The Best Easy Hikes in Yosemite National Park (Under 4 Miles)

Yosemite National Park has over 750 miles of trails.

Luckily this includes plenty of short, family-friendly trails. Hikers of all skill levels will find a hike to enjoy in this national park.

I’ve put together this list of easy hikes all throughout Yosemite National Park.

The list consists of a variety of destinations and landscapes. Choose from waterfalls, sweeping vistas, lakes, and meadows.

Ready to hit the trail? Pack your walking shoes and dive in to this list of the best easy hikes in Yosemite National Park.

Things to Know About Hiking in Yosemite

Head to the National Park Service website for information on current conditions, road closures, and more. Several trails and roads were closed when I visited the park so knowing this ahead of time helped me plan accordingly.
If you choose a waterfall hike, keep in mind that Yosemite’s waterfalls will be a trickle or completely dried up if you visit in summer or fall.
Leave no trace while hiking and visiting the park. Stay on the trail, bring all of your trash out with you (including food scraps), and be considerate of other visitors.

Easy Hikes in Yosemite Valley

The Yosemite Valley is where most of the activity occurs in Yosemite National Park. These easy hikes will take you to some of the most iconic features in Yosemite.

Bridalveil Fall

Distance: 0.5 miles roundtrip
Elevation gain: 80 feet

Photo by Michael & Diane Weidner on Unsplash

The trail to Bridalveil Fall is more of a short walk than a hike, but I recommend it for a few reasons.

Bridalveil Fall is one of the easiest waterfalls to get to in Yosemite National Park. To get up close to this waterfall, take the paved path to the base of Bridalveil Fall for a quick walk of half a mile roundtrip.

Although Yosemite’s waterfalls flow at their fullest in the spring and early summer, you’ll likely see some water descending from Bridalveil Fall’s 620-foot drop any time of year even if it’s just a trickle of water.

For these reasons, Bridalveil Fall makes my list of things to see if you only have one day in Yosemite National Park.

This is one of the first stops you’ll come to when entering the Yosemite Valley (after Tunnel View).

Lower Yosemite Fall

Distance: 1 mile loop
Elevation gain: 50 feet

Yosemite Fall is a must-see feature in Yosemite National Park.

It’s the tallest waterfall in North America at 2,425 feet high!

You can get up close to this remarkable waterfall by taking the easy trail to Lower Yosemite Fall. Lower Yosemite Fall is the final 320-foot drop of the entire waterfall.

Although this 1-mile loop trail will guide you to the base of Yosemite Fall, you will still have an opportunity to see the fall’s entire height at the beginning of the trail. This viewpoint alone makes it worth checking out this trail.

I recommend walking the loop in the clockwise direction for best views of Yosemite Falls.

This trail is located between Yosemite Valley Lodge and and Yosemite Village on the park map, but keep in mind that you will have to park at the Yosemite Falls parking area a little bit down the road (closer to Camp 4). You can also ride the free Valleywide Shuttle to shuttle stop #6.

Cook’s Meadow Loop

Distance: 1 mile loop
Elevation gain: flat

Cook’s Meadow Loop is a flat, mile-long loop that will guide you through a portion of the Yosemite Valley for some of the best views of the park’s famous features.

Walking this trail will take you to excellent vantage points to admire Yosemite Falls, Half Dome, and the massive granite walls that surround the valley.

The stunning views make this trail super rewarding for how easy it is!

The Cook’s Meadow Loop intersects with several other trails so it can be a little confusing to navigate. Check the National Park Service’s web page for this trail for more specific directions. The map on that web page highlights the Cook’s Meadow Loop in yellow (the orange trail is Lower Yosemite Fall trail).

As you’ll see on this map, you can access Cook’s Meadow Loop from several different starting points. Park at Sentinel Bridge or the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center. Alternatively, take the the free Valleywide Shuttle to shuttle stop #5 (the Visitor Center) or #6 (Lower Yosemite Fall).

Mirror Lake

Distance: 2 mi to lake and back
Elevation gain: 100 feet

Mirror Lake is not a true lake but rather is a shallow pool of water in Tenaya Creek. However, most of Yosemite’s lakes are not easily accessible, so I still recommend hiking to Mirror Lake if you want an easy hike that’s located in the main section of Yosemite National Park. (Keep reading to learn about another lake trail in a different area of the park).

Mirror Lake is named so for a good reason. When the lake’s water is still, it perfectly reflects the surrounding granite cliffs.

Note that Mirror Lake is so shallow that it can completely dry up in the summer and fall. But even without the lake’s beautiful reflection, you’ll still be rewarded with pretty views of the Tenaya Canyon, Mount Watkins, and Half Dome from head on at its base.

