Trailside
Bridalveil Fall
620-foot waterfall reached by a short paved path from the valley.
Best at midday
Map
Explore Yosemite
Sightseeing in Yosemite
Yosemite's sightseeing splits between two landscapes, and when you can reach each one depends on the season. The Valley floor viewpoints — Tunnel View, Bridalveil Fall, Valley View — are roadside or a short walk from the shuttle stop, open year-round, and work any time of day. The high-country viewpoints (Glacier Point, Olmsted Point) require Glacier Point Road or Tioga Road to be open, which typically means June through October. Half Dome requires both legs and a cables permit. Each viewpoint below is sorted by how far you have to walk and when the light pays off — so you can match the view to the time and conditions you have.
Sightseeing
Viewpoints in Yosemite
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Overlook
El Capitan
The largest exposed granite monolith on Earth, rising 3,000 vertical feet from the valley floor. From El Capitan Meadow on the valley loop you can pick out climbers as specks on routes like the Nose; the wall glows gold in the last light.
Best at sunset
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Overlook
Glacier Point
High overlook of Half Dome, the high country, and the valley floor 3,200 feet below.
Best at sunset
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Summit
Half Dome
Granite dome summit reached via cables on a strenuous full-day hike; permit required.
Best at midday
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Overlook
Olmsted Point
Tioga Road overlook of glacially polished granite domes including the back of Half Dome.
Good all day
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Overlook
Tunnel View
Classic vista of El Capitan, Bridalveil Fall, and Half Dome from the east end of the Wawona Tunnel.
Best at sunset
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Roadside Pullout
Valley View
Riverside pullout framing El Capitan and Bridalveil Fall above the Merced River.
Best at sunset
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Trailside
Yosemite Falls (Lower)
North America's tallest waterfall, viewed from a short loop to the base of the lower fall.
Good all day
Just outside the park
Marquee stops just beyond the boundary that most Yosemite trips pair with — separately managed, so book or check access directly.
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Just outside the park
Bodie State Historic Park
A gold-rush ghost town held in arrested decay — roughly 100 weathered buildings on the high desert northeast of Mono Lake. It's a long gravel-road detour off US-395, best paired with the east-side exit over Tioga Pass. Run by California State Parks; check seasonal road access first.
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Just outside the park
Mono Lake
An ancient saline lake studded with tufa towers, just east of Tioga Pass at Lee Vining — where every high-country exit from Yosemite lands. The South Tufa boardwalk is the classic short walk. Separately managed (Mono Basin Scenic Area), so it's a natural add-on the day you drive out the east side.
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