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Explore Yosemite National Park on foot with guided hikes tailored to your fitness level and experience. Choose from private family trails, half-day excursions, and scenic valley walks that include crucial park entry reservations.
Free Cancellation Explore Yosemite’s trails on a guided tour that balances easy walks with local insights for all ages.
Free Cancellation Walk the Yosemite Valley floor to see world-famous landmarks and hidden spots with a professional guide.
Free Cancellation Custom hiking tours in Yosemite National Park for all skill levels, from Glacier Point to the summit of Half Dome.
Free Cancellation Private Family Hike in Yosemite
Free Cancellation Explore Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove on a guided walk focused on the park’s wildlife, geology, and history.
Read what travelers share about their experience visiting Yosemite — from practical tips to personal highlights.
A guided hiking tour in Yosemite National Park is the ultimate way to escape the valley traffic and experience the park's immense scale up close. You will hit the trails with expert local guides who tailor the route to your fitness level, taking you past towering granite monoliths, ancient sequoias, and thundering waterfalls.
Feel the mist on your face as you hike near iconic cascades like the 2,425-foot Yosemite Falls or the powerful Vernal and Nevada Falls along the Mist Trail.
Walk beneath the sheer cliffs of El Capitan and Half Dome. Your guide will point out tiny, colorful specks on the rock face—brave climbers scaling the 3,000-foot walls.
Stroll through the peaceful Mariposa Grove to stand in the shadows of giant sequoias. These ancient, massive trees offer a serene contrast to the rugged granite canyons.
Learn how ancient glaciers carved the U-shaped valleys. Guides share fascinating insights into the park's geology, flora, and the history of the Ahwahneechee people.
Whether you want a gentle meadow walk with the family or a strenuous climb to high-country vistas, tours are adapted to your group's pace and abilities.
Booking a Yosemite hiking tour requires a bit of planning, especially regarding transportation and communication with your guide. Here is what you need to know before securing your spot on the trail.
You can choose from private family hikes, small group excursions, and specialized naturalist tours. Options range from gentle half-day walks on the valley floor to strenuous 5-to-8-hour climbs.
While beginner and moderate hikes are suitable for all ages, strenuous routes have strict age requirements. Children must typically be at least 10 years old for intermediate hikes and 12 for strenuous ones.
If the park reinstates seasonal vehicle reservations, most guided hiking tours include the necessary entry permit in your booking. However, you are still responsible for paying the standard $35 park entrance fee at the gate.
The vast majority of Yosemite hiking tours do not include hotel pickup or drop-off. You will need your own vehicle to meet your guide at a designated trailhead or parking lot inside the park.
Many tour operators require you to contact them directly after booking. This is crucial for discussing your fitness level, customizing the route, and receiving specific driving directions to your meeting spot.
Weather changes rapidly in the Sierra Nevada. Dress in athletic layers, wear sturdy hiking boots, and bring rain gear. If you visit in the colder months, traction devices like microspikes are highly recommended.
Most hiking tours offer a generous cancellation policy, allowing you to receive a full refund as long as you cancel at least 24 hours before your scheduled departure time.
| Private Guided Hiking Tour | Guided Hiking Excursion | Private Family Hike | Evolution of Yosemite Tour | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duration | Customizable | 5 hours | Half-day | 5 hours |
| Best for | Couples & private groups | Tailored fitness levels | Beginners & children | History & nature buffs |
| Includes | Local guide, custom route, entry permit | Outdoor education, guide, entry permit | Gentle trails, guide, entry permit | Naturalist guide, trekking poles, kids scavenger hunt |
| Price from | $315 | $215 | $195 | $180 |
Park Hours: Yosemite National Park is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, allowing you to arrive early or stay late for stargazing.
Exceptions: The Hetch Hetchy Entrance Station is only open during daylight hours (approximately sunrise to sunset).
Seasonal Closures: High-elevation routes, including Tioga Road and Glacier Point Road, typically close due to heavy snow from November through May or June. Always check current road conditions on the NPS website before your trip.
By Car: Driving from San Francisco takes about four hours (195 miles). To avoid severe traffic congestion at the gates, plan to arrive before 9:00 AM or after 5:00 PM. The standard entrance fee is $35 per vehicle (valid for 7 days).
By Bus: The Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System (YARTS) offers a stress-free alternative. Buses run year-round from Merced directly into Yosemite Valley for about $44 round-trip, and the park entrance fee is included in your ticket.
By Train: You can take an Amtrak bus from San Francisco to Emeryville, catch the train to Merced, and transfer to the YARTS bus. This scenic route takes about 6.5 hours and costs around $30 each way.
Peak Waterfall Season: Late spring and early summer (May and June) are the absolute best times to visit. The high-country snowmelt fuels the rivers, making Yosemite Falls and Bridalveil Fall incredibly voluminous and powerful.
Summer: July and August offer warm weather and full access to high-elevation trails via Tioga Road, but expect heavy crowds and dried-up waterfalls by late summer.
Winter: November through March is quiet and beautiful, but challenging. Freezing temperatures, ice, and snow limit access to major park highlights. Tire chains are frequently required by park rangers during these months.
Wheelchair Access: Yosemite features several fully accessible, paved trails, including the eastern portion of the Lower Yosemite Fall Trail and the path to Bridalveil Fall. Manual wheelchairs and electric scooters can be rented at the Yosemite Valley Lodge.