There is no parking near Mirror Lake, so if you want to see it you will have to hike along the service road that leads to the lake. This easy hike is 2 miles roundtrip with 100 feet of elevation gain.

You can extend your hike to a total of 5 miles by taking the loop past Mirror Lake along Tenaya Creek. Check out the National Park Service web page for this trail to see a trail map.

Parking is not available at the Mirror Lake trailhead. The nearest parking is in Curry Village, though you can park anywhere in the Yosemite Valley and take the free shuttle to stop #17.

Vernal Fall Footbridge

Distance: 1.6 miles roundtrip
Elevation gain: 400 feet

For another easy waterfall hike in Yosemite, check out the trail to Vernal Fall.

The hike to the Vernal Fall footbridge is almost entirely uphill. But the trail parallels the Merced River so you’ll get to enjoy pretty scenery along the whole hike, not just at the waterfall.

I recommend stopping at the footbridge for a short, easy hike with a nice view of Vernal Fall.

If you want to extend your hike you can continue up to the top Vernal Falls or beyond to Nevada Falls. Both of these options also make great day hikes but they are not as easy because of the elevation gain. There are multiple routes available so check out the National Park Service webpage that lists all of the hiking options to these waterfalls.

The trail to the Vernal Fall footbridge starts at Happy Isles. You can park at Curry Village and walk to the trailhead or get even closer by taking the park’s free shuttle to stop #16.

Easy Hikes Near Glacier Point

Glacier Point Road takes visitors to breathtaking views into the Yosemite Valley and beyond. Take these easy hikes for some of the best sweeping views you may ever see!

Taft Point

Distance: 2.3 miles roundtrip
Elevation gain: 367 feet

Taft Point is one of Yosemite’s most famous viewpoints.

Luckily, it’s easily accessible from a trail that begins along Glacier Point Road.

On the way to the viewpoint, you’ll walk through the forest. If you’re hiking in the summer you may be lucky enough to see wildflowers along the way too.

Once you’re at Taft Point you will get breathtaking views of the Yosemite Valley. This is an iconic spot for photos of elopements. So if you’ve ever seen a picture of a wedding in Yosemite, it was probably here, and you know how magnificent of a view you’re in for!

Several trails begin at the same trailhead so be sure to follow signs for Taft Point while you’re hiking. At the trailhead, turn left to head toward Taft Point and The Fissures.

Sentinel Dome

Distance: 2.1 miles roundtrip
Elevation gain: 456 feet

The trail to Sentinel Dome starts at the same trailhead for Taft Point.

Sentinel Dome is a little bit steeper but still pretty similar to Taft Point. I’d put both hikes in the “easy” category.

Follow signs for Sentinel Dome and take the trail until it meets an old road. Then follow the road to Sentinel Dome and scramble up it to take in a stunning panorama of the Yosemite Valley, Half Dome, and beyond.

You’ll definitely get your bang for your buck in terms of how epic the view is for such an easy hike!

More Easy Hikes in Yosemite National Park

Venture out beyond the most visited areas of Yosemite National Park to find even more easy hikes.

Soda Springs and Parsons Lodge

Distance: 1.5 miles roundtrip
Elevation gain: 50 feet

The trail to Soda Springs and the Parsons Lodge offers a variety of things to see.

This hike brings to my mind the saying, “It’s all about the journey, not the destination.” The scenery you will see along this level trail is what makes it one of the best easy hikes in Yosemite.

This trail takes you through the Tuolumne Meadow and across the Tuolumne River for pretty views – no summit required!

While the walk through the meadow is my favorite part of this trail, the namesake destinations are interesting too.

Soda Springs is a cold, carbonated pool of water that bubbles out of the ground. The springs are surrounded by a log enclosure that’s several feet high.

Stop in Parsons Lodge to see exhibits if you’re hiking while it’s open.

Park at the Lembert Dome parking area to begin the hike to Soda Springs and Parsons Lodge. There is a network of trails in this area so be sure to check out trail maps and follow signage to make sure you’re on the correct trail.

Tenaya Lake

Distance: 3.4 miles roundtrip
Elevation gain: 200 feet

Tenaya Lake is a beautiful turquoise lake located along Tioga Road, a scenic road that connects the east and west sides of Yosemite National Park.

You could hike a loop around the lake, but since a large portion of your hike would go along Tioga Road, I recommend just walking the trail that lines the southern side of the lake and then turning around and returning the same way you came. This route makes for a good length hike with minimal elevation gain.

Pack your bug spray for this hike because the lake is a great home for mosquitoes.

If you drive far enough along Tioga Road to reach Tenaya Lake, make sure to also stop at Olmstead Point before or after your hike for even more of the park’s awesome views.

Need more help planning your trip to Yosemite National Park? Check out these related articles:

As always, enjoy the outdoors responsibly. Leave no trace on all of your adventures.