Travel

The Most Beautiful Places in Yosemite National Park

There's scenic, then there's this.

Charles Davies/500px Prime/Getty Images
Charles Davies/500px Prime/Getty Images
Charles Davies/500px Prime/Getty Images

For nearly 3,000 years, Yosemite has captivated every human who’s been lucky enough to lay eyes on it. Of course, the Ahwahneechee natives who originally inhabited the park didn’t need to contend with millions of visitors every year just to get a nice view of Half Dome, but even today’s crowds can’t spoil this wonderland.

Arguably the most beautiful national park in the country, Yosemite is a paragon of America’s Best Idea. It’s a place of formidable landscapes, breathtaking waterfalls, towering granite rock formations, ancient giant sequoias, and vast unspoiled Alpine wilderness. There’s something gorgeous around every corner. Here are some of the essentials you don’t want to miss.

Editor’s note: As of October 1, 2021, you’ll no longer need reservations to enter Yosemite. In response to the pandemic, some services are limited and shuttles remain closed. Click here for more information on current restrictions. 

Per Breiehagen/Getty Images
Per Breiehagen/Getty Images
Per Breiehagen/Getty Images

Vernal Fall

You can spot this 317-foot waterfall from the unforgettable Glacier Point (more on that later), but doing so means you’re missing out on the thrill of the iconic Mist Trail. The path actually brings you past two falls-Vernal is a relatively easy 1.5 mile trek in, while the 594-foot Nevada Fall is another 1.5 miles. Known together as “The Giant Staircase,” the falls provide the trail with its name, soaking hikers as they brave the slippery granite staircase. It’s worth the effort: the view from the top of Vernal is a stunner, and continuing on leads to the sparkling Emerald Pool and the Silver Apron, a smooth granite slope that looks just like a water slide (it is decidedly not actually a water slide). Definitely go early: This is a popular hike, and it’s best to do it when you don’t have to contend with crowds slipping all over the place.

Artur Debat/Moment/Getty Images
Artur Debat/Moment/Getty Images
Artur Debat/Moment/Getty Images

Mariposa Grove

The giant sequoias that populate Mariposa Grove aren’t just big trees: they’re among the oldest and most massive living things on Earth. This is home to some of America’s most famous trees, including the Grizzly Giant, which, at 210 feet, is the 25th tallest tree in the world and has been part of the grove for between 1,900 and 2,400 years. You’ll also encounter the Fallen Tunnel Tree, which had a tunnel for horse-drawn carriages cut through it in 1881. The grove’s accessibility means it’s crowded, but if you keep going through to the upper grove your strenuous hike will be rewarded with a more tranquil experience among the 500+ mature sequoias.

Yajnesh Bhat/500px/Getty
Yajnesh Bhat/500px/Getty
Yajnesh Bhat/500px/Getty

El Capitan

El Capitan-the 3,000-foot, 1.5-mile monolith that might just be the most famous granite rock in the world-is a national parks icon on the same level as Old Faithful. You know El Capitan. But even this enormous magnet for climbers-originally called To-tock-ah-noolah (“Rock Chief” or Captain”)-can still hold surprises. Come in rainy mid- to late-February and plunk down at the El Capitan Picnic Area on a clear evening before sunset, and you may just see the elusive “Horsetail Firefall.” At this time, the angle of the sun hits on the water from Horsetail Fall and turns it into a shining red cascade that looks like flowing lava.

Daniel Svoboda/500px/Getty Images
Daniel Svoboda/500px/Getty Images
Daniel Svoboda/500px/Getty Images

Cathedral Lakes

These alpine lakes are among the most impressive you’ll find in the park, made extra serene thanks to their isolated location at the end of a crowd-thinning day hike. The trail, part of the 203-mile John Muir Trail, is an eight-mile round trip rewarded with not one but two lakes. It’s absolutely worth the effort just to see the reflection of Cathedral Peak in the waters of upper lake. To access this otherworldly area, you’ll need to hit the when Tioga Road is open… usually late May or June through October or November, depending on how much it snows.

