lot viewpoint worth a quick stop.
- Glacier Point: A Yosemite must-see, as it is claimed to be the best view in the entire national park. Laso a stop, no hiking required.
- Taft Point: A short walk from the parking lot and the best view of sunset in all of Yosemite.
2. Sunset at Yosemite Valley
If you have no time left to drive to Glacier Point, don’t worry! There are some beautiful spots around the Yosemite Valley to catch the sunset.
You can go to a Yosemite Valley View viewpoint, anywhere around Cooks Meadow, Sentinel Bridge, or even driving back to Tunnel View to see how it looks during the sunset. The Tunnel View is also on your way out of the park, if you are not planning to spend the night in the Valley.
Now, that we’re done with One Day in Yosemite Guide packed with activities, sightseeings and hikes, I’ll share some useful information that hopefully will help you to plan your day trip to Yosemite!
Have more time to spend in Yosemite? You will like this guide:
Tips for Seeing Yosemite in One Day
Start as early as possible – to get the most out of your 1 day trip to Yosemite. Be at the entrance 1 hour before the sunrise, ideally. That way you get to see the top places in Yosemite and beat the crowds.
Book a place close to the valley or inside the valley – if you need to spend the night, book the hotel inside the valley( I recommend this hotel) or as close as you can to the valley (click here for the options).
Bring the food – with only one day to spend in Yosemite Park, you need to bring the lunch and snacks with you, so you don’t waste time looking for food and waiting in lines.
Bear safety – remember that Yosemite is full of wildlife, so you need to know how to behave around it. Don’t leave any food in your parked car as bears have been known to break into cars if they smell food. Read the articles online on how to behave if you encounter a bear on a hike.
Download Google Maps offline to ensure you can navigate without service – connection is not great in Yosemite, and in some spots it’s non existent, so make sure to download the map before.
Follow this guide closely – to save the time. If you want to skip something, simply do so, but don’t change the order of activities, because the road in Yosemite Valley is one-way and I listed the activities in the order as they are in the valley.
FAQ about 1 Day in Yosemite
Yes, with a well planned itinerary you will be able to see the most the Yosemite Valley has to offer. But the perfect amount of time to spend in the valley is 3 days.
Is a day trip to Yosemite worth it?
Absolutely. If you arrive and leave late, and have a very well planned itinerary you will be able to see and do the best things Yosemite has to offer.
Begin your day with a sunrise at Tunnel View, then do a loop around Yosemite Valley, stopping at the most popular points like Bridal Veil Falls, El Captain, Yosemite Falls. Then hike the Vernal Falls, and finish with a sunset in Yosemite Valley.
Okay, that’s a wrap up! This 1 day in Yosemite itinerary is PACKED with sightseeings, beautiful hikes, waterfalls and great photo spots.
Yosemite National Park is insanely beautiful, and is absolutely worth the trip there, even if for 1 day! I hope this guide will convince you to visit and make your trip easier!
Have more time to spend in Yosemite? You will like this guide:
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Great itinerary for 1 day in Yosemite! Thank you! Saving it for my trip!