All Trips > California > Yosemite National Park Hiking Tour Yosemite National Park Hiking Tour Book Your Yosemite Trip AT A GLANCE California 9 Explorer Chicks Locally Unique Hiking, National Park, US-Based, Weekend 4 Days 3 - Active Physical demand level for this trip Yosemite's Greatest Hiking Hits Photos Itinerary Logistics Activity Level What's Included Book Your Yosemite Trip Share Yosemite's Greatest Hiking Hits All 2024 Trips are Confirmed. Let’s Go! This life-changing, 4-day women’s Yosemite hiking adventure will give you jaw-dropping views of granite mountains, wide-open meadows, and ancient Sequoia trees. Maybe this trip is what your boss means when they demand leaving no stone unturned? Set that out of office and buy the hiking leggings with the deep pockets because your girl gang is WAITING FOR YOU. With your new besties beside you and our professional guides showing you the good pee spots, we’ll explore the best Yosemite peaks and valleys in this crazy-beautiful playground. By day, we’ll clamber up towering domes and stroll through lush valleys. By nightfall, we’ll laugh until we can’t breathe and fall asleep smiling, snuggled up in our cozy cabins. Enjoy a Google Earth view of Yosemite Valley from the top of Taft Point. Hike through a grove of forever-old Jeffrey Pines to summit Sentinel Dome. Feast on the panoramic majesty of Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, and Glacier Point. Seriously, this is your life right now, and you are HERE! Hiking the famous Mist Trail will lead us through pristine wilderness to the deafening roar of Vernal and Nevada Falls. You’ll forget an entire household depends on you as you dash through the heart of Yosemite’s High Sierra meadows, taking a lunch break by a diamond-clear lake, surrounded by the towering granite peaks of the Cathedral Range. We’ll cross wooden footbridges and babbling streams to stand inside a cathedral of trees, where sequoias stand like ancient sentinels. These living legends have names, personalities, and GOSSIP. You’ll meet Grizzly Giant, The Bachelor, Three Graces, and The Faithful Couple. (Or so they claim…) Your only mission after the day’s Yosemite hike – eating, sleeping, and cackling with your new friends. No, you can’t help us with dishes. Yes, you can have seconds. Enjoy the feral highs of traveling with adult women who love and accept you just as you are. Photos Itinerary Expand All Days Day 1 - Taft Point and Sentinel Dome Summit But first, BREAKFAST. After we chow down at the Rendezvous Hotel, we’ll board the SHE-nanigan Shuttle for a 2.5-hour ride to Yosemite National Park. Sit back, relax, and savor not needing to plan your every move. Our first stop: Glacier Point. Oh, hi Half Dome, El Capitan, and Yosemite Falls! Glacier Point is not just a Yosemite must-see, it’s the launching point for our adventure. From here, we’ll hike to Sentinel Dome and Taft Point, two ridiculous Yosemite viewpoints. Peer over the edge of Taft Point like a snarling gargoyle. Enjoy an instant adrenaline rush with unobstructed views of Bridalveil Falls and Cathedral Rocks. We’ll break here for a homemade picnic lunch before continuing on the loop trail. Next, we’ll pass the iconic fallen Jeffrey Pine, once made famous by our boy Ansel Adams. Standing tall at 8,100 feet on Sentinel Dome, you’ll get another eye-popping panoramic view of Yosemite Valley. After our hike, we’ll head into Yosemite Valley for a Welcome Dinner at the renowned Mountain Room, with views of Yosemite Falls directly outside. Then, we’ll check into our comfy cabins in an historic mountain resort for the next three nights. Enjoy onsite dining, a heated pool, dark skies for star-gazing, and plenty of cozy campfires. While this adventure is challenging, “roughing it” ain’t on the itinerary. Distance: 5 miles Elevation Gain: 1,100’ Highest Elevation: 8,100’ Time: 4-5 hours Transfer: 2.5 hours Accommodation: Cabins at an Historic Mountain Resort Meals: L-D Day 2 - Hiking the Mist Trail After another hearty breakfast, we’ll return to Yosemite to hike one of the most famed trails in the park. The Mist Trail is a journey through iconic landscapes past the thunderous Vernal