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Yosemite N.P. Hiking Tour: 6 day Self-Guided

Discover Yosemite’s hidden wonders on a hiking tour that ventures beyond the crowds into the park’s vast wilderness, showcasing serene trails, giant sequoias, glacier-carved canyons, and iconic scenery through non-technical day hikes.

Average Climate

Dry Climate
Heat
Large Daily Temperature Variation

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Double Booking
$1750

Single Booking
$2530

Roommate Rebate
$860

Trip Type

Hiking

Difficulty Level

3

Trip Length

6 Days, 5 Nights

Distance

40.8 Miles
65.7 Kilometers

Meeting Time

Drop-off Time

Assembly Point

Fresno, CA

Inclusions

Five nights lodging reservations with breakfast, recommendations for dinner and lunch, tour maps with digital and written directions and GPS coordinates, gift, narratives about the area, 24×7 phone support on tour.

Arrive at: Fresno Yosemite International Airport, CA

Optional Add-ons:  Pre and Post Tour Lodging Arrangements

Not included:  Flight to Fresno, car rental

Have questions? We’re here to help! Call us at 303-664-8388 or reach out online.

Reserve This Tour

One of the stark realities of Yosemite is its vastness, where so much of the park is astoundingly remote, if not impenetrable.  Of the park’s approximate 750,000 acres, nearly 95 percent of its area is protected wilderness.  The vast majority of the park’s visitors never venture more than 1/2 mile from their vehicles.  Let us show you another side of Yosemite – the quieter trails, the unique picnic spots, its giant sequoias, dramatic waterfalls, deep glacier-carved canyons, snow-clad peaks and magnificent domes.  The trails included are non-technical day hikes that best reflect the variety and scenic fascination that is Yosemite.

This tour can be booked for any dates from June – October, but we recommend avoiding the middle of summer as it can get very hot and crowded in the valley.  Tours must be booked at least 2 weeks in advance, with a minimum of 2 participants.  **Please Note **  Hotel reservations in the Yosemite Valley can fill up quickly, so book early. 

Note: Actual hotels are subject to availability and not guaranteed before booking.  Posted price is based on a mid-week span with at least 3 months notice.  Price will be adjusted according to current hotel availability and costs. Hotel costs are likely to increase as tour date approaches, so earlier bookings will see better savings.

ITINERARY

Day 1: You will be driving to Lee Vining, with a hike to May Lake part way through the drive.

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Distance: 2.8 miles

Elevation Gain: 525 feet

Largest Single Elevation Gain: 400 feet

Tour directions begin at the western entrance to the park and take your over Tioga road up to the May Lake trailhead. The warm up hike today skirts along the base of Mt. Hoffman, one of Muir’s first mountain ascents, to May Lake. It will give you a taste of the high meadows and the ubiquitous granite domes.

Day 2: Hike through Dana Meadows to Mono Pass

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Meals: Breakfast

Distance: 8.6 miles

Elevation Gain: 1,225 feet

Largest Single Elevation Gain: 835 feet

A short drive from Lee Vining brings you to the Dana Meadows, a high elevation alpine meadow. The walk today wanders through the trails of the meadoes and up to historic Mono Pass with its incredible views of the Sierra Crest and Blood Canyon as well as Mono Lake and the high desert of the Great Basin east of the Sierra Nevada.

Day 3: Hike to Dog Lake and summit Lembert Dome

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Meals: Breakfast

Distance: 5.7 miles

Elevation Gain: 950 feet

Largest Single Elevation Gain: 450 feet

We’ll shuttle over Tioga Pass to Tuolumne Meadows along the Tuolumne River on Day 3 for a gentler hike to Dog Lake. This is a wonderful loop trail to beautiful Dog Lake which mirrors the surrounding mountains. After circumnavigating the lake, the loop continues around Lembert Dome to the summit trail. It’s only 1/2 mile climb on the exposed rock to reach the dome summit with views in all directions. The return route route walks through the picturesque Tuolumne meadow back to the trialhead.

Day 4: Take on the challenge of Clouds Rest, or opt for a less strenuous hike; transfer to Yosemite Valley

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Meals: Breakfast

Distance: 12.4 miles

Elevation Gain: 3,140 feet

Largest Single Elevation Gain: 1,000 feet

The challenge today may well be the park’s most spectacular viewpoint. The trail wanders up and down through the meadows and ultimately will lead to the Clouds Rest Summit, just shy of 10,000’. Clouds Rest is substantially higher than better-known Half Dome, safer to climb without the terrifying drop-offs for which Half Dome is famous, and, most importantly, far less crowded with significantly better views of the park. It is a significant distance and elevation, and we do offer alternative trails in the area to equally beautiful locations. This is a transition day, as after the hike you will continue west to the Yosemite Valley.

Day 5: Hike Vernal Falls - Nevada Falls Loop

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Meals: Breakfast

Distance: 6 miles

Elevation Gain: 2,185 feet

Largest Single Elevation Gain: 980 feet

This popular loop will take you along the Merced River Valley and past its famous waterfalls and view points. We follow parts of the John Muir Trail, the Mist Trail, and the Half Dome Trail We climb through the mist of Vernal Fall on the stone steps built in the 1880’s, and continue ever higher beside the Merced River. Continuing east would take you to the Half Dome Trail. Instead we head back west to the top of Nevada Fall for incredible views across the valley and to the domed peaks above. We complete our loop by traversing through the woods to Clark Point for more spectacular views (we can never get too many!), and eventually rejoin the Mist Trail and our final descent back to Happy Isles.

Day 6: Visit the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias; Tour concludes

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Meals: Breakfast

Distance: 5.3 miles

Elevation Gain: 1,035 feet

Largest Single Elevation Gain: 535 feet

The final day is spent in the Giant Sequoia grove of Mariposa. With gentle paths wandering through the towering trees, there are stops at the Grizzly Giant, the Tunnel Tree, the Mariposa Museum, the Guardians and many more. The return to Fresno starts from this southern edge of Yosemite National Park.

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