Yosemite Walking & Hiking Tour
Yosemite Walking & Hiking Tour
6 days
5 nights
Activity Levels 2-4
Deluxe Hotels
2025: Aug-Oct2026: Jun-Oct
A National Park Wonderland of Giant Sequoias & Granite Cliffs
Legendary. Sublime. Epic. It’s not hyperbole when you’re talking about Yosemite. The rock formations, the views, the wildlife—the grandeur is real. Welcome to your 761,266 acres of “wow!”
Highlights
- Experience spectacular hikes to alpine meadows, canyons, lakes and jaw-dropping vistas of Half Dome and other park icons
- Take a wide-eyed walk through Yosemite’s largest grove of giant sequoias and feel what it’s like to be surrounded by more than 500 of the colossal specimens!
- Explore the scenic trails of Tuolumne Meadows—including a portion of the famed John Muir Trail—a vast area surrounded by glaciated domes and majestic peaks
- Discover some of Yosemite’s grand domes, including Sentinel and North—once you see them, you’ll know what the fuss is about!
- Follow a beautiful trail through conifer forests and grassy meadows to Yosemite’s only natural arch, with amazing views the entire way
Start/End San Francisco
* Start/End locations may vary. Do not book flights until your trip details are confirmed.
Itinerary
Day 1
Hike amid an awe-inspiring grove of giant sequoias, Yosemite’s imposing ancient trees—many estimated to be upwards of 2,000 years old, give or take a few centuries • Meet the renowned Grizzly Giant, one of the oldest trees in the world at an estimated 2,900 years • Tucked into the pines of Sierra National Forest, our comfortable lodge welcomes us at day’s end.
Night 1
A comfortable mountain resort near Yosemite’s South Gate with plentiful amenities and panoramic forest views. (pool, spa)
Days 2-3
Hike to Glacier Point for phenomenal views that some swear are the best the park has to offer • The unforgettable vistas keep coming, as you follow panoramic trails to Sentinel Dome and Taft Point—whether it’s the backcountry peaks or a 360-degree view of Yosemite Valley, this hike has it all • Settle into the iconic Ahwahnee Hotel, an impressive feat of architecture • Journey through Yosemite Valley on foot for close encounters with famous waterfalls and towering granite walls • Spend the afternoon as you wish, perhaps hopping on a bike for a cruise through Yosemite Valley or visiting the Ansel Adams Gallery.
Nights 2-3
A National Historic Landmark, this iconic hotel features elaborate stained-glass windows, original Miwok Indian arts and crafts, Persian rugs and Shaker-style furnishings. (pool)
Days 4-6
Explore sprawling Tuolumne Meadows with its endless hiking trails and glorious high-country scenery • Take in impressive views on a hike along the John Muir trail featuring picturesque Cathedral Lakes or Twin Bridges • Delight in the range of amenities at one of Yosemite’s newest lodges, situated on a wooded 20-acre expanse • Make your way along a less-traveled path through woodland and meadows to the big reveal at North Dome―one of the most stunning views of Half Dome and Yosemite Valley in the park • Hike alongside the South Fork of the Tuolumne River to delicate two-tiered Carlon Falls.
Nights 4-5
Set on 20 wooded acres at the doorstep to Yosemite National Park, this new lodge offers an ideal blend of contemporary sophistication and rustic warmth. (pool, spa)
What's Included
See moreStraight Talk
We want to make sure you're on the trip that's right for you. Every Backroads trip is unique and this one is no exception.
We spend more time shuttling on this trip than we do on many other Backroads trips in order to bring you the very best of Yosemite’s natural wonders. We want to make the most of your time in this vast and spectacular national park, and our itinerary—complete with shuttles—has been specifically designed to do just that.
The Ahwahnee is a historical treasure and by far the best place to stay in the Yosemite Valley. Its location within Yosemite National Park makes it an ideal base for exploring the valley’s many sights, but it also means it is run by the national park and subject to park regulations and oversight. Similar to many national park lodges, service at the Ahwahnee can seem slow and casual when compared with the hospitality found on other Backroads trips. In addition, the property is undergoing a multi-year seismic upgrade, although most construction typically occurs while we’re out exploring in the park.