and Nevada Trails. Every Explorer Chick on this adventure will get baptized with the trail’s signature, sacred mist. Keep watch for spontaneous rainbows as we hike up stone steps through the natural “air conditioning” created by the waterfall. How is it possible you were cleaning your car’s cup holders just 2 days ago? We’ll support one another on the tricky parts of the trail and enjoy a well-deserved lunch before heading back to the trailhead via the John Muir Trail. We’ll get one more dramatic photo opp as we make our return to our comfy lodge. Tunnel View proves Yosemite is a total dreamboat who can’t take a bad pic. You can change your Facebook profile pic on the ride back to the cabins. Hiking Distance: 6.4 miles Elevation Gain: 2,208’ Highest Elevation: 6,800’ Time: 7 hours Transfer: 90 minutes Accommodation: Cabins at an Historic Mountain Resort Meals: B-L-D Day 3 - Cathedral Lakes Trail and Tenaya Lake Swimming Hope your eyeballs are hungry. The Cathedral Lakes Trail hike promises not one, but TWO stunning mountain lakes nestled in the heart of Yosemite’s wilderness. After breakfast, we’ll lace up our hiking boots, hop in the SHE-nanigan Shuttle, and prepare to double up on some serious alpine enchantment. We’ll begin our ascent with a moderate climb that leads to a “Choose Your Own Adventure” moment––the trail junction of Lower and Upper Cathedral Lakes. Spoiler: Because we’re Explorer Chicks, we’re gonna rock the hard trek first. We’ll conquer most of the elevation gain on our hike on the route to Upper Cathedral Lakes. Our reward: some of the best views of Cathedral Peak that Yosemite has to offer. We’ll rest up, enjoy lunch, and even have some time to enjoy a cooling dip in the crystal-clear waters. Following the trail’s descent, we’ll hike past Lower Cathedral Lake, the bigger sister of the two lakes. On our return to the lodge, we’ll make a stop at Tenaya Lake. Yet another gorgeous alpine lake cradled in the High Sierra surrounded by sandy beaches and lush meadows. Float on your beautiful back while peering up at majestic granite domes and peaks soaring above. We’ll make one last stop along the way at Olmstead Point for close-up views of Clouds Rest. Here we’ll watch the light and shadows dance over Tenaya Canyon while stealing glances of Half Dome. Not to be all emo, but today will be a serious contender for one of the best days of your life. Hiking Distance: 8 miles Elevation Gain: 1,200’ Highest Elevation: 9,600’ Time: 6-7 hours Transfer: 70 minutes Accommodation: Cabins at an Historic Mountain Resort Meals: B-L-D Day 4 - Exploring Mariposa Grove Our final day together isn’t just scrambled eggs and tears. After breakfast, we’ll take one last journey into the heart of Yosemite’s Mariposa Grove, the largest grove of sequoias in the national park. Mariposa is a totally different vibe than the bustle of Yosemite Valley and the expansive and pristine Tuolumne Meadows. Here, you will immerse yourself in a serene forest and meet some of the oldest trees on Earth. Ready for your Middle Earth moment? We’ll start our morning meandering through Mariposa Grove, the home to 500 giant sequoia trees. We’ll stop for a photo with Grizzly Giant, a 3,000 year old colossus. Continuing our hike back in time through the Grove, we’ll stop at Wawona Point for a last overlook vista view and yummy picnic together before returning to our SHE-nanigan Shuttle. Then, it’s back to Fresno with sniffly farewells, the squeeze-iest hugs, and urgent plans to do this all again in another stunning corner of the world. Hiking Distance: 6.7 miles Elevation Gain: 1,200’ Highest Elevation: 6,370’ Time: 6 hours Transfer: 90 mins Meals: B-L Explorer Chick reserves the option to modify trip itineraries at the discretion of your adventure leader as necessary due to weather, conditions, illness, injury, group dynamics, safety, or other unforeseen incidents. If an activity must be cancelled due to conditions and cannot be rescheduled, your Explorer Chick guide will work to find alternatives or modifications to ensure the best value for your trip. Logistics Arrival Airport City: Fresno (FAT) Pick Up Location: Rendezvous Hotel Meeting Time: 