Yosemite 2 Day Itinerary + Map: Perfect Weekend Trip

Yosemite National Park is one of the best parks I’ve been to (and I’ve been to many!) Even if you only have a weekend to explore, this Yosemite 2 day itinerary covers all of the highlights and best hikes for your trip.

On my recent trip, I had just 2 days in Yosemite, and this is the itinerary I recommend to maximize your time, avoid crowds and still be able to see the best parts of Yosemite National Park!

In this article:

• Yosemite 2 day itinerary
• Yosemite itinerary map (downloadable)
• Highlights in Yosemite Valley, Glacier Point & Mariposa Grove
• Where to stay
• Tips for saving time and money

Best Way To Get To Yosemite

There are several convenient options for getting to Yosemite National Park. The easiest way is to access the park through one of the west or south entrances.

Coming from the east, like from Reno or Tahoe, requires you to cut through the park using Tioga Pass (open seasonally), or drive around the park perimeter (in the winter when Tioga Pass is closed).

Fresno is the closest airport to Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon and offers many good options and prices for flights and rental cars.
→ Distance from Fresno to Yosemite: 2.5 hours

However, San Francisco this is another option with more flight choices, usually at a better rate, and only adds a few hours to your drive time.
→ Distance from San Francisco to Yosemite: 4 hours

Yosemite Two Day Tour Options

If you’d prefer to see Yosemite without the hassle of driving, or battling for parking, these are some great day tour options:

• 2 day trip to Yosemite from San Francisco (with pickup)
• Small group Yosemite 2 day trip (includes hotel stay)

TIP: If you prefer to drive yourself, I recommend this self-guided driving tour. It’s an affordable way to get the “guide” experience while exploring Yosemite at your own pace.

Yosemite 2 Day Itinerary Overview

With only 2 days in Yosemite you can still cover quite a bit of ground! The best areas in Yosemite National Park are Yosemite Valley, Glacier Point and Mariposa Grove.

This Yosemite 2 day itinerary highlights the best hikes and activities in each of those areas!

NOTE: With more time in Yosemite National Park you can also explore Crane Flat, Tioga Road, Tuolumne Meadow and Hetch Hetchy. How many days you need in Yosemite depends on how many of the park areas you plan to visit.

→ If you’re planning a longer stay in Yosemite check out my 4 day Yosemite itinerary.

2 Day Yosemite Itinerary Map

Use this map to plan your Yosemite 2 day itinerary! I’ve labeled items by activity type (noted by icon) and area (noted by color).

Yosemite Two Day Itinerary Details

Drive time between different areas in Yosemite National Park can add a lot of unnecessary time to your itinerary, so I recommend spending your first day exploring Yosemite Valley and your second day in Glacier Point and Mariposa Grove.

This itinerary is strategically mapped to make the most of your time in Yosemite National Park.

Day 1 In Yosemite (Yosemite Valley)

Yosemite Valley is the most popular area in the park, and for good reason! It’s packed with the most iconic viewpoints and some of the best easy hikes in Yosemite National Park.

#1: Tunnel View

As you drive into Yosemite Valley the first stop you’ll come to is Tunnel View.

I don’t think there’s anything more iconic than Tunnel View (except maybe Half Dome?), especially during sunrise or sunset in Yosemite.

There’s no hiking required to reach Tunnel View.

While there’s a decently sized parking lot, you may need to circle for a few minutes before something opens up. Since most people only spend a few minutes here parking turns over fairly quickly.

The viewpoint is located next to the parking area and offers stunning views down into the valley. Bridalveil Fall, El Capitan and Half Dome are all framed in the same panoramic view.

TIP: If you’re arriving for sunrise, I suggest getting to Tunnel View at least 30 minutes early as parking can be limited due to how popular this location is for sunrise and sunset.

#2: Bridalveil Fall

As you continue driving into Yosemite Valley towards the village you’ll pass Bridalveil Fall.

The trail up to the falls is less than half a mile (one way), paved, and easy to walk with wheelchairs or strollers.

This 620 foot waterfall flows all year, but it’s most powerful during the spring when fueled by snowmelt.

#3: Yosemite Village + Visitor Center

Next, head into the center of Yosemite Valley to Yosemite Village.

Since most of the highlights in Yosemite Valley are walkable, I recommend finding a spot to park your car for the rest of the day.

You can take the free Yosemite shuttle around the valley, or rent a bicycle.

Personally, I think bicycles are the ideal way to get around the valley because you don’t have to wait in long lines for the shuttle.

I recommend stoping at the visitors center. A quick trip to the visitor center is always one of the first things I do when visiting a National Park for a few reasons!

First, there’s typically a ranger on duty who you can speak with. This is a great way to find the most current information on hiking trail conditions, get updates on trail postings or closures (due to wildlife activity, rock slides, etc), and ask for recommended hikes that suit your skill level and interests. (I also include a list of the best hikes later!)