Image by David Gregg/Moment/Getty Images
Image by David Gregg/Moment/Getty Images
Image by David Gregg/Moment/Getty Images

Bridalveil Fall

At a knee-wobbling 620 feet, Bridalveil Fall isn’t even the biggest waterfall in Yosemite… not by a long shot. It is, however, the most iconic and accessible thanks to its positioning a half-mile down a paved road. Unlike some of the more fickle falls that are dependent upon wet weather to activate, Bridalveil flows all year long, though due to snowmelt it’s most intense in the spring. If you go when the wind is blowing hard, you’ll discover the reasons the Native Americans called this waterfall “Pohono” or “Spirit of the Puffing Wind,” as the water seemingly blows sideways. This also gives it the appearance of a veil, which… yeah, you’re all caught up.

Mark C Stevens/Moment/Getty Images
Mark C Stevens/Moment/Getty Images
Mark C Stevens/Moment/Getty Images

Hetch Hetchy

This valley and reservoir in Northwestern Yosemite is overlooked by many, but that’s exactly why you want to go there. The wilderness in this part of the park is a particularly tranquil place to take in the lakes, streams, wildflowers, and wildlife that make their home between thousand-foot granite cliffs. With all of that beauty comes a little sadness: Hetch Hetchy is also home to a dam and reservoir that was approved in 1913 to deliver water to San Francisco (as it still does today) despite protests from environmentalists, including influential-but-controversial Sierra Club founder John Muir, who said, “Dam Hetch Hetchy? As well dam for water-tanks the people’s cathedrals and churches, for no holier temple has ever been consecrated by the heart of man.”

Danilo Ruiz/Moment/Getty
Danilo Ruiz/Moment/Getty
Danilo Ruiz/Moment/Getty

Yosemite Falls

This 2,425-foot waterfall is the fifth-highest in the world, and the most famous of the thousands of falls in Yosemite (only 20 are named though). The water comes down with such force that the noise echoes through much of the valley in the spring, and the rainbow that surrounds it on sunny days is one of the most magical sights in the park. An all-day, highly strenuous hike will get you to the top, and March is typically when you’ll see the most water. If you go in the summer or autumn, you may be disappointed: when the snow pack disappears, so does the fall.

 Joe Ganster/Moment/Getty
Joe Ganster/Moment/Getty
Joe Ganster/Moment/Getty

Three Brothers

To the east of El Capitan are three granite peaks called the “Three Brothers,” a name given to them by members of the Mariposa Battalion after they captured the three sons of the last chief of the Ahwahneechee at the base of the formation and killed the youngest. That’s pretty grim, which is why we much prefer the Ahwahneechee moniker: “Kom-po-pai-zes,” which translates to something along the lines of “mountains playing leap-frog.”

The uppermost “brother” is called Eagle Peak, and if you reach the summit you’ll enjoy what John Muir called “the most comprehensive of all the views” available from the north wall. To get there, you’ll need to hike nearly seven miles (one-way) with a climb of over 3,500 feet, which will pretty much take all day. If that sounds a little daunting, head to the Cathedral Beach Picnic Area instead where you’ll enjoy some of the park’s best views of the trio of siblings.

Rob Hammer/Getty Images
Rob Hammer/Getty Images
Rob Hammer/Getty Images

Glacier Point

During six or seven months of the year, you can drive to this stupefying scenic overlook on the south wall 3,214 feet above Curry Village, stand where John Muir and Theodore Roosevelt once stood in 1903, and take in views of all the park’s greatest hits, including Half Dome, Yosemite Valley, Yosemite Falls, Vernal Fall, Nevada Fall, and Clouds Rest. Want to go in mid-December through march? You’ll have to strap on cross-country skis and cover 10.5-miles of snow-covered terrain. Just keep in mind, Glacier Point will be closed to all traffic for the entire 2022 season to rebuild the road.

Francesco Riccardo Iacomino/Moment/Getty
Francesco Riccardo Iacomino/Moment/Getty
Francesco Riccardo Iacomino/Moment/Getty

Half Dome

Half Dome is Yosemite’s most recognizable formation due to its sheer face and three round sides (hence its name) that tower 4,737 feet above the valley floor. This monarch of the park is impressive from the ground, but the real gotta-do-it-before-you-die feat is climbing to its peak. To do that, you’ll need a hard-to-score permit and an aversion to vertigo, since the last part of the hike is a 400-foot ascent that requires you to cling to two bolted cables-a potentially deadly feat that about 30% of hikers turn back from. But make it to the top and you’ll experience 360-degree views of the Sierra Nevadas that words simply can’t explain.