7:00am Departure Airport City: Fresno (FAT) Drop Off Location: Airport and Rendezvous Hotel Return Time: 4pm. Fly out of Fresno after 7pm on Day 4. You will receive a Travel Guide with the rendezvous hotel, packing list, and any additional information you’ll need to prepare for your epic trip. We require a minimum of 5 Explorer Chicks for this trip. Please confirm your trip is confirmed before booking airfare. Activity Level Rated 3 – ACTIVE This trip is rated Active because of the length and frequency of hiking for all 4 days as detailed below. You will be hiking at altitudes between 6,400’ – 9,600 feet. Daily Hikes: Day 1: 5 miles hiking, 1’100’ elevation gain. Day 2: 6.4 miles hiking, 2,208’ elevation gain. Day 3: 8 miles hiking, 1,200’ elevation gain. Day 4: 6.7 miles hiking, 1,200’ elevation gain. Please consider your ability to meet the physical demands very seriously. It is for the safety of both you and our group. All Explorer Chicks will be required to sign an Acknowledgement of Physical Demands as part of their waiver upon booking. Read more about our Activity Levels. What's Included Lodging 4 days / 3 nights in an Historic Mountain Resort Cabin bordering Yosemite National Park. Shared 3 Explorer Chicks per cabin. Each Explorer Chick will have her own twin or king-sized bed. Beds are selected at random. Each cabin has a living room and private deck, full bathroom, refrigerator, coffee maker, Earth-friendly toiletries, hair dryer, heat and A/C. Resort has a pool, restaurant and bar, general store, and classic mountain resort vibes with modern amenities. Optional Single Room Upgrade: Upgrade to the King-sized room in your shared Cabin at booking. Availability is limited. Activities Entrance and commercial permit fees to all National Parks and public lands All activities as outlined in the itinerary Meals All meals as indicated in itinerary: B-3, L-4, D-3 Gratuities for included meals Practical Professional leadership team with 2 Explorer Chick Guides A detailed Travel Guide with everything you need to know for your trip The freedom to enjoy your vacation and mindlessly wander! Not Included Rendezvous or Departure hotels Airfare Airport Transportation Alcoholic beverages Travel Insurance Meals exclusive of itineraries Costs for additional activities Gratuity for your Explorer Chick Guides (read our tipping guidelines here) Explorer Chick reserves the option to modify trip itineraries at the discretion of your tour director as necessary due to weather, conditions, illness, injury, group dynamics, or other unforeseen incidents. More From Yosemite 🤑Get $400 OFF Yosemite Hiking through Sunday 4/7/24👉Use code YOSEMITE400Have any questions? Drop em in the comments👇#ExplorerChickYosemiteHiking #YosemiteNationalPark #HikeYosemite #Solofemaletravel #WomenHiking Open 🤩 Here’s why Yosemite is the ultimate adventure playground...(🤑 Psssst, this new Yosemite trip is $400 off through Sunday!)🤯Yosemite is totally unique! Yosemite Valley was carved by glaciers millions of years ago, creating its iconic U-shaped valley and dramatic cliffs (Get ready to geek out with your guides because every day they’ll spill juicy deets about Yosemite’s mind-blowing geological wonders!)🌲You’ll meet some of the LARGEST living trees by volume, the Giant Sequoias in the Mariposa Grove.🥾Hike the iconic trails to explore Taft Point, Sentinel Dome and the Mist Trail. 💧Take the trail less traveled to explore Cathedral Lakes, where you’ll swim crystal-clear alpine lakes🏆Get to see the TALLEST waterfall in North America, Yosemite Falls, (We’ll have front row seats to her during our dinner at the the renowned Mountain Room restaurant) ⭐️ After each epic adventure, kick back and relax in the hot tub at our adorable cabins. 💬Comment “Yosemite,” and I’ll send you the trip deets!🚨Use code: YOSEMITE400 to snag your $400 savings before Sunday, 4/7. 🗓 July 21-24🗓 August 8 - 11🗓 August 12-15🗓 August 18-21🗓 Sept 5-8🗓 Sept 12-15🗓 Sept 19-22🗓 Sept 26-29#ExplorerChickYosemiteHiking #YosemiteNationalPark #ExplorerChick #Nationalparksgeek #Solofemaletravel #Womenwhohike #Bucketlist Open 🚨Dream hiking trip alert! 💰Save $400 on our epic Yosemite adventure, but only until Sunday 4/7! 