I like to pick up a free park map and the park newsletter. These are the best way to orient yourself and usually have some fun information on the park history, wildlife, geology and ranger programs.

Lastly, most National Parks offer really neat (and fun) ranger led activities for free. The scheduling is usually posted a week in advance but the best way to get current information on what activities are available during your Yosemite 2 day itinerary is to see what’s posted at the visitors center as schedules can change last minute due to staffing or weather.

#4: Yosemite Falls

Yosemite Falls is right next to Yosemite Village. The easiest way to get there is by bicycle (5 minutes) or walking (15 minutes).

It’s also possible to take the shuttle from stops 2, 4 or 10 in Yosemite Village to stop 6 for Lower Yosemite Falls. Both shuttles (purple line and green line) follow this route, so you should be able to easily and quickly catch the shuttle.

The hike to Lower Yosemite Falls is one of my favorites in Yosemite! It’s a 1.2 mile loop and relatively flat.

TIP: I hiked the loop counterclockwise, but I think clockwise is the better option. By starting to the left the trail has a straight approach to the falls with stunning views. If you hike it counterclockwise the views will be behind you.

At the base of Yosemite Falls is a wood platform and several benches. During my trip to Yosemite in March the falls were flowing powerfully and the viewing platform was covered in mist so be prepared to get a little wet!

My favorite thing about this trail is that it’s dog friendly! I travel with my dog and sometimes National Parks can be tricky because there aren’t generally many dog friendly hikes. He really enjoyed this one!

#5: Cooks Meadow Loop

Directly across the street from Yosemite Falls is Cooks Meadow Loop. It’s an easy path through the meadow and along the river. It’s only a 1.1 mile loop, but I recommend taking a short detour across the Merced River to see Yosemite Valley Chapel.

There are so many good views from along this path, like El Capitan, Yosemite Falls and Half Dome.

After, head back into Yosemite Village and have lunch at Village Grill or Degnan’s Deli. Or, head to Curry Village (you’re headed that way next!) and have lunch at the Curry Village food court, Curry Village Pizza Deck or Meadow Grill.

📍Degnan’s Kitchen
📍Village Grill
📍Curry Village Food Court
📍Pizza Deck
📍Meadow Grill

#6: Hike Vernal Falls And Nevada Falls

After lunch, hop on the Yosemite shuttle (green line) to stop #16, or bike a little over 2 miles to the Vernal Falls Trailhead behind Upper Pines Campground.

From the trailhead, it’s 1.5 miles to Vernal Falls. You’ll follow the Merced River for about half a mile before the trail starts to pick up elevation. Just under a mile up the trail you’ll cross a footbridge over the river, and find a bathroom and water refill station.

A quarter mile after the bridge the trail forks. Stay to the left to continue the steep climb up to Vernal Falls.

TIP: By taking this loop counterclockwise you’ll approach the falls head-on and have some stunning views.

NOTE: During spring this part of the trail can be muddy, and during winter in Yosemite the mist from the waterfall can make it icy. If you’re hiking this trail between November and March I recommend packing microspikes and trekking poles to help navigate the icy patches.

Right above Vernal Falls is Emerald Pool, which is fed by Silver Apron. Silver Apron is more of a waterslide than a waterfall.

This is a great place to sit and have a rest, and there are also bathrooms.

Next, it’s about 1.5 miles and 900 feet of elevation gain up to Nevada Falls. There are several series of switchbacks along this part of the trail due to how steep it is.

A quarter mile before you reach the falls the trail splits. Keep to the right (the left goes up to Half Dome). There’s also a bathroom at this fork.

In total this hike should take around 4 to 4.5 hours to complete.

TIP: If you don’t have enough time to hike the full 6.4 mile loop trail, you can choose to hike to Vernal Falls only. It is just over 3 miles out-and-back, and takes around 2 hours to complete.

#7: Dinner At Ahwahnee Dining Room

Finally, I highly recommend ending your day with dinner at the Ahwahnee dining room.

Reservations are required, and there’s a dress code for dinner (pants, collared shirt for men, blouse for ladies).

The dining room is open to the public, so even if you aren’t staying at the Ahwahnee Lodge you can still make a reservation for the dining room.

My mom and I ate here on our recent trip and the food was incredible, but the views are the real highlight of the dining room. The floor to ceiling windows look out over Half Dome and the valley.

While you’re here, I suggest you spend some time walking around the grounds. There are several great rooms on the first floor of the Ahwahnee where you can sit by the fire and hang out. The building is old and historic so its fun to explore.

Where To Stay

The best place to stay for the night is in Yosemite Valley because it’s the most convenient.

Yosemite Valley Lodge, The Ahwahnee and the campgrounds are all great options.

