Yosemite National Park Hiking Tour

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

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

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

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.