I was starting to get overwhelmed trying to make sense of Yosemite information online so I picked up a Yosemite Lonely Planet guide book the other night (print is better for this task). I’m not one to thoroughly plan my weekends or vacations, as I believe schedules should be left at work. But given that Yosemite is huge and we have a limited amount of time, I decided to put together a tentative itinerary for the weekend:

Saturday:

  • leave Mountain View around 8 a.m., arrive at Yosemite Valley around 12 p.m.
  • grab lunch at some point - either along the way or in Yosemite Valley
  • drive through Yosemite Valley
  • stop at Inspiration Point and hike there (this one should be a short easy hike)
  • hike the Mist Trail to Vernal Falls (this one is a bit longer with more elevation change)
  • leave for our hotel in Mammoth around 5 or 6 p.m.
  • dinner/pool/hot tub relax tiemz in Mammoth

Sunday:

  • pool/hot tub breakfast/brunch relax tiemz in Mammoth
  • leave hotel around 10 or 11 a.m.
  • do Cathedral Lakes hike (about 4 - 5 hours, moderate level, near the Eastern edge of the park)
  • grab late lunch - not sure what food options will be in that area, may need to pack a picnic
  • leave for Mountain View around 4 or 5 p.m.