Yosemite National Park is one of our favorite parks! We took our boys there and found some incredible hikes that were just right for little ones. This round up will help you know which hikes are for your family. Most of these hikes can be found in the Yosemite Valley, but there are a few other hikes around the park to check out, as well.
Bridal Veil Falls
Bridal Veil Falls is a must-do if you head to Yosemite. It is on the edge of the Yosemite Valley, so before you make the turn into the valley, make sure you stop and check out this amazing waterfall. It is paved and easy.
Lower Yosemite Falls
Lower Yosemite Falls is stunning and when Upper Yosemite Falls is also flowing, these two waterfalls are quite a sight to see. This trail is paved and easy, and is another spot you definitely need to visit when you are in Yosemite Valley.
Mirror Lake
Mirror Lake in Yosemite is a 2.0 mile roundtrip trail out to a lake that is usually not there, but the river is wide and welcoming. We waded in the river and enjoyed the hike out and back. The trail is flat, easy, and you can even walk on the paved bike path instead of the dirt trail if you’d like.
Cook’s Meadow
Cook’s Meadow Loop is a simple trail leading through a beautiful meadow in Yosemite Valley. It offers amazing views of Half Dome and Upper and Lower Yosemite Falls. We also enjoyed the wildlife that we spotted along the way. The trail is flat and easy, and we even hiked it twice!
Soda Springs (Tuolumne Meadows area)
Soda Springs is not located in Yosemite Valley, but is a great family hike. It walks along a river through a meadow, and leads to the soda springs, which taste like carbonated water. This trail is only 1.0 mile, and we loved how easy and peaceful it was.
Vernal Falls: difficult
We cannot recommend this hike as family friendly since it nearly wiped us all out. It is a steep climb, but the end is truly amazing. Vernal Falls is a beautiful waterfall and is part of the Mist Trail, which you can’t really understand until you are there feeling the constant spray of mist from the waterfall. If you have slightly older children, this might be a great hike for you. Definitely take it slow!
Mariposa Grove
We were so sad when we visited Yosemite and found Mariposa Grove closed. This was a hike we had really wanted to try, but it gives us an excuse to go back! This trail is through a grove of Giant Sequoia trees and has lots of different loops. The lower loop to the California Tunnel Tree (which is why we wanted to hike here) is 2.2 miles roundtrip and has 400 feet elevation gain. There are also other Sequoia groves in Yosemite you can visit, too.
