Photo by max pruvost on Unsplash
The 5-day plan, rearranged for 6 days: every place stays and a few more are added, and each day keeps to one part of town.
From average weather, 2021 to 2025: days that are warm but not hot, with few rainy days, score highest. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
The classic first look at the valley, from a viewpoint at the end of a tunnel on the road in. El Capitan, Bridalveil Fall and Half Dome sit in one frame, and the view works in any weather.
Go when Morning, or late afternoon when the light slants across the valley (about 7:06 PM).
Local tip It is a short stop at a car park, and it is busy at midday. Fog or cloud can hide the view for a while, so wait ten minutes before you decide.
A small, shallow lake in a side canyon between two domes, reached by a flat path from the valley. It holds water best in spring.
Go when Morning, when the water is still.
Local tip The lake is small and seasonal, and can be nearly dry in late summer. A flat path leads to it from the valley.
Sandwiches, fruit and cheese eaten on a flat rock beside the Merced River.
Local tip Take all your rubbish with you, and keep food away from squirrels and bears.
A steep trail of stone steps beside the Merced River to the foot of Vernal Fall, with spray all the way in spring.
Go when Morning, before the heat and the crowds.
Local tip The steps are steep, wet and slippery, and the spray soaks you in spring. Stay behind the rail, and never go near the river above the falls, where the current is dangerous.
A tall waterfall that flows all year, reached by a short, easy path from the car park. In a breeze the water blows sideways in a mist, so bring a layer. Keep off the wet rock.
Go when Midday, when the sun lights the spray.
Local tip The path is short and paved, but the spray soaks you in a wind, so bring a layer. Keep off the wet rock near the base.
A flat meadow with a wide view of El Capitan, a sheer granite cliff nearly a kilometre high. Climbers can often be seen on the wall with binoculars, though they are never promised.
Go when Afternoon, when climbers are on the wall and the light is warm.
Local tip Bring binoculars. Stay on the road shoulder or the meadow, and do not walk into the grass, which the park is protecting.
The foot of the highest waterfall in the park, reached by an easy loop path. It is at its strongest in late spring and can be a trickle or dry by late summer, so the visit depends on the season.
Go when Evening, in late spring when the water is strongest (about 7:06 PM).
Local tip The loop is easy and paved. The fall can be a trickle or dry in late summer, so check the season. Keep off the wet rock near the pool.
A flat meadow in the valley with a boardwalk and a clear view of the cliffs and Half Dome. A calm place to end the day after the long drive back, with the granite glowing in the last light.
Go when Evening, as the light fades on the cliffs (about 7:06 PM).
Local tip A flat boardwalk loop that is easy for anyone. Stay on the boardwalk to protect the meadow.
A hearty bowl of soup, a burger or grilled fish, once the cliffs have gone dark.
Local tip Kitchens in the park close early, so check ahead.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
A small museum in a historic building at the edge of the forest, with exhibits on giant sequoias and how people nearly lost the forest. A good stop in rain or heat.
Go when Midday, as a break from the sun or the rain.
Local tip A good place to understand the trees before you walk among them. Check ahead on opening.
A fallen sequoia with a road tunnel cut through it on the way to Crescent Meadow. Large vehicles do not fit, so check the clearance before you drive through, or walk through it instead.
Go when Afternoon, on the way to Crescent Meadow.
Local tip Large vehicles and trailers do not fit, so check the clearance, or leave the car and walk through. Do not climb on the log.
Sandwiches and fruit eaten at a picnic table in the forest.
Local tip Keep all food in a bear box or locked in the car.
A bare granite dome in Sequoia National Park, climbed by a stairway cut into the rock. The view over the foothills and the high peaks is best near sunset. Avoid it in a storm, when the rock draws lightning.
Go when Evening, near sunset (about 7:06 PM).
Local tip The stairway is steep with some open drops, so take it slowly and hold the rail. Avoid it if there is lightning or ice.
A green meadow ringed by sequoias, with an easy loop trail that is a gentle way to end the trip. Deer and bears live here, so stay quiet and keep your food locked away.
Go when Evening, when the light comes low through the trees (about 7:06 PM).
Local tip The loop is easy and flat. Stay on the trail to protect the wet meadow, and keep any food out of sight.
A plain, filling meal of chicken, grilled vegetables or a burger after a long day of driving.
Local tip Choices are few near the forest, and kitchens close early.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
By volume the largest known living single-stem tree on Earth, in the Giant Forest. A paved path leads to it, with benches and signs that show its size. Come early, before the groups arrive.
Go when Morning, before the groups arrive.
Local tip A paved path leads to the tree, with a steep staircase back up. Check ahead on parking and shuttles.
The second largest tree in the world, in a grove of sequoias in Kings Canyon National Park. A short paved loop leads past it and other giants. Take your time, and look up.
Go when Midday, on the drive south.
Local tip A short paved loop that takes less than an hour. Stay on the path, and do not touch or climb the roots.
A sandwich and an apple eaten at a table among the giant sequoias.
Local tip Take all your rubbish with you, and keep food away from bears.
