4 Nights in Yosemite National Park: The Perfect October Hiking Guide

4 Nights in Yosemite National Park in October

A Complete “Know Before You Go” Guide

Yosemite National Park is one of those places that never gets old. Towering granite cliffs, giant waterfalls, and some of the most famous hiking trails in the country make it a destination every outdoor lover should experience at least once.

We spent four nights staying in Yosemite Valley, giving us enough time to tackle some of the park’s most iconic hikes, including Mist Trail, Nevada Fall, and Half Dome, while still enjoying a slower-paced day exploring the valley.

We visited in October, which turned out to be a great time to go. The hiking trails were much less crowded than during the summer, daytime temperatures were more comfortable. The downside was that some waterfalls weren’t flowing as strongly, and Mirror Lake had completely dried up—but overall, I’d happily visit in October again.

If you’re planning your first trip to Yosemite National Park, this guide covers everything we learned, where we stayed, how we got around the park and information on the main hikes to do.

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Yosemite at a Glance

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Best Time to Visit Yosemite

Yosemite is beautiful year-round, but every season offers a different experience depending on what you’re hoping to see.

Spring (May–June)

If waterfalls are your priority, spring is the best time to visit.

Snowmelt creates the most powerful waterfalls of the year, making Yosemite Falls, Vernal Fall, and Nevada Fall especially impressive. Some higher elevation roads and trails, including Glacier Point Road, may still be closed early in the season depending on snowfall.

Summer (July–August)

Summer is Yosemite’s busiest season.

Nearly every hiking trail and road is open, making it the easiest time to explore the entire park. The downside is larger crowds, limited parking, hotter temperatures, and waterfalls that begin slowing down as the summer progresses.

Fall (September–October)

This is when we visited, and I thought it was a great time to experience Yosemite.

Crowds were much smaller and temperatures were more comfortable for hiking

The biggest downside is that many waterfalls aren’t flowing nearly as much as they do in the spring. Some seasonal lakes, including Mirror Lake, may even dry up completely—which was exactly what happened during our visit.

My Recommendation

If you’re visiting primarily for waterfalls, I’d recommend May or June.

If you’re more interested in hiking and avoiding crowds, September or October is an excellent choice.

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Closest Airports

If you’re flying to Yosemite, these are the closest major airports.

• Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT): Approximately 2–2.5 hours
• Sacramento International Airport (SMF): About 4 hours
• Oakland International Airport (OAK): Around 4 hours
• San Francisco International Airport (SFO): About 4.5 hours

We flew into Fresno, rented a car, and made the drive to Yosemite Valley.

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Where to Stay in Yosemite

One of the biggest decisions you’ll make is whether to stay inside or outside the park.

If your budget allows, I highly recommend staying inside Yosemite National Park. You’ll spend far less time driving and have much easier access to early morning hikes and sunrise viewpoints.

Curry Village (Where We Stayed)

We stayed at Curry Village, and I would absolutely stay there again.

Even though accommodations often sell out months in advance, don’t give up if your dates aren’t available. We managed to book our stay only six weeks before our trip. Just keep checking the website as people do cancel their trips.

Our unheated tent cabin came fully set up with beds, pillows, blankets, lighting, and a bear-proof food locker. Although nighttime temperatures were cool in October, we stayed comfortable using the blankets that were provided.

One of my favorite things about Curry Village was the location. We were able to walk to many of our hikes and use the free shuttle for everything else, so after arriving we left our rental car parked for our entire stay.

The village also has:

• Pizza restaurant
• Bar
• Buffet dining hall
• Community lounge
• Showers
• Water refill stations

A couple things to know before booking:

• Wi-Fi only worked reliably near the main community building.
• Cell service around the cabins was very limited.
• The tent cabins aren’t soundproof, so if you’re a light sleeper I’d recommend bringing a white noise machine.
• A headlamp or lantern is also helpful since it gets very dark walking to your cabin or the shared bathrooms at night.

Other Great Lodging Options Inside the Park Include:

• Yosemite Valley Lodge
• The Ahwahnee
• Camp 4 if you’re looking for a more traditional camping experience.

Another Unique Lodging Option Is: Tuolumne Meadows Lodge

• These canvas tent cabins are 8700 feet high and about 60 miles away from Yosemite Valley.
• This alpine retreat is only open from mid June to mid September.
• It is close to hikes such as Lembert Dome, Elizabeth Lake, Cathedral lake and Vogelsang Pass.

Lodging Options Outside of Yosemite National Park

• El Portal, Groveland, Mariposa, Fish Camp, Oakhurst, and Lee Vining all offer additional accommodations, although you’ll spend considerably more time driving each day.
• Drive time is around 1 hour to 1.5 hours each way from these nearby towns.
• El Portal is your best bet which is a 30 minute drive into Yosemite Valley.

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Getting Around Yosemite

We flew into Fresno, rented a car, and drove to Curry Village. Once we checked in, we parked our car and didn’t use it again until it was time to head home.

Yosemite’s free shuttle system made it easy to get around the valley without worrying about parking.

