The Best Easy Hikes in Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park is a hiker’s paradise full of majestic mountains, thunderous waterfalls, and abundant wildlife. Hitting the trail is a special way to feel the magic of this national park, and this article is here to help you find the best easy hikes in Yosemite!

No matter your age, ability, or skill level, there is a fabulous hike in Yosemite for you. The best easy hikes in Yosemite are the Sentinel Dome, Mirror Lake, Soda Springs, Lower Yosemite Fall, and Grizzly Giant Loop Trails.

My name is Ash, and I’m a former park ranger. I think that this park is best seen from the trail, which is why I’m so excited to share the best easy hikes in Yosemite with you. Let’s talk about your hiking options!

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What are the Best Easy Hikes in Yosemite?

Yosemite has many easy hiking options, and each trail provides a unique experience to see the park’s famous mountains and waterfalls.

If a trail is less than three miles, doesn’t gain more than 500 feet of elevation, and is somewhere I take my own small children, it’s included in this list of the best easy hiking trails in Yosemite.

Sentinel Dome Trail

The view from the top of Sentinel Dome is one of the best you can find in Yosemite’s front country. From up here, you can see Half Dome, Yosemite Falls (Upper and Lower), Vernal Fall, Nevada Fall, and El Capitan.

Sentinel Dome Trail Information

Distance: 2.2 miles roundtrip
Elevation: 450 feet
Difficulty: Easy
Kid-Friendly: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: No
Restrooms: Yes
Pets Allowed: No

Your hike begins at the Sentinel Dome/Taft Point Trailhead along the Glacier Point Road. As you begin hiking, you’ll want to go right to make your way to Sentinel Dome. You’ll follow a wide, mostly flat trail through the trees with views of the dome you’ll soon be hiking to the top of.

As you approach Sentinel Dome, you’ll meet up with an old dirt road. Follow this road to the northeast side of the dome to reach the easiest route to the top.

When the road ends, the climbing begins! From the base of the dome, it’s about 0.2 miles and 200 feet of elevation gain to the top. You don’t actually have to climb…it’s a steep walk up, but you can rest as needed. I have taken my young kids up here several times, and while it’s important to take care, it doesn’t feel dangerous.

When you reach the top, you’ll find several flat areas to sit and enjoy the spectacular 360-degree views! When you’re ready, return the way you came.

{ALTERNATIVE} Another easy hike in the area is Taft Point. It leaves from the same trailhead as Sentinel Dome, so you can hike both while you’re here. If you only have time to do one, I prefer Sentinel Dome.

Location

The Sentinel Dome Trail begins at the Sentinel Dome/Taft Point Trailhead, 14.2 miles down the Glacier Point Road.

The Glacier Point Road is open seasonally (typically May – mid-November).

Mirror Lake Trail

If you are looking for epic views of Yosemite’s granite cliffs reflected in the water of a sparkling lake, then the Mirror Lake Trail is the hike for you! This easy hike travels to a seasonal lake located just below Half Dome.

Mirror Lake Trail Information

Distance: 2 miles roundtrip
Elevation: 100 feet
Difficulty: Easy
Kid-Friendly: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Restrooms: Yes
Pets Allowed: No

This trail can be a loop, but I typically just like to hike to the lake and back without the added mileage of the loop trail if I want to keep things easy.

You’ll take the Yosemite Valley Shuttle to Stop 17 to get here (check out this itinerary for more info on how to use the park shuttle), and then start hiking along the paved road up to the lake. It’s not the prettiest hike while you follow the road, but the views open up tremendously when you reach the lakeshore.

You’ll be able to spread out when you get to the lake, and it’s a great place to bring a picnic lunch or dip your feet in the water. If you look straight up as you stand near the lake, you can see the flat face of Half Dome directly above you!

Mirror Lake is a seasonal lake, so it typically dries up by August. If you hike this trail late in the summer, you’ll likely find a beautiful meadow in place of the lake.

When you’re ready, head back the way you came along the road. If you want to make your hike a loop, you can continue following the dirt trail along the lakeshore — the entire loop is about 5 miles long.

{ALTERNATIVE} The Cook’s Meadow Loop is another beautiful easy hike in Yosemite Valley. You’ll follow a boardwalk through the meadow and enjoy dramatic views of Yosemite Falls.

Location

The Mirror Lake Trailhead is located in Yosemite Valley. There isn’t parking at the trailhead (unless you have a handicap placard), so you’ll need to walk, bike, or take the free Yosemite Valley Shuttle to the trailhead.

BEAR SAFETY 101

You may encounter black bears while hiking in Yosemite National Park. Learn how to prevent an encounter and what to do if you see a bear so that you can be confident on the trail!