💬Comment ‘Yosemite’ and I’ll send you all the juicy trip details. #Womenwhohike #ExplorerChickYosemiteHiking #ExplorerChick #Hikingtrip #Yosemite #hikingmeme Open 🎉We’re going to Yosemite National Park! (sorry, Nebraska) 🎉🤑 AND this brand new trip is on sale right now with $400 OFF until Sunday, April 7th.🥾You’ll tackle iconic hikes like the infamous Mist Trail, Taft Point and Sentinal Dome. Then ditch the crowds to discover hidden alpine oases on the Cathedral Lakes Trail and switch up the vibe by exploring Mariposa Grove😍 Hot Tub Alert! You’ll enjoy the coziest cabins ever - big comfy beds, a saltwater pool, and a luxurious hot tub waiting to soothe your tired muscles each night. 💦 Dive into the crystal-clear waters of Cathedral Lakes and Tenaya Lake for a refreshing alpine swim.🌲 Discover the giants of Mariposa Grove, home to 500 giant sequoia trees, including the iconic Grizzly Giant, standing tall for over 3,000 years!😍 Enjoy stress-free exploration with exclusive dinner reservations boasting front-row views of Yosemite Falls, hassle-free park entry, and chauffeur services by your expert guides!📸 Picture-Perfect Views! Snap stunning photos at Olmstead Point, iconic Tunnel View, and Glacier Point, featuring breathtaking sights like Half Dome, El Capitan, and Yosemite Falls!💬Comment “Yosemite” for trip details.🤑Use code YOSEMITE400 to save $400—offer ends Sunday!🗓Trip Dates: July, August & September!🥾 Activity Level 3 - Active#ExplorerChick #ExplorerChickYosemiteHiking #Solofemaletravel #womenwhohike #Yosemitenationalpark #Misttrail #Yosemitetrip #Sentinal Dome Open Follow on Instagram This error message is only visible to WordPress admins HTTP Error. Unable to connect to the Instagram API. Feed will not update. Let's Do This Starting from $2999 Book Your Yosemite Trip Save $200 with our Early Bird Discounts! Just book at least 6 Months in Advance! Discount is automatically applied. Non-Refundable Deposit: $200 due at booking to secure your spot Book with Confidence Your wanderlust doesn’t have to wait. Our payment plans make booking your dream trip easier than ever. The best part? Zero additional fees. Payment Plans We want nothing more than for you join us. However, we understand emergencies do occur that may cause you to cancel your reservation. Cancellation Policy To protect your travel investment and your hide, we recommend purchasing travel insurance. Receive a no-hassle, online quote in less than 2 minutes. Trip Insurance In Her Words Shelly B. ★★★★★ I did the 2024 Slovenia trip. My guide, Katie Klos-was awesome! And the trip was truly amazing! From the hut-to-hut hiking in the Alps- to the rest of trip adventures which included rafting, biking wine country, paddleboarding, hikes, delicious food and wine. Everything was planned and taken care of from start to finish and it was a grand adventure! It was my 3rd Explorer Chick trip and my favorite! HIghly Recommend!Kimberly S. ★★★★★ I had a wonderful experience with Explore Chicks' trip to Quito and the Galápagos Islands. Guide Mary Caperton Morton was helpful, friendly, fun, and armed with the best snacks and facts around. We hiked, snorkeled and kayaked and saw more sea turtles, sea lions and tortoises than I had dreamed possible.Aishwarya R. ★★★★★ I recently went on the Explorer chick Peru trip (multi sport adventure) in July 2024. It was an amazing trip with a lifetime worth of memorable experiences. Our guide was Ms. Christina Bruno and every travel arrangement from Cusco sight seeing, to walking tours, visiting archeological sites, river rafting, biking, MACHU Picchu hiking and rainbow mountain trek was impeccable and curated in detail. The best part of the trip was to experience the Peruvian culture including the traditional cuisine which made the experience even more fascinating. I would highly recommend this trip to many explorer chick adventurers if they are contemplating a trip to Peru.Mara K. ★★★★★ I highly recommend Explorer Chick! My trip to Red River Gorge was even better than I expected. Our guide, Jess, was AMAZING. She not only embodies the vision and mission of the company, but is also a great mentor for both amateurs