Yosemite National Park is home to some of the most beautiful landscapes in California. In this guide, I share information on one of my favorite day hikes in Yosemite – the Yosemite Valley Loop Trail.
The Yosemite Valley Loop Trail offers visitors plenty of opportunities for sightseeing and adventuring. It explores some of the best parts of Yosemite including Yosemite Falls, El Capitan, Sentinel Rocks, and Merced River.
This trail travels through the Yosemite Valley floor. You have the option to do the full 12-mile loop or a half loop.
If you want to enjoy the classic Yosemite views without the painful elevation gains that most Yosemite trails entail, the Yosemite Valley Loop is for you!
Table Of Contents:
Quick Trail Highlights
Here are a few quick trail highlights before I go into more details:
- Length: 7 miles for the half-loop or 12 miles for the full loop
- Time Needed: 3 hours for the half loop, 6 hours for the full loop
- Difficulty: Moderate (due to its length)
- Cost: $35 per vehicle to enter Yosemite National Park
- Dogs allowed?: Only on paved roads and sidewalks
Location & Parking
The Valley Loop Trail travels through the entire Yosemite Valley so you can start hiking this trail from many different places.
We followed the Middle Valley Loop Trail map from the AllTrails hiking app that started the trek at Camp 4. If there is no parking here, you can also park and begin the trail by Lower Yosemite Falls.
Parking in Yosemite can be difficult to find on the weekends. It can be easier to walk to the trailhead from where you’re staying, whether that be a campsite, a hotel within Yosemite Valley, or Curry Village.
Google Map Location: Yosemite Valley Loop Trail
About Yosemite Valley Loop Trail
Yosemite Valley Loop Trail is a great hike for first-time Yosemite visitors who want to get an overall sense of the park. This trail is special because it connects many of the top highlights into one single loop.
You have the option to hike the half-loop which is around 7 miles long or the full loop which is around 12 miles long.
Either option is just incredible and you’ll get to experience seeing towering waterfalls, granite cliffs, meandering rivers, and scenic meadows that Yosemite is famous for.
Middle Valley Loop Trail Map From AllTrails:
Yosemite Valley Loop follows a fairly flat path making it a great option for families. This is also a great hike to get your legs warmed up before attempting one of the more challenging Yosemite day hikes.
There are plenty of opportunities to rest along the way. You can also pack food and stop to enjoy a lunch at one of the picnic sites along Merced River.
This trail is located in lower elevation so it’s accessible all year round. This makes it a great hiking option during the winter months when many other hikes in Yosemite are closed for the season.
We hiked the Yosemite Valley Loop Trail in early November and the scenery was just unreal! Many of the trees within Yosemite Valley like Bigleaf Maple and Black Oak change colors to bright yellows and oranges while the higher elevation alpine trees stay evergreen.
In the summer months, Yosemite attracts large visitor crowds. The Valley Loop Trail stays somewhat empty offering a bit of peace and solitude during the busy seasons.
If you’re looking for a flat, crowd-less trail with incredible scenery – you’ll love the Valley Loop Trail!
Photography Tips
Yosemite National Park is one of my favorite places for photography in California as it offers many unique locations and landscapes.
Here are a few photography tips to help you capture memories of a lifetime from your trip:
- Use a polarizer filter. A polarizer filter can deepen colors and help manage reflection in the water. You can even buy a polarizer filter for your phone if that’s your go-to camera!
- Keep the shutter speed high. Your photos can come out blurry if you’re snapping them on the go. Keep the shutter speed high for sharper images.
- When capturing photos try to stand so the sun is behind you. Direct sunlight tends to wash out colors and contrast in photos.
- Use a lens hood on your camera to help battle direct sunlight during the day.
- Bring a small travel tripod. During this route, you’ll pass waterfalls and the Merced River. Using a tripod allows you to lower the shutter speed to create a flowy, soft look in the water while reducing blurriness in a photo.
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What To Expect From The Hike
I’ve been to Yosemite many times. Usually, I’ll try to tackle one of the more challenging hikes but on this trip, I was traveling with my mom so we decided to hike the Valley Loop Trail instead.
We started the trek from Lower Yosemite Fall Trailhead and hiked the route counterclockwise. The first section of the trail is very easy and follows a paved path to Camp 4.
You can walk through Camp 4 which passes backpacker campsites, restrooms, and the trailhead for Upper Yosemite Falls & Eagle Peak Trail. This is another great hike that I’ve done – but it gains around 4000 feet in elevation and can take all day to complete.
Continue on the pathway past Camp 4 and soon you’ll feel submerged in nature with barely anyone else around. The further you go away from Yosemite Village, the fewer people you’ll encounter.
