Yosemite is a very big park and there are some great and strenuous hikes for the active visitors. But what about those of us who have little legs or old wobbly legs? There are still some great places to go and they are all very scenic. Needless to say, take the best camera you have and you will easily get fantastic outdoor scenery shots like no where else.
Here is a great article by Julia Clarke as published by Advnture on 8 easy hikes in Yosemite National Park. I have tried them all and couldn’t agree more.
Another way to use this list, for you active walkers and hikers, as I so often recommend to my guests, is to do the bigger trails and climbs early in the day. After a break and cooling off your feet in a stream, do one of these to gently wind down the day. Even if the sun sets you will not be stranded far from anywhere – though do observe normal safety cautions.
In addition, especially if you are staying in or near the Wawona hotel, there are nice gentle meadow trails that all leave from the Wawona gardens. Or try one of the beach walks. Yes, there are beaches in the park as I learned from one set of guests who were going to a wedding there. Watch for the signs nearer to the Park’s main entrance. Hint, they are all along the river banks.
Please don’t let these suggestions here scare you off some of the main trails. I like the Mist trail, for example, as I can just go as far as I like, then rest and return. In the meantime, my family zooms up to the top and catches me on way down.
PS A great short, but not so easy hike, is the one to Sentinel Dome. It leaves from a clearly marked parking area midway down the road to Glacier Point but does require some big step up and down over rocks and trees. Unless I am feeling strong I just go part way for the view. Then rest and turn around. It is apparently spectacular up on Sentinel itself at sunset.