Mimi Ditchie Photography/Moment/Getty
Mimi Ditchie Photography/Moment/Getty
Mimi Ditchie Photography/Moment/Getty

Tenaya Lake

Carved by the same glacier that created Half Dome, Tenaya Lake is a glassy alpine lake surrounded by granite peaks that is perhaps the park’s most beautiful body of water (hence its nickname, “the Jewel of High Country”). Located between Yosemite Valley and Tuolumne Meadows, Tenaya Lake is only accessible when Tioga Road is open (usually June through October). It’s right off of the road so it’s easily accessible and offers picnic tables, easy hikes, beaches with shallow waters for wading, and views you’ll never forget.

Spondylolithesis/E+/Getty
Spondylolithesis/E+/Getty
Spondylolithesis/E+/Getty

Tunnel View

There may not be a more breathtaking view in the entire world than the one at this vista made famous by Ansel Adams. Towering 500 feet above the valley floor, Tunnel View lets you see a bunch of the Yosemite classics-El Capitan, Half Dome, Sentinel Dome, Cathedral Rocks, and Bridalveil Falls-all in one shot. Because it’s so easily accessible and because it’s so stunning, it can be quite crowded, but somehow when you’re standing at the edge taking it all in, it’s almost as if no one else is there.Want more Thrillist? Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat.

Matt Meltzer is a freelance globetrotter and Thrillist contributor. Follow him: @meltrez1.

Daisy Barringer is a freelance writer who grew up in San Francisco who met her 8th grade crush while ice skating in Yosemite’s Curry Village. Follow her on Instagram @daisysf to see what adventures she’s embarking upon next.

Travel

Ditch your Phone for ‘Dome Life’ in this Pastoral Paradise Outside Port Macquarie 

A responsible, sustainable travel choice for escaping big city life for a few days.

nature domes port macquarie
Photo: Nature Domes

The urge to get as far away as possible from the incessant noise and pressures of ‘big city life’ has witnessed increasingly more of us turn to off-grid adventures for our holidays: Booking.com polled travellers at the start of 2023 and 55% of us wanted to spend our holidays ‘off-grid’.  Achieving total disconnection from the unyielding demands of our digitised lives via some kind of off-grid nature time—soft or adventurous—is positioned not only as a holiday but, indeed, a necessity for our mental health. 

Tom’s Creek Nature Domes, an accommodation collection of geodesic domes dotted across a lush rural property in Greater Port Macquarie (a few hours’ drive from Sydney, NSW), offers a travel experience that is truly ‘off-grid’. In the figurative ‘wellness travel’ sense of the word, and literally, they run on their own independent power supply—bolstered by solar—and rely not on the town grid. 

Ten minutes before you arrive at the gates for a stay at Tom’s Creek Nature Domes, your phone goes into ‘SOS ONLY’. Apple Maps gives up, and you’re pushed out of your comfort zone, driving down unsealed roads in the dark, dodging dozens of dozing cows. Then, you must ditch your car altogether and hoist yourself into an open-air, all-terrain 4WD with gargantuan wheels. It’s great fun being driven through muddy gullies in this buggy; you feel like Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum in Jurassic Park.  As your buggy pulls in front of your personal Nature Dome, it’s not far off that “Welcome…to Jurassic Park” jaw-dropping moment—your futuristic-looking home is completely engulfed by thriving native bushland; beyond the outdoor campfire lie expansive hills and valleys of green farmland, dotted with sheep and trees. You’re almost waiting to see a roaming brachiosaurus glide past, munching on a towering gum tree…instead, a few inquisitive llamas trot past your Dome to check out their new visitor. 

