48 Hours in Yosemite National Park
Only have 48 hours? Make the most of your time by visiting some of our favorite spots in the park including walking among giant sequoias, hiking a downhill trail, picnicking lakeside and floating on a river.
Day 1
Breakfast at Wawona Hotel (formerly Big Trees Lodge)
Pancake breakfast at the Wawona hotel in Yosemite
Grant Ordelheide
With the sun streaming through large windows, this charming restaurant set in a Victorian-era hotel has a great breakfast menu to fuel you for the day.
Mariposa Grove
Walking in the Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias in Yosemite National Park
Grant Ordelheide
This grove is the largest of the park's three groves and home to approximately 500 giant sequoias.
Hike down from Glacier Point on Four-Mile Trail
Hiking Four Mile Trail in Yosemite
Grant Ordelheide
Absolutely stunning views surround you at Glacier Point, a popular viewpoint, before you descend through forested and rocky terrain with amazing views to the valley bottom.
Valley Visitor Center and Ansel Adams Gallery
Visitors check out the scale model of Yosemite Valley in the Visitors Center.
Grant Ordelheide
Stop at the Valley Visitor Center, an intimate place for all ages to learn about the geology and cultural history of the park.
The Ansel Adams Gallery in Yosemite Valley
Grant Ordelheide
Next door, you’ll find the Ansel Adams Gallery, featuring Adams’ work and a gift shop. Reserve your spot for the free camera walk at 209-372-4413. Learn more at anseladams.com.
Float on the Merced
Rafting on the Merced River in Yosemite with views of Yosemite Falls
Grant Ordelheide
Cool off by renting a raft at Curry Village (formerly Half Dome Village). The National Park Service has reduced the number of rafts allowed on the river, so check with the boat kiosk in Half Dome Village to rent your boat and learn the latest regulations.
Eat Dinner at the Pizza Deck
Eating pizza at the Half Dome Pizza Deck in Yosemite Valley.
Courtesy Aramark
In the heart of Curry Village, enjoy hand-tossed pizza and salads on this legendary outdoor deck with views of Glacier Point.
Day 2
Drive Tioga Road and Picnic at Tenaya Beach
Polly Dome (left) and Medlicott Dome (center) bordering Tenaya Lake in Yosemite.
Dollar Photo
Located off Tioga Road, Tenaya Lake is impossible to miss as you descend from Tuolumne Meadows. The 150-acre snowmelt lake offers polar-bear swimming in summer and a great place to picnic on sunny, white-sand beaches. Follow the 1-mile path around the lake’s south side to a shoreline away from the crowds.
Hike Mist Trail
Hiking past Vernal Falls on the Mist Trail in Yosemite.
Grant Ordelheide
The Mist Trail climbs 1,000 feet to reach the top of 317-foot Vernal Fall in 1.5 miles. It continues nearly 1,000 more feet to the top of 594-foot Nevada Fall.
Dine at the Ahwahnee Hotel (formerly Majestic Yosemite Hotel)
Majestic Yosemite Hotel Dining Room.
John Buie via Flickr
Opened in 1927, Yosemite’s legendary hotel serves gourmet cuisine in a stunning dining room with 34-foot-high ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows.
