Yosemite Valley

Seven miles long and one mile wide at its broadest, its walls near-vertical and hemmed in by mile-high cliffs, the Yosemite Valley is what most visitors think of when they say "Yosemite." Yosemite Valley is accessible year round.

Yosemite Valley Sights

Yosemite Valley sights in the order you encounter them, starting on Southside Drive as you enter and going counterclockwise.

See where they are on this Yosemite Valley map.

You can also get a look at them in this photo tour.

• Tunnel View: This popular vista point gives a view of Yosemite Valley before you get to it. From here you can see Bridalveil Falls, Half Dome and El Capitan all at once. Photos from Tunnel View are best from late afternoon through sunset.

• Bridalveil Falls: A slender, 600-foot-high waterfall that flows all year long. The base is a quarter mile walk from the parking area along Southside Drive.

• Curry Village: Facilities here include a grocery store, bike rentals, a gift shop, showers, lodging and a couple of places to eat. More about Curry Village lodging.

• Yosemite Village: Home of the visitor center, Ansel Adams Gallery and Yosemite Museum. You'll also find shops, restaurants, an ATM machine and a post office here.

• Ahwahnee Hotel: This elegant, old hotel's public spaces are so beautiful that it's worth a visit even if you aren't sleeping there. Find out more about staying there.

• Yosemite Falls: Two waterfalls that, along with the cascade between form the highest falls in North America at 2,500 feet. The Yosemite valley shuttle bus stops at the trailhead. The falls are at their wettest in the spring when the snow starts to melt, but they may stop running altogether by later summer.

• Yosemite Lodge: The lodge is (obviously) a place to stay, but this is also where you can catch bus tours, attend evening programs in their amphitheater - and they also have a great restaurant. Find out more about staying there.

• El Capitan: At 3,600 feet tall, it's the world's largest single piece of exposed granite. To get a better idea of its size, get as close as you can to the base and use your binoculars to look for climbers - who appear like tiny insects scaling its face.

• Valley View Turnout: Near the park exit traveling west along Northside Drive, you'll find this turnout, which has one of the best views of the valley.

If you'd like to get a little closer to nature but don't want to attempt a long, strenuous trek, try one of our easy Yosemite Valley hikes instead.

You can get excellent views of Yosemite Valley from Glacier Point, but it's outside the valley and you'll have to drive or take a bus to get there.

If you're curious about how Yosemite Valley was formed, Roadside Geology of Yosemite Valley gives a mile-by-mile description of the area's natural history.

Getting Around Yosemite Valley

The best way to get around Yosemite Valley is by using the free shuttle service. Just leave your car near your hotel or in the campground if you're staying in Yosemite Valley or follow the signs and park in the day-use parking lots near Yosemite Village or Curry Village if you're coming in from outside.