Southern Yosemite Redux Weekend with the Parents Itinerary

This itinerary covered a return trip to the quiet southern part of Yosemite National Park. And like the first time around, we did it as a camping trip out of the Wawona Campground.

Indeed, with a trip like this where we based ourselves away from the commotion of Yosemite Valley, we got to really experience hikes and scenery that the majority of visitors miss out on.

Here’s a summary of the highlights and trip logistics…

Jump down to:  Trip Highlights ♦ Travel Itinerary

Glacier Point – This grand view never ceases to amaze us as we got to see three major waterfalls in Yosemite Falls, Vernal Fall, and Nevada Falls, but we also got an in-your-face view of Half Dome looming large. Plus, this is the starting point of the one-way Panorama Trail hike or even an out-and-back hike to the best view of Illilouette Fall.

Chilnualna Falls – This big series of waterfalls on the Chilnualna Creek required over an 8.5-mile round trip up and down hike to fully experience. We counted at least four or five different waterfall stops along the way, and we also got to see Wawona Dome as well as the South Fork of the Merced River and the valley around Wawona way down below. And I guess because you do have to earn your experience here, we didn’t have to contend with overcrowding.

Alder Creek Falls – This could very well be the Yosemite’s forgotten waterfall mostly because its trailhead is not easy to spot and it required over an 8-mile round trip hike to reach. But waterfalls this big and this beautiful shouldn’t be forgotten, and that’s why we bothered to do it since it’s pretty close to the Wawona Campground.

Illilouette Fall – Of the major waterfalls in or around Yosemite Valley, this one was the most elusive. While you might be able to glimpse it from the John Muir Trail near Happy Isles or from North Dome, it’s best done as a moderate hike from Glacier Point to a precarious lookout with no railings.

Sentinel Dome – This dome was a relatively easy hike to summit, and in doing so, we got to see the entirety of Yosemite Falls (including its Middle Cascades) as well as views of Half Dome. It was a shame that the lone Jeffrey Pine Tree up here no longer stood as that was an iconic signature of this dome’s summit.

Taft Point – With this spot opposite the Sentinel Dome along the Glacier Point Road, it was all about the verticality. Not only were there precipitous views towards Yosemite Falls and El Capitan, but there were also chockstones stuck in fissures or cracks beneath our feet as we walked past. There’s definitely not a place quite like this one in Yosemite National Park, and it’s hard to believe that we had never set foot here until now.

Day 1: Drive from Los Angeles to Yosemite National Park

Overnight: Wawona Campground (Yosemite National Park, California, USA)

This was basically a long driving day. No sightseeing on this day.

Day 2: Wawona and Glacier Point

Overnight: Wawona Campground (Yosemite National Park, California, USA)

This was a day where we began with a long hike to the Chilnualna Falls. Then, after the hike, we went to Glacier Point to savor the views of Vernal Fall, Nevada Fall, and Yosemite Falls. We even did part of the Four-Mile Trail for a different look across the valley at the Yosemite Falls.

Day 3: Wawona and Glacier Point

Overnight: Wawona Campground (Yosemite National Park, California, USA)

This was a day where we began with a long hike to the Alder Creek Falls. Then, after the hike, we went back to Glacier Point. This time, however, we did the trail to Illilouette Fall.

Day 4: Drive Home

We started off the morning going back to the Glacier Point Road to do the Pohono Loop Trail that included both Sentinel Dome and Taft Point as well as an edge-of-the-cliff view down at Sentinel Falls. Then, we drove home.