If those are fully booked, El Portal is another good option just outside the park, about a 30 minute drive from the valley.

Places to stay near El Portal:

• Yosemite View Lodge – mid-range
• Cedar Lodge – budget
• Indian Flat – cottages & tent cabins
• AutoCamp Yosemite – unique airstream stays

Day 2 In Yosemite (Glacier Point + Mariposa Grove)

Day 2 of this Yosemite itinerary covers a lot of ground! Besides Yosemite Valley, the other incredible areas of the park to visit are Glacier Point and Mariposa Grove.

#1: Glacier Point

Glacier Point Road dead ends at Glacier Point. There’s a decent sized parking lot (you may have to circle a few times to snag a spot, but many people don’t stay here for long so spots open up fairly frequently).

From the parking lot it’s a short, paved 0.5 mile roundtrip hike out to Glacier Point and back. The trail ends with 270° views of Yosemite Valley below.

This is one of the best views in the entire park. It’s also one of the easiest to access.

From Glacier Point you can see the entire valley, including views of Yosemite Falls, Clouds Rest, Half Dome, Vernal Falls, and Nevada Falls.

TIP: This is one of the best spots in Yosemite for sunrise. I recommend getting there first thing, as it can get busy as the day goes on.

#2: Sentinel Dome And Taft Point

Also along Glacier Point Road are the trailheads for Sentinel Dome and Taft Point trails. The best way to see these two is to combine them for a total of 5.1 miles.

In my opinion, Taft Point is one of the coolest photo spots in Yosemite National Park. There’s a large rock that hangs high above the valley and creates a stunning picture. It reminds me of Pride Rock from Lion King.

TIP: Trailhead parking for Sentinel Dome and Taft Point is 2.5 miles back down Glacier Point Road, but the lot is very small. If you’re visiting during busy summer weekends you may want to make a slight adjustment to this hike.

Instead of jeopardizing losing your parking space at Glacier Point, and not finding one at the trailhead, I recommend hiking this alternate route to Sentinel Dome from the Glacier Point parking lot. It adds 2 miles to the trail, but eliminates the chance you can’t find somewhere to legally park at the trailhead.

#3: Washburn Point

Washburn Point is a quick stop with an epic viewpoint about a mile back down Glacier Point Road from the parking area for Glacier Point. It’s worth pulling into and spending a few minutes soaking in the scenery.

The views from here are similar to Glacier Point, but you’ll have a clearer view of Vernal and Nevada Falls below.

#4: Wawona Hotel And Meadow

If you started day 2 in Yosemite National Park with sunrise at Glacier Point, then you’ll be arriving in Wawona and Mariposa Grove by early afternoon. On your way in, I recommend stopping at Wawona Hotel Dining Room for lunch.

After lunch (or while you wait for a table), walk around Wawona Meadow Loop. The entire loop trail is 3.6 miles and takes a little over an hour, or you can walk a portion of it.

2025 UPDATE: Wawona Hotel is currently closed indefinitely due to an unplanned maintenance project. There are no other restaurant options in this part of the park, so I recommend planning a picnic lunch.

#5: Mariposa Grove

About 10 minutes south of Wawona is Mariposa Grove. In order to reach the Mariposa Grove you need to park at Mariposa Grove Welcome Plaza Parking.

In the summer, a free shuttle runs up to Mariposa Grove. During the winter, there is no shuttle. Instead you’ll have to walk up the road to the grove about 2 miles.

Once you reach Mariposa Grove there are several trails that take you through the giant sequoia groves. Many of them loop together so it’s easy to customize the length and difficulty of your hike.

I highly recommend hiking to Giant Grizzly, and a little farther past it is California Tunnel Tree. You can see both of these from Grizzly Giant Loop Trail (2 miles).

If you’re up for a longer hike, consider Mariposa Grove Of Giant Sequoias which takes you past The Faithful Couple, the Clothespin Tree, the Columbia Tree, the Telescope Tree, the Fallen Wawona Tunnel Tree, the Galen Clark Tree and Wawona Vista Point (the highest point in Mariposa Grove).

In total the out-and-back trail is 6.7 miles and takes about 3.5 hours.

Mariposa Grove is located just inside the South Entrance to Yosemite. This is perfect if you’re continuing your trip from Yosemite to Sequoia National Park. From here it’s about 2.5 hours to Sequoia or Kings Canyon.

NOTE: If you’re trying to decide between Yosemite vs Sequoia National Park check out this article.

Where To Stay

If you’d prefer to spend the night in this area before continuing on there are a few limited (but good!) options:

• Wawona Hotel – historic hotel in Yosemite
• Tenaya At Yosemite – mid-range resort
• Narrow Gauge Inn – mid-range lodge

Tips For Your Yosemite 2 Day Itinerary

These are a few tips and tricks I learned on my recent trip to Yosemite National Park that will help save you time and money!