To fully capture the awe of inhabiting a geodesic dome for a few days, a little history of these futuristic-looking spherical structures helps. Consisting of interlocking triangular skeletal struts supported by (often transparent) light walls, geodesic domes were developed in the 20th century by American engineer and architect R. Buckminster Fuller, and were used for arenas. Smaller incarnations have evolved into a ‘future-proof’ form of modern housing: domes are able to withstand harsh elements due to the stability provided by the durable materials of their construction and their large surface area to volume ratio (which helps minimize wind impact and prevents the structure from collapsing). As housing, they’re also hugely energy efficient – their curved shape helps to conserve heat and reduce energy costs, making them less susceptible to temperature changes outside. The ample light let in by their panels further reduces the need for artificial power. 

Due to their low environmental impact, they’re an ideal sustainable travel choice. Of course, Tom’s Creek Nature Domes’ owner-operators, Cardia and Lee Forsyth, know all this, which is why they have set up their one-of-a-kind Nature Domes experience for the modern traveller. It’s also no surprise to learn that owner Lee is an electrical engineer—experienced in renewable energy—and that he designed the whole set-up. As well as the off-grid power supply, rainwater tanks are used, and the outdoor hot tub is heated by a wood fire—your campfire heats up your tub water via a large metal coil. Like most places in regional Australia, the nights get cold – but rather than blast a heater, the Domes provide you with hot water bottles, warm blankets, lush robes and heavy curtains to ward off the chill.

nature domes port macquarie
Photo: Nature Domes

You’ll need to be self-sufficient during your stay at the Domes, bringing your own food. Support local businesses and stock up in the town of Wauchope on your drive-in (and grab some pastries and coffee at Baked Culture while you’re at it). There’s a stovetop, fridge (stocked as per a mini bar), BBQs, lanterns and mozzie coils, and you can even order DIY S’More packs for fireside fun. The interiors of the Domes have a cosy, stylish fit-out, with a modern bathroom (and a proper flushing toilet—none of that drop bush toilet stuff). As there’s no mobile reception, pack a good book or make the most of treasures that lie waiting to be discovered at every turn: a bed chest full of board games, a cupboard crammed with retro DVDs, a stargazing telescope (the skies are ablaze come night time). Many of these activities are ideal for couples, but there’s plenty on offer for solo travellers, such as yoga mats, locally-made face masks and bath bombs for hot tub soaks. 

It’s these thoughtful human touches that reinforce the benefit of making a responsible travel choice by booking local and giving your money to a tourism operator in the Greater Port Macquarie Region, such as Tom’s Creek Nature Domes. The owners are still working on the property following the setbacks of COVID-19, and flooding in the region —a new series of Domes designed with families and groups in mind is under construction, along with an open-air, barn-style dining hall and garden stage. Once ready, the venue will be ideal for wedding celebrations, with wedding parties able to book out the property. They’ve already got one couple—who honeymooned at the Domes—ready and waiting. Just need to train up the llamas for ring-bearer duties! 

An abundance of favourite moments come to mind from my two-night stay at Tom’s Creek: sipping champagne and gourmet picnicking at the top of a hill on a giant swing under a tree, with a bird’s eye view of the entire property (the ‘Mountain Top picnic’ is a must-do activity add on during your stay), lying on a deckchair at night wrapped in a blanket gazing up at starry constellations and eating hot melted marshmallows, to revelling in the joys of travellers before me, scrawled on notes in a jar of wishes left by the telescope (you’re encouraged to write your own to add to the jar). But I’ll leave you with a gratitude journal entry I made while staying there. I will preface this by saying that I don’t actually keep a gratitude journal, but Tom’s Creek Nature Domes is just the kind of place that makes you want to start one. And so, waking up on my second morning at Tom’s —lacking any 4G bars to facilitate my bad habit of a morning Instagram scroll—I finally opened up a notebook and made my first journal entry:

‘I am grateful to wake up after a deep sleep and breathe in the biggest breaths of this clean air, purified by nature and scented with eucalyptus and rain. I am grateful for this steaming hot coffee brewed on a fire. I feel accomplished at having made myself. I am grateful for the skittish sheep that made me laugh as I enjoyed a long nature walk at dawn and the animated billy goats and friendly llamas overlooking my shoulder as I write this: agreeable company for any solo traveller. I’m grateful for total peace, absolute stillness.” 

Off-grid holiday status: unlocked.

Where: Tom’s Creek Nature Domes, Port Macquarie, 2001 Toms Creek Rd
Price: $450 per night, book at the Natura Domes website.

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