Many a traveller on a road trip through California will find themselves beckoned to spend time in Yosemite National Park, the majestic home of El Capitan and Half Dome.
Although most people opt to visit May-October, our visit in late March provided ample opportunities to lose ourselves in Yosemite’s beauty.
Watching sunlight silently trickle into the snow-topped valley at sunrise. The perfect reflections that dance over glassy rivers. Cascading waterfalls the drape from soaring granite. A lone coyote darting across a golden meadow. And that fresh mountain air, the kind our lungs were made to breathe, that feels like medicine. I promise you that a visit in March will leave your senses and spirits rejuvenated – it certainly did for us.
Yosemite also feels much less crowded in March than in the summer, which arguably will make your winter visit all the more magical. Here’s my advice on my favourite things to do in Yosemite in March – from the best viewpoints to hikes, and everything in between.
Take in the views at Tunnel View
Offering quintessential views of Yosemite, this vantage point was one of our favourite places with views looking straight down into the valley. From here you can catch a glimpse of mighty El Capitan on the left, the face of Half Dome poking out on the right with cascading wooded slopes that meet in the middle.
Its reputation for offering the best views of the valley makes Tunnel View an incredibly popular spot for photographers at sunset, so be prepared for a bustling line up of tripods and ridiculously oversized cameras!
Although it’s not a place you’re likely to have all to yourself, watching the last light melt through the valley and seeing the sky behind tickled pink is a sight you won’t want to miss.
Take a Hike
Although many hiking trails that go ‘up the walls’ of the valley are off limits in March due to heavy snowfall, the great news is most hiking trails in the valley are open all year round.
This includes the Bridalveil Fall hike, Lower Yosemite Falls, Mirror Lake, the Valley Loop Trail and the Vernal-Fall-footbridge section of the Mist Trail, among others.
Trails that go higher to the rim of the valley are harder to predict. If you want to try one of these hikes that are prone to potential closures, check the conditions ahead of time on the NPS website’s current conditions page that lists all trail closures.
Watch the Sunrise at Valley View
Aided by our lingering jet lag, a 5.30 am start never felt so good as when we watched the sun come up through the valley at Valley View.
With the gurgling Merced river in front of us and breathtaking views of half dome and El Capitan in the distance, a visit to Valley View really is one of those ‘pinch me’ moments.
With only a couple of other tripods along the river, it was nowhere near as busy as Tunnel View and an impossibly peaceful experience.
Hike to Clark Point
Another excellent viewpoint we were able to access in late March was Clark Point. From here, there are fantastic views of Nevada falls and the Liberty Cap granite dome that en route passes through some wonderful scenery.
To get to Clark Point from the trailhead at Happy Isles (shuttle stop #16) we followed the Mist Trail to the Vernal-Fall-footbridge and then diverted to the right onto the John Muir Trail. Once on the Muir trail, we followed the winding switchbacks through the forest, climbing higher and higher until we reached the spectacular views at Clark Point.
For the final half of the ascent, we encountered some difficult snowy and icy stretches, which were at times very slippery and steep. Be sure to take extra care if you plan to go hiking in these conditions and make sure you pack the right hiking gear. As well as a solid pair of waterproof hiking boots with good grip, I’d highly recommend investing in some walking poles and ice grips for your shoes. Neither of us had the latter, but it would have made things a whole lot easier.
It’s important to note that due to icy conditions on the Muir Trail past Clark point, we opted to walk back the way we came rather than keep going. As mentioned before, always make sure you check the Trails current conditions page to plan your route safely.
In all, it took us around 4 hours to hike to Clark Point and back to Half Dome village where we had parked.
Enjoy the banks of the Merced River
Meandering through Yosemite Valley is the beautiful Merced River, lined by trees, rocks and many sandy beaches.
From the many secluded spots that trace along its banks, we admired the perfect reflections of the forest and the cliffs on its surface.
Make sure you set aside some time to sit peacefully by the river and allow yourself to feel completely connected with nature.
Stand at the foot of El Capitan
There is no better place to feel the sheer, unfathomable magnitude of El Capitan than at its base.
From here at the floor of the valley, we gazed up at 3000 vertical feet of granite – dumbfounded how anyone could possibly conceive of climbing such a monolith, yet alone actually do it.
In October last year, professional climber Alex Honnold became the first person to scale the wall without using ropes or safety gear, completing what has been dubbed the greatest feat in the history of rock climbing.
His story is the subject of the Oscar-winning documentary, Free Solo, a visually mind-blowing film documenting this, one of the greatest human achievements of all time.
‘Have you seen Free Solo?’ was the question on the lips of many people we met in Yosemite – as I suspect it will be for many years to come.
It’s undeniably a great movie – if you haven’t already watched it and are planning on visiting Yosemite – you should certainly go and see it.
You can also get a great straight up view of El Capitan from the El Capitan meadow, located along the one-way Northside Drive.
Admire Half Dome from Sentinel Bridge
Famous for its view of the Half Dome reflected in the Merced River, Sentinel Bridge is another great viewpoint where it’s also possible to see Yosemite Falls.
The Cook’s Meadow Loop Trail crosses the bridge halfway through the hike and is a nice easy way to explore the Valley floor.
There is a small parking area near to the bridge or the nearest Yosemite Valley shuttle stop is #11.
Marvel at Yosemite Falls from Sentinel Meadow
In Yosemite Valley, the area around the Sentinel Meadow and the Yosemite chapel was my favourite place to stop to look at Yosemite Falls.
Early in the morning, we had this golden meadow to ourselves, aside from the occasional coyote or deer of course!
Planning a trip to Yosemite in March? Here’s everything you need to know.
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