You’ll pass giant granite rocks where you might spot a few people practicing rock climbing and bouldering. If you’re interested in rock climbing lessons yourself, check out the Yosemite Mountaineering School in Curry Village.
Keep going along the paved path. Soon you’ll need to cross the main road where the trail continues through the woods parallel to the Merced River.
In a couple of miles, we were finally rewarded with one of my favorite views of the Merced River and El Capitan rock formation as the backdrop.
If you’re hiking the half-loop trail, you can cross the Merced River at El Capitan Drive and start heading back. If you’re hiking the full loop, continue on the trail towards Pohono Bridge and Bridalveil Falls.
We had planned to hike the half-loop trail so we crossed to the other side of the valley floor and started the trek back towards Yosemite Village. We stopped by a scenic bridge overlooking jagged Yosemite mountain peaks.
After taking in the views, we kept going along the loop. During our visit in November, Yosemite was undergoing a controlled burn so part of the trail was closed.
We had to walk for a while along Southside Drive before we could continue hiking in the forest again.
Certain sections of this trail can be a bit difficult to find. Having an offline hiking app like AllTrails can help you navigate the route.
The next few miles travel through a serene forest filled with tall trees and giant boulders. While you may not get the most epic Yosemite views here, it’s a wonderful place to disconnect from everything and enjoy a bit of solitude.
At the Four Mile Trailhead, we crossed the road again and followed a narrow path that led to the Swinging Bridge. The Swinging Bridge is a popular day-use area with grills and picnic tables overlooking Yosemite Falls.
While this bridge is called “The Swinging Bridge”, it is a stationary bridge that can be used for crossing the Merced River.
From here we took a path through Cook’s Meadow back to the starting point at Lower Yosemite Falls.
What To Bring On The Hike
Here are a few things that I recommend bringing along on your hike:
- Hiking boots. There are many parts of the Yosemite Valley Loop Trail that travel across uneven surfaces, rocks, and tree roots. Good hiking shoes with support can prevent you from falling and twisting your ankle.
- Hiking poles. This trail is mostly flat but you’ll be hiking for 6+ miles so your legs will start getting tired. Hiking poles can provide support and stability to finish the hike safely.
- Plenty of water. On longer day hikes I always bring several reusable water bottles.
- Insect repellant. One of the most challenging parts of this hike was the relentless bugs that kept following us the entire time. Bring a bug spray to keep them away!
- Insulated hoodie. The weather in Yosemite can be a bit unpredictable. The full loop can take all day to complete so be sure to bring a warm jacket in case you don’t get to finish the hike before sunset.
- Headlamp. A headlamp is a must-have item to bring on any hike.
- Adventure medical kit. REI sells compact lightweight emergency kits that are easy to bring in a day pack.
- Portable phone charger. In case your phone runs out of battery.
- Day pack. I have a small day pack from REI that fits all of my necessities and is very light so it’s easy to bring along.
Where To Stay In Yosemite
During my fall trip to Yosemite, I stayed in one of the heated canvas tents within Curry Village.
Curry Village tent cabins are the perfect accommodation choice for those who want to be at the center of it all! Here you can spend the day exploring Yosemite National Park and return to stay in a cozy campsite surrounded by majestic trees and towering granite walls.
The tents are very spacious and come with many comfortable amenities like hot showers, a seasonal pool, and multiple dining choices.
Book The Curry Village Tent Cabins Here!
Yosemite Valley Loop Trail is an exceptional trail passing some of the best highlights of Yosemite National Park.
I hope this guide has helped you prepare for an unforgettable trip to Yosemite! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask in the comments below.
Looking for more Yosemite travel inspiration? Here are a few other popular posts that you may enjoy:
- 20 Amazing Places To Stay Near Yosemite National Park
- Visiting Yosemite In October & November For Fall Colors
- The 10 Best VRBO Rentals Near Yosemite National Park
- Hiking Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias Trail In Yosemite
- How To Hike Mirror Lake Trail In Yosemite National Park
- Guide To Visiting Yosemite National Park In The Winter
Interested in going on an overnight backpacking trip in Yosemite? Be sure to check out these posts below that cover some of my favorite backcountry routes:
- Hiking & Backpacking The Cathedral Lakes Trail
- Backpacking North Dome Trail In Yosemite
- How To Backpack The Eagle Peak Trail In Yosemite
This post is written by Laura Sausina. Hi, I’m the founder of the Fun Life Crisis travel blog and I’ve been traveling the world for the past 7 years. Here I share my experiences and tips to help 100,000 people a month turn their travel dreams into reality! Read more about me here.
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