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If ever there was such a place as “Hikers Heaven”, then I guess that to many hikers it would be Yosemite National Park. So what’s so great about the hiking in Yosemite? Well . . . EVERYTHING! There are dozens and dozens of wandering meadows, over 100 different lakes with more than their fair share of waterfalls . . . some are as high as a 200-story building, then don’t forget about the trees reaching into the sky as tall and imposing as rocket ships, the mighty mountains, there are even a scattering of beaches to be found in Yosemite National Park . . . that, plus a whole load more is what’s so great about hiking in Yosemite.

There’s a terrific hiking experience waiting for hikers of all abilities in Yosemite National Park. With more than 800 miles of hiking trails to explore no two hikes need ever be the same. Some are simple, paved affairs which take only the smallest amount of effort between calling in for a drink or a bite to eat (very civilized don’t you think), at the other extreme you can also explore remote hiking paths which really relate well to the phrase “back country hiking”.

Easy Day Hikes in Yosemite National Park

When I say “day hikes” it can be a little bit misleading, ‘cos many of these hikes won’t take the whole day, they won’t even take the whole afternoon . . . completed in only an hour of two but fantastic hikes just the same. There really is no excuse in the world not to take a hike around Yosemite National Park.

• Glacier Point – The Glacier Point hike in Yosemite National Park is a mere mile round trip, so it certainly won’t take long, but during that mile you’ll be amazed by the most indescribable views imaginable. The panorama scans the famous Half Dome (we’ll talk about hiking Half Dome later), the Mist Trail waterfalls, Clouds Rest and lots of Yosemite Valley (sorry, you probably won’t spot Yosemite Sam – he moved out long ago). If you time it right you could have the privilege of watching the sun set over Yosemite National Park in one of the best viewpoints around.

• Lower Yosemite Falls – you might think you’ve seen some waterfalls in your time, but you ain’t seen nothing until you’ve hiked the Lower Yosemite Falls hike. It’s only half a mile round trip from Yosemite Village so it’s well within the capabilities of even the most unfit of hikers, and what do you see when you get there? Yosemite Falls of course. Yosemite Falls are twice the height of the Empire State Building, the tallest in North America, ten times the height of Niagara, even the lower Fall, which, incidentally is the one you’ll be close to on the Lower Yosemite Falls hike is a staggering 320 feet high, so prepare for a serious crick in your neck . . . it’s amazing.

• Sentinal & Cook’s Meadow Loop – this one’s a little bit longer at around 2.5 miles, but it’s virtually flat so it’s still very accessible for hikers of all abilities.  Hike across a couple of glorious meadows in Yosemite Valley, crossing twice across the Merced River and negotiate the iconic Swinging Bridge. You’ll get loads of fantastic views of Half Dome and Yosemite Falls, this trail takes you directly to the Lower Yosemite Falls trail, there’s also a bar for any hiker in need of a little light refreshment. Mmmm, sounds purrrrr-fect.

The language might not be familiar to you, but the views are unmistakably Cook’s Meadow in Yosemite National Park.

Trickier Hikes in Yosemite National Park

I think I’ve already mentioned that there are some fantastic hikes in Yosemite National Park which really can take you into the back of beyond and far away from everyday life, so here, at the other end of the scale, are some Yosemite National Park hikes for the more experienced and adventurous hikers amongst you.

• Half Dome – possibly the most famous, popular and demanding hike in Yosemite National Park, hiking Half Dome  is anywhere between 14.2 and 23 miles round trip, depending on your route, and can take anywhere between 10 and 14 hours.  Many hiking enthusiasts have a “bucket list”, hikes they simply must do before they die, and I’ll betcha’ that hiking Half Dome is pretty close to the top of most of ‘em. It really is the ultimate Yosemite National Park day hike, which has become so popular that you won’t be permitted to access the cable section of the Half Dome hiking trail unless you have a permit, even though you’ve really got be a little more than half crazy simply to attempt going up the cable section, and then remember that you’ve gotta’ come back down again. It’s long, it’s dangerous, it’s gruelling, it’s fantastic!

You do have to be more than a little bit crazy, some might say certifiably insane to even attempt to hike Half Dome in Yosemite National Park, but that doesn’t stop thousands of people rising to the challenge every year . . . what does that tell you about hikers?

• The Mist Trail – another world famous Yosemite National Park hike, hiking the Mist Trail (which takes in Vernal and Nevada Falls) is very popular indeed. The distance of this hike is 3 miles round to Vernal Fall, and around a 7 mile round trip to Nevada Fall, although if you choose not to jump on the shuttle bus at Curry Village and walk instead, you can add on another 1.5 miles. Hiking time for this is anywhere between 2 and 5 hours, it really depends on how quickly you hike, and on how far you go. The main hike is of medium difficulty, but if you choose to climb all the way up Nevada Fall then it’s quite steep and strenuous.  Be warned, if you do choose to hike to the top of Nevada Fall, particularly in the spring time, then you’re gonna’ get wet!

Oh he’s really got me in the mood . . . to hike the Mist Trail, just ‘cos he’s got a sexy voice . . . honestly, what are you like?

• Clouds Rest – sounds like a high trail in Yosemite National Park, and that’s ‘cos it is. It’s a 7 mile hike, pretty strenuous ‘cos there’s a lot of climbing involved, and although it’s a very popular hike you won’t come across the same sorts of crowds you might elsewhere in Yosemite Valley. There’ll probably be somebody else at the top of the hike when you get there, but that’s ‘cos somebody told them about the fantastic views. If you bring a pair of binoculars with you, you can actually watch hikers going up and down the Half Dome cables from Clouds Rest. Acrophobic hikers should not attempt this hike, there’s a very narrow ridge along the top and the north side has a severe drop-off, I’m talking severe . . . you have been warned. All in all it’s not as severe as Half Dome, but it does get your heart pounding FAST.

Whatever you do, don’t look down!

• Ireland Lake – I did say that although Yosemite National Park is very popular with hikers, there are still some hikes which you can have all to yourself, pretty much anyway, and Ireland Lake hike is one of those. It’s a little more than 11 miles from Tuolumne Meadows and will take you anything from 5 to 7 hours, but after the first four miles which are, to be honest, a bit of a killer as you’re going straight up Vogelsang, the hiking trail does level off a bit before you actually arrive at your very own, private (well, almost) lake, where you can lie back and chillax.

See, there’s nobody there!

There are many more hiking trails in Yosemite National Park, but I hope that these few examples have really whet your appetite to get out and about hiking in Yosemite. It really doesn’t matter whether you’re a hard nosed addicted hiker or just somebody who appreciates stunning scenery, there’s something at Yosemite for you.