"No other landmark in Yosemite is as well recognized and beloved as Half Dome, the steely granite monolith towering 4,347 feet above Yosemite Valley. Geologist Josiah Whitney declared it “inaccessible” in 1870 but was proven wrong only five years later when a climber succeeded in scaling the back of the dome to the summit. Since then, the route has become so popular—and crowded—that the National Park Service was forced to establish a permit lottery in 2011 to keep numbers at a manageable 50,000 or so per year. Though many want to try it, the steep 16-mile hike—including the last 400 feet via cables—is for neither the faint of heart nor weak of limb. If that sounds too challenging, know that there are several spectacular views of Half Dome that require only short hikes or no walking at all. Hike a short distanceto Cook’s Meadow in the valley, take a bus to Glacier Point, or drive to Olmsted Lookout or the Tunnel View overlook on Highway 41."

"El Capitan There’s no underestimating the role that El Capitan has played in the development of modern rock climbing—the 3,000-foot granite face is where the sport transformed from technical mountaineering to athletic art form. In good weather, bring a pair of binoculars and set up a camp chair in El Capitan Valley to watch the brave make their ascent; as dusk falls, you’ll see the tiny lights of their headlamps as they tuck into their bivvys for the night. Alternatively, you can unleash your inner Royal Robbins with beginner through advanced climbing classes from Yosemite Mountaineer School, the only outfitter permitted to teach climbing in the park."

"Located 3,200 feet above Half Dome Village, Glacier Point offers some of the best views in the park to the high country beyond. The View Terrace looks out to Half Dome, Vernal Fall, and Nevada Fall as well as Liberty Cap to the east, while the Upper Terrace features views to the west, including Yosemite Falls and Yosemite Village. Glacier Point is only open to vehicles from late May to October or November and parking is very limited, so the best way to get there is either via park shuttle bus from Badger Pass or the private guided bus tour that departs from Yosemite Valley. For some of the best, relatively uncrowded hikes in the park, consider taking the bus one way to Glacier Point and then hiking nearly straight down to the valley floor via the Four Mile Trail or 8.5-mile Panorama Trail, both of which offer stunning views."

"This eight-mile-long, one-mile-wide valley, sliced down the middle by the Merced River, is the heart of Yosemite and by far the most-visited area of the park. Of the three entrances to the valley, none affords a more spectacular first view than the Tunnel Overlook on Highway 41, where the pine-clad valley floor gradually gives way to granite spires, with El Capitan and Bridalveil Falls in the foreground and Half Dome shining in the distance. If you’re entering the valley in the summer high season, you’ll have plenty of time to take in your surroundings—from your car, stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic. The valley is open all year, so do yourself a favor and time your visit to early spring, when the waterfalls are at their fullest, or autumn, when the days are still warm, the nights just a bit chilly, and the crowds, thankfully, nowhere to be found."

"According to John Muir, the Hetch Hetchy Valley was once every bit as beautiful as neighboring Yosemite Valley to the southeast. However, the renowned conservationist ultimately losthis struggle to save the slightly smaller Hetch Hetchy Valley from development and, in 1923, the O’Shaughnessy Dam begandivertingwater to a thirstySan Francisco, nearly 170 miles away. The controversy continues to this day, with environmentalists calling for demolition of the aging concrete structure every few years—to no avail. Still, if you’re craving some solitude, Hetch Hetchy is a worthwhile detour while inside the park. Just below the dam, you can take a short but steep hike down to the Tuolumne River, which runs through the lovely Poopenaut Valley. If time and budget allow, treat yourself to a night at the nearby Evergreen Lodge."

"Timing is everything if you want to fully appreciate Yosemite Falls, one of the most popular attractions in the park. Fed by melting snow in the high country, the falls begin booming around April but, by the end of summer, are a mere trickle of their former selves. Together, the three sections make up one of the highest waterfalls in the world. The 320-foot Lower Fall is the most accessible (just follow the signs on the footpath at the back of the Yosemite Valley Lodge), while the middle section is visible only from a few spots on the steep Yosemite Falls trail. The true showstopper, however, is the 1,430-foot Upper Fall, which plunges from a granite saddle at the mouth of a meadow. Trails from the valley floor afford spectacular views, but you can also see it from the Swinging Bridge and the field on the south side of the Majestic Yosemite Hotel."

"Despite being steep, often wet, and sometimes dangerous, the Mist Trail is Yosemite’s hallmark hike, with breathtaking views of the valley and two waterfalls. Be warned, though, that it’s called the Mist Trail for a reason: Much of the thigh-burning hike is cut into stone alongside Vernal Fall and, depending on how much water is flowing (especially in the spring), the steps will be very slippery and you’ll get soaked. Bring rain gear and climb carefully. At the top of Vernal Fall (about 1.5 miles from the valley floor), you’ll find the Emerald Pool, which can look very inviting for a dip but, in fact, has extremely cold water and lethally strong currents—obey the signs and do not swim. Above the pool, a bridge will take you up to the other side and, eventually, to Nevada Fall. You can return the same way or, better yet, connect at Nevada Fall to the John Muir Trail, which is slightly longer but much gentler on the knees coming down. It also offers an incredible look back at Nevada Fall and the back side of Half Dome."

"Tenaya is not only one of the most beautiful lakes in Yosemite, it’s one of the most accessible—when Tioga Road (the only road in the high country) is open, usually May through October. The fact that it’s easy to get to makes it one of the most popular sites in Yosemite, but because it’s located 8,150 feet about the valley floor, it’s still a lot less crowded than other attractions. The sandy swimming beach on the east end of the clear alpine lake is a favorite spot for sunbathing, with granite domes surrounding three sides. There’s also a smaller, typically less busy beach on the west end, but you’ll have to do a little wading to get there. For landlubbers, there’s an easy 2.5-mile hike around the lake."

"It’s not much to look at—a dusty, walk-in campground beneath the pines, littered here and there with boulders—but this patch of dirt at the base of El Capitan is on the National Registry of Historic Places for being the birthplace of both modern rock climbing and a counterculture phenomenon. It was here, for example, in between ascents in the 1960s, that a young blacksmith and Yosemite “dirtbagger” named Yvon Chouinard developed climbing hardware that launched the outdoor-gear empire Patagonia. You don’t even need to be an aspiring Alex Honnold (who,in 2017, became the first person to climb El Cap solo without a rope) tospend time at the campground—sites arefirst come, first served, for just six dollars a night."

"This tiny town at the southern entrance of the park is a respite from the teeming crowds of Yosemite Valley, about 30 miles away. Its namesake hotel (a National Historic Landmark) harks back to its Victorian beginnings in 1876, when it was built to house visitors to the giant sequoias in Mariposa Grove. Nearly all of the 104 rooms open out to a large, wraparound veranda, with views of the gardens and beyond. Nearby attractions include the visitor center (originally the art studio of Thomas Hill, whose works are on display from May through October) and the Pioneer Yosemite History Center, where Yosemite’s past comes to life with horse-carriage rides and other activities."

"No artist is more closely associated with Yosemite than Ansel Adams, who first set foot in the park in 1916 while still pursuing his fledgling career as a concert pianist. His love of nature and the High Sierra brought him back regularly to Yosemite, where he eventually married Virginia Best, whose parents owned and ran a photography studio nearby. The rest, as they say, is history. Today, the Ansel Adams Gallery—open every day except Christmas—showcases rotating exhibits of contemporary artists. Also on offer are free camera walks and lessons with staff photographers, as well as Yosemite Special Edition Photographs, printed by Adams’s longtime photo assistant using his negatives and available for purchase in the gift shop."