Yosmite in early June
 

Coming to Yosemite next weekend. Wishing to avoid huge crowds and I love to day hike 3-8 hrs. I heard half-dome is not up with cables yet.
What hikes do folks most highly recommend? I have three days.

If you go on a weekend at this time of the year, then expect crowds!

The hike to Vernal Falls on the Mist Trail is great. You can continue on to Nevada Falls, but we've never done that.

Utahtea
Utahtea

well i will be there monday to wed, but i guess this time of year it is crowded anyway.....

We went last year at the exact time you did. It was great because we didn't encounter that many crowds, especially because Memorial Day was wrapping up. It was nice too because they had just opened the glacier pt (I think thats the name??) Anyways the top of the mountain. Plus all the waterfalls were gushing!

We had our 1yr old so we did all the easy normal hikes but even those were fantastic. Bring your sunscreen and water, because it did get hot even though it felt cool.

Have fun..I'm jealous! We may plan to go back at that time next year.

hi, i was just there. the falls were great. what i would recommend are:

hike to upper yosemite falls (we didn't go all the way up, but just to a great vantage point). we did this in about 3.5 hours with lots of stopping.

vernal & nevada falls - went via the mist trail and down the john muir trail. bring your poncho & waterproof shoes - you WILL get wet! you can return via the mist trail, but it is steeper and you will encounter people coming up the trail, which makes it a little hairy sometimes. this took us about 6 hours. again lots of breaks.
OR
from glacier point - leave your car in the valley & buy a one way hiker's bus ticket up to glacier point (which should be open by the time you get there) and take the panorama trail down back to the valley. you will pass vernal & nevada along the way. this took us about 6-7 hours.

to really avoid the crowds, drive out to hetch hetchy section via hwy 120 and hike the trail to wapama falls. the wildflowers are beautiful to see along the way and wapama was gushing so much it flooded the trail. we didn't make it out to wapama but some other folks did by taking their shoes off.

mirror lake trail loop - about 5 miles, start at the paved section 1st and then loop around. you'll see the nice views 1st.

most trails are wet & sloppy along the way, so wear appropriate footwear. bring bug spray too!

have a great time.
tina

Glacier Point Road is open. I'd recommend hiking along trails off of that road, to the many valley overlooks, Taft Point, Sentinal, etc. There you get views down into the valley. But these trails may still be choked with snow, and the streams may be full to overflowing. Definitely hike through the giant sequoia groves, Mariposa Grove especially.

You said weekend...but if you are there during the week then it won't be as bad.

Have fun!

Utahtea

wow: lots of good ideas!
Has anyone hiked up to Glacier nad bused back down? I guss missing the bus would be a risk in that direction, but i like going uphill.....

Another vote for the Panorama Trail from Glacier Point. It's about $15 to catch the Yosemite bus. The hike around the valley and down into it might take 4 hours if you're a shutterbug. There are several well-marked trail crossings along the way if you wish to extend your hike.
I've never hiked up to GP.

You can take the John Muir trail up to Glacier Point and hike back down the Panorama Trail.

Correction to above--I think it is called the 4 mile trail not John Muir trail up to Glacier Point and back down the Panorama Trail. There is a parking area near the 4 mile trail and you could take the shuttle back (or close to) your car when you finish the Panorama Trail (which is one I would definitely do).

any idea how many miles that combo up and down would be ? Sounds like a nice long hike...

The Four Mile Trail is still closed, at least the upper half, so you can't make a loop with the Panorama Trail.

Does anyone know if 120 from Lee Vining into the Valley is open/driveable ?
R5

Hwy 120 (Tioga Pass) between Lee Vining and Yosemite Valley is still closed and no estimate date of opening. Keep an eye on this web site.

http://www.nps.gov/yose/now/tioga.htm

Utahtea

Thank you, Utahtea !
R5

Sonora Pass Highway 108 and Ebbetts Pass Hwy 4 are now open...if that helps.

Utahtea

Bring waterproof shoes! Some of the valley is still flooded from the extra-heavy snow melt.