P.S. — bear spray is currently illegal in California, so you will need to disregard that information in the article.

read the article

Soda Springs Trail

The Soda Springs Trail to Parsons Lodge is a fantastic way to see the beauty of Tuolumne Meadows. You’ll often see deer grazing, the springs bubbling, and the domes rising from the meadows towards the sky.

Soda Springs Trail Information

Distance: 1.5 miles roundtrip
Elevation: 50 feet
Difficulty: Easy
Kid-Friendly: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: No
Restrooms: Yes
Pets Allowed: No

A visit to the Tuolumne Meadows area of the park is one of the best ways to see Yosemite’s high country. Tuolumne Meadows takes a while to thaw out after a long winter, but up here, you’ll find lovely rivers and streams, sparkling lakes, granite domes and mountains, and lots of wildlife. The Soda Springs Trail travels through the meadows and provides a great introduction to the area.

You can begin this trail from either the Lembert Dome Picnic Area or the Tuolumne Meadows Visitor Center. It’s an easy walk with beautiful views from either direction.

Please be sure to stay on the trail as you hike through this area. Meadows are an extremely fragile ecosystem, and we don’t want to trample the plants that work so hard to grow at this elevation.

As you follow the trail, you’ll find a picturesque bridge that crosses over the river, with Parsons Lodge and bubbling Soda Springs just beyond.

{ALTERNATIVE} The Lembert Dome trail is more strenuous, but it provides amazing 360-degree views of Tuolumne Meadows. If you’re looking for another easy trail in the area, you’ll find a “secret” hike in this itinerary.

Location

The Soda Springs Trail is located near the Tuolumne Meadows Visitor Center along the Tioga Road. The Tioga Road is open seasonally from about late May – mid-November, weather permitting.

Lower Yosemite Fall Trail

Yosemite Falls is the tallest waterfall in North America, and this trail takes you to the base of it! Lower Yosemite Fall is the final 320-foot drop of this famous waterfall, and you’ll love feeling the spray as you take in the spectacular view.

Lower Yosemite Fall Trail Information

Distance: 1 mile roundtrip
Elevation: 50 feet
Difficulty: Easy
Kid-Friendly: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Restrooms: Yes
Pets Allowed: Yes

This trail is one of the easiest and most popular trails in Yosemite. You’ll follow a flat, paved pathway that loops through the trees to the base of the waterfall.

You can walk to this waterfall from the Valley Visitor Center or take the shuttle bus to the trailhead. From there, it’s a quick walk on either the western portion or the eastern portion of the trail that leads to the waterfall. The eastern portion is handicap accessible as long as it’s not icy. Both trails meet at the bridge near the base of the waterfall.

This waterfall dries up in late July or August each year and doesn’t typically start flowing again until it snows. Because this is part of the “developed” area of Yosemite, you can bring a leashed dog with you as long as they stay on the pavement.

{ALTERNATIVE} Bridalveil Fall is another nearby waterfall that you can hike to the base of!

Location

The Lower Yosemite Fall Trail is located in Yosemite Valley near the Valley Visitor Center. You can hike, bike, or take the free Yosemite Valley Shuttle (stop 6) to reach the beginning of the trail.

Grizzly Giant Loop Trail

The Grizzly Giant Loop Trail is found in the Mariposa Grove, an impressive forest of giant sequoia trees! This easy trail is the perfect way to immerse yourself in the grandeur of these amazing trees.

Grizzly Giant Loop Trail Information

Distance: 2 miles roundtrip
Elevation: 300 feet
Difficulty: Easy
Kid-Friendly: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Restrooms: Yes
Pets Allowed: No

The Grizzly Giant Loop showcases some of the most famous and impressive trees in the Mariposa Grove, such as the Grizzly Giant, the Bachelor, the California Tunnel Tree, and the Three Graces.

To hike this trail, you’ll want to park at the Mariposa Grove Welcome Plaza and take the free park shuttle to the trailhead. From there, it’s a 2-mile loop through the grove on a well-marked trail.

The Mariposa Grove contains many giant sequoias, which are the largest trees in the world by mass! You’ll love the quiet solitude and peace along this trail as you experience the grandeur of these trees.

Some sections of this trail are handicapped-accessible. If you have a handicap placard, you can drive straight to the trailhead without taking the shuttle.

{ALTERNATIVE} The Big Trees Loop is a small portion of the Grizzly Giant Loop, so if you don’t want to hike the full 2 miles, you can focus on this smaller 0.3-mile loop instead.

Location

The Mariposa Grove is located at the south end of Yosemite National Park near Wawona.

