Hiking Outdoor Excursions In Yosemite!

Mirror Lake. Once your in Yosemite, take the free shuttle to the Mirror Lake Junction. Once you are off of the shuttle, you can take a nice walk on a paved road (no vehicles are allowed on this road) up to Mirror Lake. The walk is a casual walk that follows the Merced River and is mostly shaded. It is a one mile walk with a mild increase as you walk. This lake has some sandy beaches around parts of it. It also has some cascading rocks that are fun to explore. Deer are often found coming to the lake to drink.

Vernal Falls Bridge. This is definitely the most hiked trail in all of Yosemite! Vernal Falls cannot be seen from the valley floor. You can drive up to Glacier Point and see it or walk to the bridge and see it. Take the free shuttle to Happy Isles. 7/10ths of a mile walk on a sandy trail will get you to the bridge. The view of the waterfall is breathtaking and worth the effort. Children of all ages can easily make it to the bridge. The trail is a moderate uphill climb and the trail is mostly shaded. Many people go to the bridge without going all the way to the top. This really is a hiking outdoor excursion that is worth the effort of doing. The view will not disappoint you!

Lower Yosemite Falls. Take the free shuttle to the Lower Yosemite Falls Parking lot. Or if you are staying at the Lodge, it is easy to follow the signs and walk there. A casual 1/4 mile of a walk on a sandy trail. Easy for the whole family. You will end up at a bridge that you can see Lower Yosemite Falls crashing into a deep pool surrounded by rocks and boulders. A perfect place to take pictures!

Sentinel Dome is an easy 2.2 mile hike that will give you a 360 degree view of Yosemite Valley and the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. It is here where you will see the fallen Jeffrey Pine tree that was made famous by Ansel Adams.

Taft Point A great hiking outdoor trail in Yosemite is to Taft Point. This is an easy hike that takes about 2 hours to complete. Just before you get to Taft Point, you will get to experience the fissures. The fissures are these huge, deep cracks between the rocks. These gaps are hundreds of feet deep and allow you to peak at Yosemite Valley below. You don't really see the fissures until your standing right on top of them.

Tuolumne Meadow's is Yosemite's High Country. Above the valley floor lies several mountain lakes stocked with fish, several campgrounds, granite domes and jagged peaks. This is a serious hiker/backpackers dream! Here are some of the best California hiking trails to be found. There are several easy to moderate hikes to choose from here.

Yosemite's East Valley Floor Hike starts and ends at Curry Village. Walk along a flat shaded trail. This trail goes along the banks of the Merced River, by the horse stables, through a couple of campgrounds and through a forest. Beautiful views of North Dome and Upper Yosemite Falls.