Yo, so you wanna go to Yosemite? Do I apologize for that terrible joke? No, no I do not. If you’re still reading thank you, and let’s get to the actual good stuff (not bad jokes). So for real, Yosemite National Park is massive, and planning an itinerary for your visit can be difficult. Unless you’re a psycho like me who obsesses over trip planning. But also, another big factor when planning your 3 day Yosemite itinerary is the season. Your experience also can vary tremendously depending on the the time of year you visit. So this is your guide to your Yosemite trip in spring and summer. You could likely use this 3 day Yosemite itinerary for early fall, but when snow starts, that’s when this won’t necessarily work out.
Like I said, the park is huge and there’s so much you could add to your 3 day Yosemite National Park itinerary. I’m organizing the itinerary by area of the park and then what I recommend you do there. There are tons of things to see and do, but these are my favorites.
Lodging & Travel
Map of Your 3 Day Yosemite Itinerary
To help you get your bearings during your 3 days in Yosemite, here is a map to show you where things are located in the park. A reminder that the park is huge and not everything is open year-round, so you definitely need to look into road closures throughout the year.
Where to Stay at Yosemite National Park
You can of course, stay in the park itself.
Rent a Car for Your Yosemite Road Trip
I did all of this because I had a rental car and was able to drive throughout the park, which I do highly recommend doing. We flew into San Jose, and picking up a car there was a breeze.
3 Day Yosemite National Park Itinerary
Day 1 – Explore Yosemite Valley
Wander around Yosemite Valley for some of the most famous views of the park
Yosemite Valley might be one of the most famous parts of the park, and for good reason. No 3 day Yosemite itinerary is complete without it. You can see so many of the famous waterfalls and iconic rock formations from this area. But DO know that it’s going to be the busiest day on your 3 day Yosemite trip because this is where the most cars and people will be. However, it’s still very worth it in my opinion.
This is how I’d recommend you schedule this incredibly iconic first day of your 3 day Yosemite itinerary:
- Sunrise at Tunnel View or Valley View for some of the most famous views in the park at their best. At sunrise it’ll be less busy, but it’s Yosemite so you won’t have this spot all to yourself.
- Start your drive around the valley early (OR rent a bicycle) and make key stops like hanging out at the base of El Capitan.
- Do the Lower Yosemite Falls hike which is a flat trail to view Yosemite Falls.
- I’d definitely recommend the Yosemite Valley Loop Trail. This is a long trail that is mostly flat but it’s an amazing way to explore this area. You don’t have to do the whole thing by any means, which is around 20 miles or so. This is for sure an all day hike, so get there early.
- If you’re still alive after this long first day, check out sunset on your way out of the park. You’ll be driving west so really anywhere you can pull over with a good vista will be a pretty sunset view.
Day 2 – Hike the Mist Trail
Do a hike along the Mist Trail and get your share of waterfalls
Day 1 was a long day and a lot of activity so we’ve got one solid activity on day 2, but it will not disappoint. This is another super common and super loved activity you’ll find on a good 3 day Yosemite itinerary is a hike along the Mist Trail. This trail is chock-full of waterfalls so if you’re a big fan of the falls, you’ll love it here.
The Mist Trail is one of those trails where the hike itself, the journey to the top, is as good or better than the view from the end. This makes it really magical because at every turn you find yourself saying, “wow that’s pretty” and trying not to offend anyone with expletive-sensitive ears along the way.
There are a few hikes you can choose from to see sections of this trail, but I’d recommend the Vernal and Nevada Falls hike. This is the one we did and it was truly magical. You hike like normal until you get to about 500 or so stairs which take you from the base of Vernal Falls to the top. There’s an amazing spot at the top of Vernal Falls to hang out, get in some water, eat some food, and use a restroom! The squirrels are incredibly brave, so be aware that they will try and steal your snacks. Resist the temptation to give them any, they don’t need to get any braver and we are practicing Leave No Trace principles on this 3 day Yosemite National Park itinerary.
Day 3 – Explore Glacier Road
Hike some of the trails along Glacier Road and watch sunset from one of the many dramatic viewpoints:
This day was my favorite on my entire 3 day Yosemite itinerary to be honest. Glacier Road is full of hikes with some of the most jaw-dropping views I’ve ever seen. Remember how I talked about all my expletives along the Mist Trail? Well, the views from the hikes on Glacier Road left me speechless, that’s how good they are.
The trails all sort of connect to one another along this ridge, and there are plenty to choose from. You can hike or drive out to Glacier Point; we drove out there and then hiked to see these other amazing views. But here are the ones we did and how much I loved them:
Dewey Point via McGurk Meadow
This is a cool trail that takes you by some open meadows, and then up to Dewey Point. The trail itself is sort of an interest breath of fresh air and felt very different from the rest of my time at Yosemite. At around 8 miles, this is definitely the longest, most difficult hike of the day, but it’s not super hard by any means and the view at the end is very worth it. This was also the least busy hike we went on, so I’d highly recommend it not only for the views but also for the solitude.
Taft Point
This was our first trail out to the ridge view and it truly dropped our jaws. The Taft Point trail itself is pretty easy and short, so you won’t exert a ton of energy, so coupling it with the other hikes on this day won’t be too bad. And you can park at the same trailhead for both Taft and Sentinel (mentioned below), which is very convenient. We saw a wedding photographer at the trailhead and asked her which view was better and she said “Taft Point for sure” so we trusted her and it was amazing.
I recommend doing Taft Point before Sentinel Dome and in the early evening. Not at sunset, but before sunset.
Sentinel Dome
DO THIS AT SUNSET. I’m sorry, was I screaming? But seriously, this was one of the coolest sunsets I’ve ever experienced.
The hike is mostly easy until the very end where you climb the dome, which is a little tougher. But once you get to the top, you’re literally on the top of a dome (kind of duh but it matters I swear). So you watch the sunset literally all around you, in a full 360° experience. It was truly magical and I cannot recommend this enough.
Related post: Best Sunset in Yosemite National Park
BONUS – Tioga Road
When I was there at the end of May, Tioga Road was still closed for the winter. So unfortunately I wasn’t able to go. But, if it were open, Tioga Road would definitely have been on my 3 day Yosemite itinerary.
Yosemite National Park Excursions to Consider
Don’t want to do this 3 day itinerary to Yosemite National Park yourself and would rather join a tour? There are lots of options for you, and here are a few:
So there you go, my 3 day Yosemite itinerary so you can go in like a pro! It’s absolutely beautiful and you’re going to have an amazing time. To see a little more ground-level experience, check out my Instagram story highlights. And as always, holler with any questions.
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Wow this is so beautiful! I love your photo at Taft Point, it’s so powerful and shows how impressive Yosemite is. I would love to visit!
Last time I visited, I only did the Mist Trail. Next time I will definitely spend more time and check out some of this stuff, looks so cool!
OH. MY. GOSH. I csn’t get enough of your photos!!!
Beautiful photos!! This park has been on my list for years.
Love this three-day itinerary for Yosemite National Park and that you provided two versions. So much beauty to see! Would love to hike here.
I wish I’d have spent more time in Yosemite as it really is a stunning place 😍
Ahhh this has so many fantastic tips! I am definitely going to use this for planning our trip to Yosemite!