Hotels
Deluxe Hotels
Our Deluxe hotels have great ambience and modern comforts.
Hotels may vary based on departure. Any variations will be displayed when selecting a departure under Dates & Prices.
Night 1
*Deluxe Hotel
A comfortable mountain resort near Yosemite’s South Gate with plentiful amenities and panoramic forest views. (pool, spa)
Nights 2-3
*Deluxe Hotel
A National Historic Landmark, this iconic hotel features elaborate stained-glass windows, original Miwok Indian arts and crafts, Persian rugs and Shaker-style furnishings. (pool)
Nights 4-5
*Deluxe Hotel
Set on 20 wooded acres at the doorstep to Yosemite National Park, this new lodge offers an ideal blend of contemporary sophistication and rustic warmth. (pool, spa)
Gallery
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Review Snapshot
by PowerReviews
Reviewed by 14 customers
Another great Backroads trip!
This was my 5th Backroads trip and first time to Yosemite, and the Backroads itinerary covered a good portion of the park. And as always, the Backroads leaders and support personnel were so knowledgable and helpful; they were OUTSTANDING. Where do they get these great leaders?
Yosemite Trip 2025 - Exceeded Expectations
This was our third Backroads trip and it exceeded expectations as usual! It was so nice to have everything taken care of so our family could just focus on an active & educational exploration of Yosemite. We also had a fun group that added to our experience.
Backroads Yosemite exceeds expectations
My friend and I signed up for the Backroads Yosemite Walking and Hiking Tour. We wanted to see the park but have someone else do the planning, logistics and transportation. Backroads did not disappoint. Great itinerary with many highlights. Three effective tour leaders who worked well together to support tour participants. Very nice lodging. If you want to see Yosemite, this is the way to do it.
FABULOUS TRIP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Our leaders were passionate and knowledgeable about where they were taking us. It was organized well with options for all levels. Great hikes, great views, and the leaders handled everything seamlessly with good organization, passion for their jobs, smiles and humor and, most-importantly.....SNACKS and DRINKS at the end of each hike!! It was a GREAT TRIP.
One of the best!
Our Walking & Hiking trip in Yosemite was our 4th Backroads vacation. If you are interested in seeing Yosemite or any of the other national parks, then do it the Backroads way. First, the trip leaders, Jonah, Timothy and Jackson were outstanding in every way, knowledgeable, friendly, great chefs, and did anything and everything to make every guest's trip the best it could be. All the accommodations and meals were first rate. The itinerary was perfect allowing us to walk & hike through many different parts of Yosemite, getting the full experience of the park and all it has to offer: pine forests, huge granite mountains, meadows , waterfalls, and a sequoia forest. But what really made this trip so successful was a great group of people with whom to share this week. We hiked during the day and came together at night to talk, relax, dine and do a lot of laughing.
Fantastic trip
This was our second time experiencing Yosemite with Backroads. The trip was exceptional. Our leaders shared so much information with us and brought so much fun to every activity. Our group was fantastic and we became great friends. Dara and Rob were superb leaders.
Great hiking
Yosemite has been on my bucket list for decades and what a great trip! Backroads got us off the beaten path and we got a great circuit through the park in a limited time
Hiking Yosemite with Backroads exceeded my high expectations
Kevin, Jonah, and Dominic took care of every detail of our trip with outstanding care and good humor so that as I guest I could enjoy Yosemite without the stress. Backroads is the way to go for outdoor adventure trips!
Yosemite June 2024
This was a great trip to Yosemite. Our leaders, Sam and Ian, along with our support leader, Jonah, ensured that we were well taken care of and were extremely knowledgeable about the park. It was clear that they love what they do and loved sharing that with us. While the hikes could be quite challenging, the effort was totally worth it.
The services were exceptional and the staff fantastic!!
The experience was 5 star. Good people, delicious meals and services. The beauty of Yosemite National Park is phenomenal.
Dates & Prices
Dates & Prices
Click on dates for pricing, itinerary variations (if any) and to book your trip. Price is per person, double occupancy in USD.
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