How To Get Around Yosemite National Park

Getting around Yosemite National Park can be tricky, particularly during the summer. Crowds can be intense in Yosemite from June through August, which can make parking challenging.

The best way to get around Yosemite Valley is to arrive early (before 10 am) to find a good parking spot.

Getting around the valley is pretty easy with Yosemite’s free shuttle, or with a bike rental.

The other areas of the park tend to be less crowded, but parking can still be a challenge around mid-day so arriving early is the best way to avoid parking hassles.

There are 4 entrances into Yosemite National Park:

• Big Oak Flat Entrance is where you’ll arrive when driving to Yosemite from San Francisco.
• Arch Rock Entrance is near El Portal, which is the most popular place to stay near Yosemite.
• South Entrance is where you’ll arrive when driving to Yosemite from Los Angeles.
• Tioga Pass Entrance is on the east side of the park and is closest to Reno.

Parking In Yosemite Valley

There are large parking lots sprinkled throughout Yosemite Valley. I recommend parking your car for the day and then utilizing the shuttle system.

You can find ample parking at:
Curry Village
Yosemite Village
Yosemite Falls

Yosemite Shuttle

Yosemite offers two free shuttle routes around Yosemite Valley.

Unfortunately, there aren’t any free shuttle options for the other areas within the park.

Valleywide Shuttle (the green line) provides a one-way loop throughout the entire valley. New shuttles arrive about every 15 minutes.

Just keep in mind the shuttle only runs in one direction so you have to carefully plan your stops in order to not have to waste time circling the entire loop again just to head back one stop. If you’re following this Yosemite 2 day itinerary this is already accounted for!

East Valley Shuttle (the purple line) is an express route that only services the one-way loop between Yosemite Village, Curry Village, Upper & Lower Pines Campgrounds and the trailheads originating from Happy Isles and Mist Trail. New shuttles arrive about every 10 minutes.

Both Yosemite Valley shuttles operate daily from 7 am to 10 pm.

In addition to the free valley shuttle, there are also tour buses you can book to see other areas of the park. A few options include routes from Yosemite Valley to Tuolumne Meadows, and Yosemite Valley to Glacier Point.

TIP: The Glacier Point tour is a great option if you’re looking for a one-way ticket up to Glacier Point so you can hike down Four-Mile Trail back to the valley.

Yosemite National Park Fees And Reservations

In order to enter Yosemite National Park you’ll have to pay the park fees. For private vehicles the cost (total for all occupants) is $35 and is good for 7 consecutive days.

If you visit Yosemite frequently you can purchase an annual Yosemite pass for $70.

However, I find that the America The Beautiful National Park pass is a better deal. It’s $80 and good for a rolling 12-months.

The America The Beautiful National Park pass gets you into all 63 National Parks for free (as well as hundreds of other national recreation sites).

Additionally, an America The Beautiful National Park pass usually means you can skip the long entrance lines (sometimes an hour or longer during busy months). When the entrance gets backed up the rangers will often open an express lane for pass holders who do not need to make a transaction at the gate.

If you plan to visit more than 2 National Parks in a 12 month period this pass will save you money.

Timed-entry tickets for Yosemite National Park are required during specific dates each year.

You’ll need an advanced reservation (in addition to paying the park fee) if you’re visiting during Firefall or peak hours. Reservations can be made online at recreation.gov.

Firefall is an event that occurs every February when the sunlight illuminates Horsetail Fall and gives the appearance of flowing fire.

Peak hours reservations requirements for 2025 have not yet been released. The most current information can be found on the nps.gov website.

For reference, the 2024 requirements were:

• Saturdays, Sundays and holidays between April 13 – June 30 for all entry between 5 am and 4 pm.
• Between July 1 and August 16 a reservation was required for every day of the week.
• August 17 – October 13 a reservation was required for entry between 5 am and 3 pm on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.

For either type of timed-entry reservation, you only need one reservation per vehicle, and it is good for 3 consecutive days.

NOTE: If you have an overnight reservation or a half dome permit you do not need to have a timed-entry reservation for Yosemite National Park.

Can’t Miss Hikes For A Yosemite 2 Day Itinerary

These are the best hikes that I recommend you include on your Yosemite 2 day itinerary!

The hikes in Yosemite Valley can all be done in one day at Yosemite. With your second day, it’s possible to do most of the hikes listed in Glacier Point and Mariposa Grove.

More Resources For Planning A 2 Day Trip To Yosemite

Check out these additional articles for more help planning your trip to Yosemite!

• 1-4 Day Yosemite Itinerary + Travel Guide
• How To Spend One Day In Yosemite National Park
• Yosemite To Sequoia National Park Road Trip Itinerary
• Sequoia National Park Itinerary (1-3 Days + Kings Canyon)