and experienced trekkers. For me, this wasn't just a vacation, it was a life changing experience. I loved every minute!Christine P. ★★★★★ Our guide Kirsty was amazing! Such a great experience hiking up Half DomeShelly R. ★★★★★ Great experience. Ashley was an incredible guide.Amanda M. ★★★★★ I traveled to Alaska in June 2024 and the trip truly was the trip of a lifetime. I have done group travel before with a different group and it’s clear the guides Nicole and Kirstie truly love their jobs. They were professional and had everything planned out to the smallest detail while also being fun and encouraging the whole trip!Kim H. ★★★★★ I had an absolutely INCREDIBLE experience on a backpacking trip with Explorer Chick. Ashley was a wonderful and smart guide - perfect for beginners and backpackers that need a review. I will definitely do more trips with Explorer Chick.Megan M. ★★★★★ Explorer Chick is incredible! I just got back from an Alaska trip with Explorer Chick (June 2024) and it was one of the greatest experiences I've had. This was my second trip with a travel group, but first with EC, and there really is something so special about the female focused aspect. Our guides Kirstie and Nicole made us feel so comfortable and safe throughout every experience and fostered such a fun and warm environment. The communication prior to and during the trip was top-notch and it's clear there is an extraordinary amount of planning and thought that went into the trip and every last detail. I'm so grateful to have been able to take this trip & to meet Nicole & Kirstie and all of the girls in the group!Dana Alonso - B. ★★★★★ I recently got back from the 7 day Alaska trip and I couldn’t be happier with the time I spent there. The trip was phenomenally organized and executed by our guides Kirstie and Nicole! They were absolutely amazing keeping us informed and energized the entire trip. I loved that they also participated in ALL the activities and were so encouraging to the whole team! I definitely recommend explorer chick - they are experienced and know what they are doing! Can’t wait to book another one with them☺️Jennifer E. ★★★★★ What a wonderful trip! This is the first "blind date" girls trip i have ever taken, and I was so glad I did. I have 4 boys, and so I often forget how women support and love each other...in an entirely different way than the male sex does! Traveling with women that I have never met was a lovely experience; one that all women should experience. Mary and Kayla meshed so well as guides...they complimented each other in every way. I am a doctor with 4 grown boys, and having 2 "Moms" that dispensed sunscreen, snacks, bandaids, hand sanitizer and more to "take care of me" was beyond lovely. FINALLY- I didn't have to be the one in control!I suspect most of you reading this review are moms, with careers, and most of you probably know how difficult it is to balance different levels of ability in your kiddos, your staff, and your daily interactions. Kayla and Mary took a complex group of women with different experiences in life, different fears, and different physical capabilities and tended to each one of us as we challenged ourselves both physically and mentally. None of us felt left behind, and our fears ended up as achievements. KUDOS to both of them!Sarah W. ★★★★★ The Croatia multi-activity trip was amazing! This was my second trip through Explorer Chick and it exceeded my expectations once again. Our guide Kat was organized, knowledgeable, and engaging. Each activity was so much fun but the Via Ferrara was. by far the most exciting for me! I would recommend Explorer Chick to anyone looking to do an adventure trip. Questions about Yosemite? Name(Required) First Name Last Name Email(Required) Enter Email Confirm Email Send us your Yosemite hiking questions!(Required)PhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Wanna hear all about this trip straight from the mouth of our CEO and Destination Manager? Watch the replay of our Launch Party Webinar where we spill allllllll the beans and dish out insider info about this incredible Yosemite journey! 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