Hiking Yosemite Valley Loop Trail

Yosemite National Park - Picture yourself in a place where the creator had made a wonderful geological wonders for us to enjoy and also for us to nurture and to protect. Words could not express the awesomeness of this place, you have to walk in it and experience it's splendor. The moment you arrive from the gate, the feeling of being on a another world mesmerized your being, the smell of a mountain breeze, snowy peaks, the aura of  historic Wawona, the high altitude ski resort of Badger Pass, the mountain trail of the Sierra National Forest. You keep driving on and make sure to pay attention to some slow moving vehicles, pedestrian crossing, animal crossing, and even rocks or boulders along the way, and in winter watch out for ice and snow removal vehicles, and sometimes you may need a tire snow chains. Further out in the highway you will enter a quarter mile of tunnel carved into a huge granite mountain, and at the end you will be greeted by a beautiful view of the famous Yosemite Valley, scanning the horizon you will be looking face to face with El Capitan a massive 3,000 feet of solid granite rock, and at the opposite side of it is the awesome Bridalveil falls, from here you could also see the famous land marks like the Half Dome, Cathedral Rocks and the length of the Merced river.  The Yosemite Valley is surrounded by giant  granite boulders, giant Sequoias, tall pine trees, ancient oaks, birch, and awesome meadows with deer's, bird's, and other animals. A glacier high above the towering mountains, alpine meadows and lakes, a roaring thundering water falls so many of them to mention. It will take months or even a year to explore this God gifts to mankind in it's entirety.

The Wawona Tunnel

El Capitan

 Tourist looking on the valley.

 The closer view of El Capitan

 Half Dome on the horizon.

Bridalveil Fall's

Brief Facts and History

One of the oldest wildlife and nature preserves in America, Yosemite National Park was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984.  The park is so expansive it covers an area of 1,169 square miles, or 747,956 acres of wilderness. The park was established in 1890 by the act of Congress, lobbied by the man himself John Muir with the help of Robert Underwood Johnson an editor of Century Magazine. The Ahwaneechee tribe lived in the Yosemite Valley for at least 4,000 years, they were called the "dwellers in Ahwahnee". To those who have been into Fish Camp a large resort called Tenaya Lodge is a popular destinations for tourist, it is named after the Awahneechee Chief Tenaya.  Non-native trappers arrived in 1827. In 1848, the California Gold Rush brought thousands of people to the area. Theft and murder of native peoples resulted in the Mariposa Indian War, which ended in 1851. Word of Yosemite’s beauty spread and the first group of tourists arrived in 1855. Nine years later, President Lincoln named Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove as the country’s first public preserve. Stephen Mather, The Father of the National Park Service is the first director of the bureau and helped shape the formation of a centralized National Park Services.

The popularity of this place exceeds 3.5 million annual visitors, with most of the visitor were concentrated in the seven square mile area of Yosemite Valley. Plan accordingly when visiting the place, lodging and camping reservation will take months in advance to have a chance of getting one.

THE VALLEY LOOP HIKING TRAIL

Yosemite is a hiking and backpacking paradise, the hiking trails for visitors can explore 800 miles of trails. The most popular perhaps would the 11.5 miles Valley Loop Trails a great way for beginners to explore the valley floor in which the Awahnee's use to live. A great way to discover and enjoy the beauty of the Merced River, from it's roaring rapids and into it's gently flowing icy water. This is rated to be easy, mostly flat but the 11.5 miles is tiring for some people.

Trail Overview

Distance: 11.5 mi (18.5 km) full loop; 7.2 mi (11.6 km) half loop
Elevation gain: Mostly level
Difficulty: Moderate
Time: 5-7 hours full loop, 2.5-3.5 hours half loop
Begin at: Lower Yosemite Fall (shuttle stop #6) [head west along the bicycle path until you see signs for the Valley Loop Trail]

This trail follows many of the Valley's first east-west trails and wagon roads. It offers a rare opportunity in Yosemite Valley: to hike on a fairly level trail with some solitude. While some of the trail passes near roads, much of it takes you through meadows, talus slopes at the base of the granite cliffs, and near the Merced River. You can access the trail from many places throughout the Valley; however, the mileage and description used here starts at the Lower Yosemite Fall area (follow signs for Valley Loop Trail). Route-finding can be difficult in places, so it is best to bring a map with you (even a simple day hiking brochure from the visitor center) as it will orient you with the various landforms in the Valley, which are often listed on the trail/directional signs.

From the Lower Yosemite Fall area, head west along the base of the Three Brothers rock formation, past Camp 4, eventually working your way through Yosemite Valley to El Capitan. If you are planning to hike the half loop, cross the Merced River at El Capitan Bridge and continue by heading east back toward Yosemite Village. If you are planning to hike the full loop, continue west past El Capitan toward Bridalveil Fall. While most of the trail is flat, there are some hilly sections throughout the hike. Additionally, you will find mixed trail surfaces: dirt, rocks, sand, and old pavement.