The Best, Most Scenic Photo Spots in Yosemite National Park
Last Updated on March 27, 2024
Tunnel View in the fall
One of the most popular tourist spots in the park, Tunnel View has a gorgeous view of many of Yosemite’s most famous rock structures towering over the vast sea of evergreens. You can see Half Dome, Bridalveil Falls, and El Capitan from this vista, and it’s a simple, straightforward spot to admire Yosemite. It’s just a drive out of the Wawona Tunnel and requires no hiking to access.
Tunnel View in the winter
This location goes through all sorts of colors in the different seasons, but my most treasured time to drive up through the tunnel is during the winter. After snowfall, the vast stretch of trees gets clothed in white, expanding all across the horizon towards the distant rock formations.
I still can’t believe I had the opportunity to witness it in person when I first trudged through the cold–this was the view that made me fall in love with Yosemite in the winter.
This spot is a true hidden gem for photography and a life hack for anyone wanting to enjoy the scenery of Tunnel View without the crowds. It is accessible via a 2-mile round-trip trail that starts right at Tunnel View and ascends 700 feet.
Artist’s Point in the sunset
The view is especially breathtaking during the sunset. All the oranges and purples splash over the towering stone structures on the horizon, and the vast sky blankets the horizon in a warm glow.
In the heart of Yosemite River is a quaint, historic chapel that has become an essential part of the romantic natural scenery all around it. The Yosemite Chapel stands just off the road of Southside Drive, and it’s strategically placed to have the most picturesque views of the Valley’s greatest landmarks just beyond its yard.
North of the Chapel, you’ll find the Merced River running along and branching towards the sky-piercing Yosemite Falls. Down south, you’ll see Sentinel Dome stretching across the horizon. All around this field, you’ll find nearby picnic areas, twisting hiking trails, and various lodges to stay in. It’s the oldest manmade building in Yosemite, and it’s built as if it’s in the middle of everything the park can give to thousands of wandering travelers every year.
Yosemite Chapel in fall and winter
I’ve visited the chapel several times in the year, and without a doubt, some of my favorite views of it were during the winter and fall. It’s surrounded by golden-leaved trees in the fall that shimmers against the dim sunlight, and a gentle breeze blows through the yard as the cold comes.
In the winter, a white blanket of snow cleanly covers the rooftop and the evergreen trees surrounding it. The chapel has a warm glow to it against all the snow, and it becomes all the more welcoming.
Not too far from Bridalveil and at the head of the Valley, Yosemite Falls is the tallest waterfall in the park and also its most iconic landmark. There are countless viewpoints you can find of the falls, all of them equally majestic.
Need a relaxed, easy-to-access spot? You can see the falls at any point from Yosemite Valley. Interested in hiking? You can stretch up for a couple of hours to Columbia Rock, or even take a full 6-8 hour trip to the top of the falls. Want an up-close view of the falls from below? You can visit the Yosemite Falls Picnic Area and even walk along the bottom of the falls. There’s an endless amount of ways to enjoy this awe-inspiring view.
Yosemite Falls in the summer
This colossal waterfall is split into three sections–Upper, Middle, and Lower Yosemite Falls. The Lower Yosemite Falls offers an easy 1.2-mile trail that takes less than an hour to complete and circles around the bottom half of the waterfall. There’s even a small bridge at the base to enjoy a cooling, refreshing stroll under the mists and fall sprays.
Meanwhile, the Upper Yosemite Falls trails have a mind-blowing perspective of the park from above, hidden behind a challenging 6.5-mile hike up the cliffs. It’ll take around 5 hours to get there, and looking down from above the trees and roaring waters truly instills a sense of pride and accomplishment in you.
While this phenomenon is quite spectacular, you’ll only be able to catch it sometime during February in the sunset. At this time, the cold weather and Horsetail’s gentle stream let warm light refract off the mists, and the entire waterfall appears as if it caught on fire. It’s a breathtaking event that thousands of people all over America gather around to see, so be sure to come up early before noon to get the best viewing spot.
I talk about Firefall and other things you can do in Yosemite’s winter here!