Traffic and crowding in Yosemite can be terrible.

Did you know that it’s common to wait an hour or more to enter the park or catch the park shuttle?

Are you hoping to see the best sights without getting stuck in traffic, circling parking lots, or being surrounded by people?

Stay ahead of the crowds with this Yosemite Itinerary. You will see all of the can’t-miss spots, plus get lodging and dining guides, driving directions, and insider tips!

What are the Best Wheelchair-Friendly Trails in Yosemite?

You’ll find a few fabulous wheelchair-friendly trails in Yosemite National Park! Most of these trails are found in Yosemite Valley, where you’ll get great views of the granite cliffs and massive waterfalls. You can find more specific and detailed information on the park’s website, but here are a few notable options:

Lower Yosemite Fall Trail — this paved path is a loop, and it travels to a viewpoint at the base of Yosemite Falls (the tallest waterfall in North America). This whole area has a bunch of interconnected sidewalks and pathways. The eastern portion of this trail is wheelchair accessible from Shuttle Stop #6 to the viewpoint. The western portion of this trail is not considered wheelchair accessible because of a small hill near the viewpoint, but it can be done with assistance.

Big Trees Loop — this trail is found in the spectacular Mariposa Grove. With a handicap placard, you can bypass the shuttle and drive all the way to the trailhead. At that point, you’ll find the Big Trees Loop, which is a 0.3-mile wheelchair-friendly trail. After completing that trail, you can continue driving your car to the Grizzly Giant Trailhead, where you’ll find another wheelchair-friendly trail that takes you to the Grizzly Giant and the California Tunnel Tree.

Cook’s Meadow Loop — this charming 1-mile loop is made up of several boardwalks through a meadow in the heart of Yosemite Valley. You’ll love the views of Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, and Glacier Point from here!

Mirror Lake Trail — the first part of this trail is a mostly-flat paved road that leads to the lake. From the lakeshore, you can see the sheer cliff face of Half Dome directly above you! If you have a handicap placard, you can bypass the shuttle and drive straight to the trailhead.

Multi-Use Paved Trails — Yosemite Valley is full of paved bike pathways that are almost all wheelchair accessible. Stop in at the visitor center for a route map and spend your day exploring the beautiful valley!

Yosemite Hiking Regulations

To protect this beautiful place and leave it better than you found it, please follow these regulations:

• Don’t take anything. Rocks, flowers, sticks, antlers, etc., must stay in the national park. If you find something cool, take a picture of it, but please don’t remove it.

• Stay on the trail. Please don’t make your own trail or follow trails that other people have made. This is for your own safety and to prevent soil erosion and stomping of plants.

• Don’t feed or approach the wildlife. These animals need to be able to find food on their own in order to survive the harsh winters, and they often become aggressive and transmit diseases to humans if fed. Maintain a safe distance from the park’s wildlife to avoid injury or death.

• Don’t leave food or backpacks unattended, even for a quick minute. Always keep your pack within arms reach while hiking or camping in Yosemite to avoid unwanted wildlife encounters.

• Pets are not allowed on any park trails. See where you can take your pets if you bring them to the park.

What are the Best Longer Day Hikes in Yosemite?

If you’re able to hike longer distances and are feeling extra adventurous, Yosemite has so many epic longer trails that shouldn’t be missed! These trails are definitely not easy, but if you’re looking for a challenge, consider hiking to the top of Half Dome or Clouds Rest, to the Cathedral Lakes, along the Mist Trail, or stay at a High Sierra Camp.

Half Dome

The hike to the top of Half Dome is a bucket list adventure for people who love to hike! This route has cables attached to the rocks to help you get up to the summit safely, and permits are required to get to the top.

Clouds Rest

Clouds Rest is another spectacular summit hike that is much lesser known than Half Dome. If you’re looking for a quieter experience and a big challenge, consider hiking this route.

Cathedral Lakes

This popular dayhike in the Tuolumne Meadows area provides stunning views and sparkling lakes!

The Mist Trail

The Mist Trail is one of the best day hikes for first-time visitors to Yosemite. This trail travels up the side of Vernal Fall (where you’ll get heavily “misted” if you time it right!) and continues on to the top of Nevada Fall. You can’t beat the waterfall views along this route!

High Sierra Camps

If you’re looking for an epic backpacking experience in Yosemite, check out the High Sierra Camps! With about 50 miles of hiking, you can make a loop between 5 different camps in the park’s beautiful high alpine wilderness. Each camp includes an overnight stay in a canvas tent and meals.

This park has so many magnificent hikes to enjoy. I hope you enjoy these easy trails in Yosemite National Park — happy hiking!

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