Yosemite Valley Loop

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A mountain bike is a great vehicle for touring Yosemite Valley especially for a day trip. Avoid the summer weekend crowds and pick a cool sunny weekday in late fall or early spring (best for waterfalls) and get an early start so you'll have enough time to enjoy the views, have a picnic on the beach and do some hiking.

Vehicle entrance fee is $35 and includes an excellent map/brochure. Check the park website for alerts and restrictions.

The ride starts near the restrooms at the Lower Yosemite Fall trailhead. You'll have to park the bikes and hike in to get a better view of the falls if the water is flowing. Take the Valley Loop Trail, just across the bridge from restrooms, heading west.

It's a wide, heavily-used trail that connects Yosemite Village to Camp 4. You'll pass some rock climbing areas before reaching Camp 4, then continue through the campground until the trail junctions Northside Drive.

Northside is the two-lane, one-way exit road and doesn't have a bike lane so keep right and avoid busier times with heavy traffic (if possible). El Capitan peak will be soaring up on the right and there's a pullout and picnic area at the base. At the pullout near Horse Tail Fall, the Valley Loop Trail continues parallel to the road but wasn't used in this ride and may be checked out in the future.

Cross over the Pohono Bridge to Southside Drive heading back east into the valley and the Bridalveil Fall trailhead will be a short distance on the right. After checking out the falls, the Valley Loop Trail continues east running parallel to Southside Drive. There's a rocky climb at the start that most will walk but once past this section it's a fairly smooth and fast all the way back to the main visitor center.

Watch for hikers (and a few downed trees) as you get closer to the east end.

This ride cuts across the Swinging Bridge to the Yosemite Lodge but for more touring use the paved bike paths and roads to reach the Vernal Fall trailhead, Mirror Lake and Yosemite Village.

"It is by far the grandest of all the special temples of Nature I was ever permitted to enter." -- John Muir