Firefall at Horsetail Falls
Sentinel Bridge
The Sentinel Bridge is one of the oldest bridges in all of Yosemite National Park. Its stalwart stone structure remains sturdy even after many decades, overlooking the Merced River running below it and the great Half Dome from far beyond. Passing by this well-loved bridge, you’ll find great views of the stone structure from afar or even crystalline reflections of the bridge and its surroundings along the river.
Firefall at Horsetail Falls
Running down Glacier Point Road
Glacier Point Road reopened again just a year ago after two years without operating, and it has some of my favorite vistas in all of Yosemite National Park. It’ll normally be open from May to October, though it may remain open in November if the weather conditions allow it. The road leads to a lot of amazing spots for pictures and sightseeing, so we’ll talk about the main three ones to look out for.
Glacier Point in fall
The Glacier Point is the main attraction of the road for most visitors. From the safety of the brick walls, you can see all of Yosemite Valley and even some of the higher land from a distance. There’s no hiking required, either, since most of the journey can be trekked up with a car.
Taft Point
Taft Point in the fall
Taft Point has a more direct and open shot of the park below, as the point has no walls or rails to separate hikers from the horizon. It’s a relatively easy 2.3-mile round trip up, and the view from so high up is quite literally breathtaking. Just remember to keep your headlights on when you come back down, as the slope is quite steep.
Sentinel Dome
Within a similar 2.2-mile hike, the Sentinel Dome shows off a full panoramic view of the park. Here you get to see everything from the Valley to the canyons to even the far-off coastlines. If you’re planning on taking the trip, consider bringing a drone to capture the full majesty of the dome’s vantage point.
Vernal Fall in the spring
Climbing up to Nevada Fall and Vernal Fall, this trail gets its name from the shroud of mist that flows around the jagged rocks below these magnificent waterfalls. It’s one of the most popular hiking trails in the park, and spring is one of the best times to visit it. It takes around 8.5 miles to go around the trail, and the distance is worth it for the pictures you’ll get.
Nevada Fall in the spring
The pair of waterfalls is the most majestic during the spring when the melting snow from winter rushes down through the streams once more. It gets quite damp during this time, so mind your step while walking over the cliffside pathways. Remember to pack waterproof bags and clothes to keep yourself and your camera dry!
The Merced River rolls along Yosemite Valley, and it makes a great setpiece for the distant peaks and rock structures that loom over the surroundings. The Valley View is a little spot you can stop by while riding down Northside Drive just before you cross the Pohono Bridge.
You get a magical angle of many of the Valley’s most famous rock formations, like Sentinel Rock and El Capitan, but you also get a good look at Cathedral Rock, which lies on the other end of El Capitan. It’s a uniquely shaped structure named after the similarities it has to old European churches. Its peaks carve upward like steeples and the steep curves form buttress-like shapes.
Valley View
The view here is almost handcrafted to frame a brilliant picture, whether you’re walking along the stony banks or driving out of the Valley. Be sure to take a stop just as you’re leaving–it’s a fantastic way to end your journey in Yosemite National Park.
Some people may know Mirror Lake as “Mirror Meadow,” given how little water the ‘lake’ has for most of summer and fall. However, in winter and spring, snow melts into the lake and refills the basin. It takes around 8 miles to hike around the Mirror Lake, and hikers should mind bringing snow cleats while trekking down the icy pathways.
Once you do find yourself in this temporary lake, you’ll get to admire a still pool overlooked by great stone formations and evergreen trees. The clear and shallow waters perfectly reflect its surroundings without disturbance. It’s a bit as if the entire area is frozen in time, just like how many things tend to stay still in the winter.
Mirror Lake in the winter
If you’re hiking in the summer or fall, Mirror Meadow grows luscious flora where the lake used to lie. It’s a calm reprieve to stop by while hiking along the park, and you get a great look at Half Dome from directly below.
Many of the views from this list take a look at the park from high above or in the meadows. Mariposa Grove is unique in how it’s instead centered around the towering trees that cloud the skies of the sequoia clusters. There are over 500 sequoia trees in this grove, all gathered in dense groups interspersed with hiking trails and some park facilities.
Mariposa Grove in the winter
Some of these sequoias have hollow or split trunks that allow for fantastic pictures under them. They’re also evergreen, so they remain bright and colorful even in the white snow of winter. Their sheer size is what makes the views of this grove especially scenic. Nothing makes you feel quite as small as a landscape surrounded by giants!
