Yosemite National Park Hiking

Welcome to California! Meet your leader and group this morning in Curry Village in Yosemite Valley near shuttle stop 14 at 8 am. After meeting your fellow travelers, you’ll head out on your first hike together – a chance to start connecting with both the landscape and your group. Starting at the Happy Isles trailhead, you’ll make your way toward Vernal Falls along the Mist Trail, which is all about both the destination and the journey with epic views along the way. You’ll see Upper Yosemite Falls across the valley and the granite faces of Liberty Cap, Grizzly Peak, the Panorama Cliffs and even Half Dome rising above you. After the hike, refuel with a picnic lunch before heading to camp. Once there, settle into your outdoor home for the night and reconnect with the group over your first guide-prepared dinner – a chance to start sharing stories and easing into a week rooted in adventure.

Head out on today’s hike to one of Yosemite’s alpine lakes – Cathedral Lake. Your journey starts in Tuolumne Meadows and climbs steadily through a lodgepole forest, moving toward the granite spires of Cathedral Peak. You’ll crest a saddle before dropping down to the shoreline, where the landscape opens into high-country scenery, cradled in a wide, granite basin surrounded by open alpine meadows. At the lake, cool off by dipping your feet or brave a brisk but refreshing swim, then settle in for a picnic lunch draped in views. Light shifts beautifully here – morning brings cool blue tones, while the afternoon warms the granite to a gold hue. Cathedral Peak reflecting in the clear waters of the lake is a gentle reminder of why we want to protect these parks. You'll return to camp after for another shared dinner and a relaxed evening under the stars.

Ease into the day over breakfast with the group, then head back into Yosemite’s high country for an out-and-back hike along the John Muir Trail. This gentle stretch moves through glacier-carved canyon, tracing the Tuolumne River as it winds across open meadows and under wide, open skies. The trail invites unhurried walking, thoughtful conversations and quite moments to take in the vastness around you. Before or after the hike, you’ll pause at nearby Tenaya Lake – a high-country gem – where you can share a picnic, slip into the clear water for a swim, or stretch out on the granite shoreline.

Start the morning by making your way into a quiet grove of ancient giant sequoias – Yosemite's largest trees rising hundreds of feet above the forest floor. The trail eases downhill through mixed conifer forest, while the climb back provides a steady, rewarding challenge. Along the way, you’ll pass the fallen sequoia tunnel log and stand beneath massive, centuries-old trees, all in a peaceful corner of the park far from the usual crowds. From there, return toward Yosemite Valley, pausing for a short hike to take in the final views of the high country. Once back in Curry Village, you’ll visit the park’s visitor center and the Ansel Adams Gallery – perfect places to reflect on the landscapes you’ve explored and to spot familiar scenes captured in the photographs. Share one last meal together at a local restaurant before your adventure comes to an end around 3 pm. If you want to extend your stay in this area, just chat with your booking agent beforehand.