The largest grove of giant sequoias in the park, with a few hundred mature trees on easy, shaded paths. The trees are very old, and walking among them is the point. Check ahead on parking and shuttles.
Go when Afternoon, in the shade of the trees.
Local tip The paths are gentle but long, so choose a loop that fits your time. Stay on the paths to protect the tree roots, and check ahead on parking and shuttles.
A viewpoint above Grant Grove, reached by a narrow road that closes in winter, with a long view across the high Sierra. The road is steep and not for large vehicles, so check ahead before you go.
Go when Afternoon, when the air is clear.
Local tip The road up is narrow and steep and closes in winter, so check ahead. The walk from the car park is short and paved.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
A viewpoint on the cliffs above the valley, reached by a walk through the forest from the road. There are deep cracks in the rock and drops with no fence, so keep back from the edge and hold children by the hand.
Go when Morning, before the crowds and the heat.
Local tip Deep cracks in the rock run to the edge, and there is no fence in places. Keep back, keep hold of children and stay on the path.
A roadside viewpoint on the way to Glacier Point, looking at the falls and the high peaks from a different angle.
Go when Morning, as a pause on the road to Glacier Point.
Local tip A quiet roadside viewpoint that looks at the falls and the high peaks. Stay behind the wall.
Sandwiches and fruit eaten on a rock with the whole valley below.
Local tip Wind and altitude chill you quickly, so bring a layer.
A collection of historic buildings gathered at Wawona, including a covered bridge and old cabins and barns. You can walk among them at any time of year, though the interiors are open only on a limited basis in summer.
Go when Evening, in the soft light (about 7:06 PM).
Local tip The buildings are outside and open to walk among. Check ahead on any tour or interior access.
A warm meal in a small mountain town, such as a pie, a plate of chicken or a bowl of chili.
Local tip Choices are few, and many places close early.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
A roadside viewing area on the high road, with a look down a glacial canyon to the back of Half Dome. Loose boulders left by the ice sit on the granite slopes, and a short path leads out among them.
Go when Morning, when the cliffs are lit and the light is clear.
Local tip The path out among the boulders is short but the rock is smooth, so take it slowly. The road is shut by snow for much of the year, so check ahead.
A famous viewpoint high on the south wall, looking down on the valley floor and across to Half Dome and the high peaks. The road to it closes with the snow, so check ahead on when it is open.
Go when Midday for the full view, or sunrise or sunset for the light (about 7:06 PM).
Local tip The road is shut by snow for part of the year, so check ahead. The view is the same as from Tunnel View but much higher, so it is worth the drive.
A bare granite dome near Glacier Point reached by a moderate walk, with a view in every direction.
Go when Late afternoon, for a long view all round.
Local tip A moderate walk to a bare granite dome with a wide view. Keep back from the edges and avoid it in a thunderstorm.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
A big alpine lake ringed by bare granite domes beside the road. A good place for a picnic and a paddle. The water is very cold and the lake is high, so the wind and the weather change fast.
Go when Midday, when the water is blue.
Local tip The lake is high and cold, and thunderstorms build fast in summer afternoons. Get off the water and the domes if you hear thunder.
A wide sub-alpine meadow set among granite domes and a river, high in the park. Walk a short stretch of the meadow trail in the quiet, and watch for bears and keep your food locked away.
Go when Afternoon, when the light softens on the domes.
Local tip Mosquitoes can be bad in early summer, so bring repellent. Keep food locked in a bear box, and give any bear plenty of room.
Sandwiches, nuts and fruit eaten on a warm slab beside the lake.
Local tip The lake is cold and the weather changes fast, so keep a layer in the bag.
A great granite dome above Tuolumne Meadows, climbed by a steady walk over bare rock for a wide view.
Go when Late afternoon, for the light on the meadow.
Local tip A steady climb over bare granite with a big view. Do not go up in a thunderstorm, when the rock draws lightning.
By average weather from 2021 to 2025, April to June and September to November are the most comfortable months for walking around Yosemite Valley. This plan is built for late September, which is one of the best months. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
It covers 6 days in Yosemite Valley, planned for late September. Each day is built around a small number of stops, with room to rest.
It was planned for most travelers. The pace and the places reflect that, so check it fits how you travel.
No. Places marked "book ahead" need a reservation. Hours, prices and availability change, so confirm before you go.
Yes. Archie drafts a day by day plan for your dates and takes your pace, the weather and who is travelling into account. You can start one from the Archie app.
Yes. It is a starting point you can change to fit your own trip: swap a place, add a day or move the pace.
Each day has about 2.9 to 143.6 miles between its stops, and 195.7 miles in all across 6 days. A short hop is a walk and a longer one a ride. Distances are straight-line estimates, so allow extra for the streets.
4 days around Lake TahoeAbout 130 miles awayAn easy add-on
5 days in Big Sur and MontereyAbout 150 miles away
4 days in San FranciscoAbout 170 miles awayMake it yours in a minute, then move days around and add what you want.
A trip idea · Updated November 2026
Want your own days planned like this? Plan your own trip on the web or get the Archie app.
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