Visitors to Yosemite National Park can enjoy a variety of activities, such as art related to the park, Native American cultural exhibits, films and ranger programs, along with hiking, horseback riding, bicycling and rafting. Here are more of the most notable activities you should be sure to work into your schedule during the next time you visit Yosemite:

The "Tunnel View" of Yosemite's most iconic natural features. The impressive vista is located on Route 41, east of the Wawona Tunnel portal and includes a view of Yosemite Valley, Half Dome, El Capitan and Bridalveil Fall.

The Half Dome is an iconic granite peak in Yosemite that has one smooth face and three curved sides. The Half Dome Cable Route, with its cable handholds, allows hikers to make the long trek to the top in a day, but many stay overnight along the route.

This sheer granite monolith rises 3,000 feet from the valley floor and is the site of numerous climbers that come to Yosemite to scale its height. If you want to watch the climbers make their precarious way up the face of El Cap, stop at the meadow across from it on Northside Drive. Rangers often set up telescopes for better viewing, or you can bring a pair of high-powered binoculars.

At 8,000 feet, Tuolumne Meadows is one of the largest high-elevation meadows in the country. Visitors can view the picturesque Tuolumne River, fed by snowmelt, amid mountain peaks and granite domes.

Glacier Point offers a spectacular vista of several park features at 7,000 feet. You can see Yosemite Valley, Half Dome, Vernal Falls, Nevada Falls and the park's high country.

The grove of giant sequoia trees is one of the most popular features of the park, and for a good reason. These big trees only grow in the California mountain areas. Additional sequoia groves are available for viewing within the park limits.

Yosemite's Upper and Lower Falls are among the most impressive waterfalls in the park. The Lower Falls trail is easy enough to suit visitors of all ages and abilities and provides a breathtaking view. You can also get a good view of the Upper Falls from the trailhead.

This famous photographer of the American West captured many of Yosemite's landscapes on film and made them the most familiar images of the nation's spectacular natural features. This gallery offers a comprehensive look at Adams work within the park.

The trip from San Francisco to Yosemite takes about 3 hours (without traffic).

Coming into the park via HWY 140 offers a number of great views of the Merced River, which you'll not want to miss.

Traffic in Yosemite National Park can be a problem, especially on weekends, so try to arrive early.

Parking areas are scattered throughout the park, with opportunities to leave your vehicle and walk to special attractions in the valley and at higher elevations.

In addition, Yosemite National Park operates a shuttle bus system that travels to various areas within the park limits. The buses can be very full on the weekends, and even on weekdays during peak season (June through August).

Bike rentals are available in Yosemite Valley, which can make getting around easier.

Otherwise, you may have to jockey for a parking spot, and larger RVs may be at a disadvantage finding a space at many desirable sites.

The Yosemite Valley Visitor Center, where you can find maps and brochures, is located in Yosemite Valley.

Yosemite National Park offers a number of lodgings, cabins, tent cabins and campgrounds to accommodate visitors. These can be reserved online at the Aramark website.

You should reserve your lodging well in advance as many people find that they must book their rooms up to a year ahead of their planned visit.

For lodgings in the park, we recommend The Majestic Yosemite Hotel (formerly the Ahwahnee Hotel), Evergreen Lodge, Rush Creek Lodge, Blue Butterfly Inn, or High Sierra Bed & Breakfast.

Some of the campgrounds do not take reservations, operating on a "first-come, first-served" basis, so you should arrive early in the day to ensure getting a space.

Backcountry camping permits are required year-round for overnight stays and are available through the NPS website.

Accommodations are also available outside the park; of those, we recommend the Chateau du Sureau for high-end travel, Homestead Cottages for a more rustic feel, or the Best Western Plus Yosemite Gateway Inn for a classic stay.

Visitors can enjoy a number of spots to get a bite during their visit.

Yosemite Valley has a store, Yosemite Village Store, that offers a comprehensive selection of food items, from fruit and vegetables to fresh meat, along with water, beverages, snacks, t-shirts, jackets and souvenir items.

The Yosemite Grill offers fast food breakfasts, lunches and dinners, which makes it easy to grab a quick bite before returning to the park.

Other great places include the Half Dome Village Pizza Patio, 1850 Restaurant and Brewery, and Erna's Elderberry House.

As you ascend to higher elevations during your visit, you may experience a wide range of temperatures.

Layering your clothing is the best way to manage these temperature changes.

Bring sturdy, comfortable shoes - we specifically recommend trail running shoes - because you will do a lot of walking on trails to get from parking lots to activities.

In hot weather, carry water at all times to ensure you are properly hydrated.

Read the description of hiking trails carefully to choose the right ones for your level of ability.

A number of areas of Yosemite are wheelchair accessible.

Hiking

The John Muir Trail begins in Yosemite Valley, running through the park and down the Sierra Nevada Mountains before ending in Whitney Portal.

If you're interested in a shorter trail (the John Muir Trail is ~200 miles long), you can hike the Mist Trail to Vernal and Nevada Falls, which is about a 7-mile round trip hike.

There's also the Four Mile Trail from Yosemite Valley to Glacier Point. The trail begins at the base of Sentinel Rock, about 0.7 miles northwest of Sentinel Dome, and offers excellent views of El Capitan and Yosemite Falls. The second half of the trail offers views of Half Dome and Tenaya Canyon before reaching Glacier Point.

If you want a better view of Tenaya Canyon, you can take the Olmsted Point trail just off of Tioga Road that runs through Tioga Pass. The short trail rises about 100 ft. over the course of 0.25 miles round trip.

You can hike from Tenaya Lake to Cloud Rest via the Cloud Rest Trail. This location features excellent views and has a razor sharp ridge near the summit, so be mentally prepared.

The Valley Loop Trail offers a chance to see Mirror Lake and Hetch Hetchy offers a number of day hikes of varying levels of difficulty.

“The mountains are calling and I must go.”

— John Muir