Shuttle System: The free Valleywide shuttle buses are fully accessible, equipped with wheelchair lifts and tie-down systems, making it easy to navigate between major viewpoints without extensive walking.
Elderly & Children: Gentle, flat paths like Cook's Meadow Loop are perfect for visitors with limited mobility or families with strollers. Keep in mind that most guided dirt-trail hikes are not wheelchair accessible.
Food Storage: Yosemite has strict wildlife protection rules. If you are staying overnight, all food and scented items must be stored in locked, bear-proof metal lockers. Leaving food in your car overnight is illegal and will attract black bears.
Water Stations: The high-elevation Sierra air can dehydrate you quickly. Bring a reusable water bottle and refill it at the park's numerous filtered water stations rather than buying single-use plastics.
Firewood: To prevent the spread of destructive pests like Sudden Oak Death, do not bring outside firewood into the park. Always buy your firewood locally within the Yosemite region.
Yes, while many tours provide the necessary vehicle reservation permit (if required), the standard $35 per vehicle park entrance fee is usually not included in the tour price. You will need to pay this at the gate using a credit or debit card.
Most Yosemite hiking tours do not include hotel pickup or drop-off. You will need to drive yourself to a designated meeting location inside the park, which the operator will provide after you book.
Tours cater to a variety of fitness levels. You can choose a beginner half-day walk on flat valley trails or a strenuous 5-to-8-hour hike with significant elevation gain. Just be sure to select the option that matches your physical ability.
Dogs are not allowed on dirt hiking trails in Yosemite. They are restricted to paved paths, parking lots, and campgrounds, meaning they cannot join you on the vast majority of guided hiking excursions.
No, bear spray is strictly prohibited and illegal to carry inside Yosemite National Park. Guides manage wildlife safety by making noise on the trails and ensuring no scented items are left unattended.
Yes, but it depends on the difficulty level. Beginner and moderate family hikes have no minimum age, but intermediate hikes usually require kids to be at least 10, and strenuous hikes require them to be 12 or older.
Tours generally operate rain or shine. In the event of severe weather, fire, or delayed seasonal openings, the guide will adjust the itinerary for safety. Always bring rain gear and layers.
Restrooms are typically available at major trailheads and visitor centers, but there are no facilities once you are deep on the trails. Guides will instruct you on Leave No Trace principles if you need to use the restroom in nature.
Absolutely not. Launching or operating drones is completely banned on all lands and waters within Yosemite to protect the wildlife and the peaceful experience of other visitors.
Because cellular service is incredibly spotty in Yosemite, operators require you to contact them beforehand to finalize your custom route, assess your fitness level, and provide exact offline driving directions to the meeting spot.
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This tour focuses on exploring Yosemite National Park through a series of accessible, low-impact hikes. Instead of just viewing the park from a vehicle, you will spend the day on the trails seeing the landscape up close. The route is flexible, allowing your guide to adjust the pace and difficulty based on your group’s specific needs and interests. Throughout the outing, your guide provides detailed information on the park’s natural history, geology, and wildlife. You’ll learn about the forces that shaped the valley while visiting key landmarks and hidden viewpoints. The guide also points out the best spots for photography, ensuring you have the opportunity to capture the scenery while gaining a deeper understanding of the environment.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
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This guided walking tour takes you through the heart of Yosemite Valley to see its most famous landmarks alongside quieter, less-traveled spots. Instead of sitting in traffic, you’ll spend the day on the valley floor trails, getting a close-up look at the granite cliffs and meadows that define the park. Your guide will share the geological and natural history of the region as you explore. To cover more ground efficiently, we use the park’s free shuttle system when necessary, but the primary focus remains on hiking and walking between destinations to provide a more immersive experience away from the main roads.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
This guided program offers a range of Yosemite hiking options tailored to your specific fitness level and experience. You can choose from beginner, intermediate, moderate, or strenuous routes, ensuring the pace and terrain are appropriate for your group. Destinations include classic viewpoints and backcountry trails like Sentinel Dome, Glacier Point, and Cathedral Lakes. For those seeking a significant physical challenge, full-day treks to El Capitan, Clouds Rest, or Half Dome are also available. These outings focus on getting away from the main tourist hubs to experience the park’s natural landscape directly.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
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Enjoy a pleasant half-day hike on a relatively gentle trail in Yosemite Valley or the High Country that will allow for excellent photo opportunities and a chance to picnic perched atop a magnificent vista point or alongside a meadow, lake or stream. These introductory hiking tours are perfect for beginners.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
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Meet your guide in Yosemite Valley to begin a walking tour focused on the park's natural and human history. Led by a local naturalist, you will walk through the meadows and beneath the granite cliffs while learning how ancient glaciers shaped the landscape. The route covers iconic sights like El Capitan and Yosemite Falls, where your guide will explain the specific geology and wildlife that define the region. The tour also visits the Mariposa Grove, home to some of the world's largest Giant Sequoias. As you walk, you will hear stories about the indigenous people who first lived here and the early conservationists who worked to protect the land. This guided walk offers a detailed look at the valley the Ahwahneechee people called the 'gaping mouth,' providing historical context and ecological insights beyond the standard viewpoints.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
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