Winter in Yosemite is a magical and quiet time. Less people, empty roads and trails, and snow covered granite cliffs make winter an underrated time to visit Yosemite.
While there are road closures during the winter, there’s still so many accessible adventures! In this guide, we’ll help you plan the perfect 4 Day Yosemite itinerary: 1 travel day, 2 days in Yosemite National Park and 1 day exploring the town of Mariposa!
Giving yourself at least 3 days for a visit is a good idea, since weather can be unpredictable during the winter and you won’t want to miss exploring the historic and charming small town of Mariposa.
Where to stay for your Yosemite Itinerary
When considering where to stay in Yosemite, it’s best to keep in mind the areas of the park you want to explore! Both of the places we stayed, Autocamp and Tenaya Lodge were incredible!
Since we stayed for 4 days, we stayed at Tenaya at Yosemite the first two nights and AutoCamp the second two! We loved experiencing different types of accommodation during our 4 day Yosemite itinerary.
Both were about an hour from the park. Tenaya at Yosemite is located in Fish Camp and AutoCamp is located in Midpines.
How to get to Yosemite National Park
There are several airports within driving distance to Yosemite National Park:
- Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT):
- Approximately 1.5 to 2 hours. This is where we flew in and is the closest airport to Yosemite.
- Oakland International Airport (OAK):
- Approximately 3.5 to 4.5 hours.
- San Francisco International Airport (SFO):
- Approximately 4 to 5 hours.
- Sacramento International Airport (SMF):
- Approximately 3 to 4 hours.
Yosemite Itinerary: Day 1
Hang out at Tenaya at Yosemite
Since you’ll likely have a drive to get to the Yosemite area, don’t plan too much for your first day! We arrived at Tenaya at Yosemite in the afternoon and found plenty to keep us busy.
Tenaya offers ice skating and snowshoe rentals, a complimentary daily smore’s bar, on-site gear and souvenir shops, an indoor pool, and a ton of cozy lounging areas!
We enjoyed a delicious dinner at the on-site restaurant Jackelope’s and spent time enjoying s’mores by the fire pit outside.
Yosemite Itinerary: Day 2
Explore Yosemite Valley
There are several viewpoints to visit along Yosemite Valley Loop Road. We recommend sunrise at Valley View for a beautiful reflection, stopping at Cook’s Meadow, Sentinel Beach, El Capitan Meadow, and sunset at the iconic Tunnel View.
Yosemite Valley is fully open during the winter; however, some roads and trails may close. Be sure to check current conditions on the park website.
Go on a hike!
- Mirror Lake: This 4.4 mile trail is accessible year round, but departs from Curry Village.
- Lower Yosemite Falls: Hike to see the tallest waterfall in North America! This hike is 1.2 miles and is worth adding on to your day!
- Bridalveil Falls: Although this hike is relatively short, it’s extremely icy during the winter and microspikes are a must to avoid slipping. The trail is 0.8 miles with minimal elevation.
Dinner at Mountain Room at Yosemite Valley Lodge
This historic lodge is a must stop on your Yosemite itinerary and is located just a short walk from Lower Yosemite Falls.
If it’s still light out, you’ll be able to view Lower Yosemite Falls from the lodge. The Mountain Room offers fine dining in a cozy atmosphere and serves steaks, sustainably caught seafood and many vegetarian options.
If you’re looking for a lighter option for lunch, we ate at Basecamp Eatery which is also located at Yosemite Valley Lodge. The Lodge also offers a souvenir shop, Starbucks, and the Mountain Room Lounge, a casual spot for drinks and small bites by the fire.
Yosemite Itinerary: Day 3
Snowshoe to Dewey Point
This absolutely stunning snowshoe is so underrated! We barely saw anyone else on the trail. You’ll trek through snowy forests before arriving at Dewey Point, an iconic viewpoint overlooking Yosemite Valley.
The snowshoe begins from Badger Pass Ski Area where you can rent snowshoes for $25/person. The Badger Pass Ski Area also offers ski and snowboard rentals as well as cross country ski rentals from their Nordic Center.
The Dewey Point trail is accessible for snowshoeing and cross country skiing. The trail took us about 4 hours for around 8 miles, but can take much longer depending on snowpack so be sure to pack a lunch, plenty of snacks, and bring ~1.5L water per person at minimum.
Check into AutoCamp
Autocamp is perfect for adventurers looking for comfortable accommodation after a day of adventures! They offer glamping in the form of airstreams and small cabins.
We loved the daily happy hour with half priced drinks and made it a routine to grab a drink by the fire in the cozy main lodge! The property is beautiful with several fun seating areas and an outdoor fire as well.
Dinner at June Bug Cafe
This unassuming cafe had some of the best food of our trip! It’s located on a campground and looks like a very casual place when you walk in and order at the counter; however, the food is five star restaurant quality.
The portions are huge, yet affordable too! I enjoyed a vegan lentil shepherd’s pie and Myles had sweet potato gnocchi.
Yosemite Itinerary: Day 4
Explore Mariposa
Mariposa is a charming town located about one hour from Yosemite Valley and ten minutes from AutoCamp. There are so many things to do in Mariposa from delicious restaurants, cute shops, and fun shops.
It would make a great place to explore after a day of adventuring in Yosemite National Park! On our last day in Yosemite, it rained so we spent the entire day exploring Mariposa and never ran out of things to do and see!
Sticks Coffee Roasting
We were so impressed with the coffee and the avocado toast at this cafe and only wished we had discovered it earlier!
Happy Goat Farm to Table
This unique farm-to-table lunch spot sources ingredients from their farm down the street!
Yosemite Climbing Museum
This museum has so many incredible artifacts from the first climbs in Yosemite! We saw the first boots used on the first ascent of Half Dome and were shocked by how big and clunky they were. The first climbers used any means they could — even using chemical bottles as water bottles and stove legs as pitons. It was a fascinating museum and really well done.
The Grove House
This cozy eatery offers unique craft cocktails, comfort food, and live music on Saturdays. We enjoyed a delicious cocktail here and wished we were hungry when we were there so we could’ve tried the food — it looked amazing!
The Californian Commissary
We’re still disappointed we don’t have one of these shops near us! This is a one stop shop for custom charcuterie boards! We picked out about 5 cheeses and they made us a board for two on the spot. We had the best time bringing it back to Autocamp and relaxing by the fire with our cheese and wine!
Responsible Recreation for Winter in Yosemite National Park
- Layers are your best friend! Temperatures can range drastically throughout the day and it can be windy! We brought merino wool base layers, fleece, puffy jackets, and a waterproof shell.
- Bring appropriate gear. Microspikes are definitely needed and some trails may require snowshoes.
- Carry extra gear: a headlamp, extra food and water, and extra layers in our backpacks!
- Check the park website for current tire chain restrictions!
- Download offline trail maps: crucial no matter what season it is!
- Insulated and waterproof boots are key for snowy hikes. We’ve been loving our Vivo Barefoot Winter Boots.
- Check current road and trail closures on the park website!
- Leave no trace while exploring: respect wildlife from a distance, pack out all of your trash, and stay on trail, do not carve into trees.
- Do not snowshoe through ski tracks.
We hope you enjoy this 4 day Yosemite itinerary for the winter! If you’re looking for more things to do in California during the winter, check out this Northern California Road Trip! This post is in partnership with Yosemite Mariposa County.