The Valleywide Shuttle stops at many of the park’s most popular locations, including Yosemite Village, Lower Yosemite Fall, El Capitan Meadow, Curry Village, Happy Isles, Mirror Lake, and several trailheads. Buses typically run every 12–22 minutes from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

East valley shuttle: This route is limited to Yosemite Village, Curry Village, Pines campgrounds, and trailheads in eastern Yosemite Valley. Buses arrive every 8 to 12 minutes from 7 am to 10 pm.

Travel Tip: Even if you have a rental car, I’d recommend using the free shuttle whenever possible. It’s easier than trying to find parking throughout Yosemite Valley.

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Before You Go Checklist

National Park Entrance Fee

You’ll need to pay the Yosemite National Park entrance fee unless you have an America the Beautiful Pass, which covers admission to Yosemite and hundreds of other federal recreation sites across the United States.

If you plan on visiting multiple national parks throughout the year, the annual pass is usually worth purchasing.

Half Dome Permits

If hiking Half Dome is on your bucket list, you’ll need to enter the preseason lottery for a permit.

Unfortunately, we weren’t selected—but as you’ll read in my Yosemite itinerary post, things still worked out in a way we never expected.

Download Offline Maps

Cell service throughout Yosemite Valley is very limited.

Download offline maps before arriving and save any reservation confirmations you’ll need during your stay.

Download Netflix Movies

Our tent cabin in Curry Village was too far from the main center so we weren’t able to use the WIFI while in our tent. We had some Netflix movies downloaded ahead of time so we had something to watch at night when we were going to sleep.

Bear Safety

Black bears are common throughout Yosemite National Park.

Always store food, coolers, toiletries, and anything with a scent inside the provided bear lockers when required. Never leave food unattended, even for a short time.

Handy Purchases

A few items I think people should bring on their Yosemite trip include:

• White noise machine if staying at Curry Village or in a tent
• Head lamps or a lantern
• Grippy gloves and a harness if planning to do the Half Dome Hike
• Hiking poles!
  • This hiking trip was the first time I ever used hiking poles since for some reason I didn’t believe they made a difference. They made such a difference! We hiked so many miles over the 3 full days and my knees, which are usually destroyed after hiking, were perfectly fine.

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Best Hikes in Yosemite National Park

Yosemite is home to some of the most iconic hiking trails in the United States. Whether you’re looking for a short walk to a waterfall or a full-day adventure, there’s something for every skill level.

These are some of the most popular hikes in Yosemite Valley and the ones we either completed or researched while planning our trip.

Lower Yosemite Fall

• Distance: 1 mile round trip
• Difficulty: Easy
• Time: 30 minutes
• Seasonal waterfall: Its usually flowing from November to July

This short, paved trail takes you to the base of North America’s tallest waterfall. It’s one of the easiest hikes in Yosemite and is great if you’re short on time or visiting with kids.

Mirror Lake

• Distance: 2–5 miles round trip (depending on your route)
  • It’s 2 miles round trip if you hike to the lake and then hike back out the same way.
  • It’s 5 miles if you do the full loop.
• Difficulty: Easy
• Time: 1–3 hours

Mirror Lake is known for its beautiful reflections of Half Dome, although it often dries up by late summer and fall. We visited in October and quickly found out there wasn’t any lake left.

Mist Trail

The Mist Trail is one of Yosemite National Park’s most popular hikes and for good reason. Depending on how far you decide to go, it can be a short walk to a scenic viewpoint or a full-day adventure all the way to Half Dome.

Along the trail you’ll pass Vernal Fall and Nevada Fall, with several turnaround points depending on your fitness level and how much time you have.

Vernal Fall Footbridge

• Distance: 1.6 miles round trip
• Difficulty: Moderate

This is the shortest option and takes you to the Vernal Fall Footbridge, where you’ll get a great view of the waterfall without climbing the famous granite steps. Even in October the waterfall was still flowing.

Top of Vernal Fall

• Distance: 3 miles round trip
• Difficulty: Strenuous

To reach the top of Vernal Fall, you’ll climb more than 600 steep granite steps along the Mist Trail. During the spring and early summer, expect to get wet from the waterfall’s mist—it’s what gives the trail its name.

Nevada Fall

If you continue past Vernal Fall, you’ll reach the top of Nevada Fall. From there, you have two options for returning to the valley:

Option 1: Return via the Mist Trail

• Distance: Approximately 5.4 miles round trip
• Pros: Shorter route back.
• Cons: You’ll descend the same steep granite steps, which can be slippery when wet and tough on your knees.

Option 2: Return via the John Muir Trail

• Distance: Approximately 6.5 miles round trip
• Pros: Creates a scenic loop with a more gradual descent that’s easier on your knees.
• Cons: Slightly longer than returning on the Mist Trail.

Half Dome

For experienced hikers looking for a challenge, you can continue beyond Nevada Fall to Half Dome.

• Distance: Approximately 14–16 miles round trip
• Difficulty: Extremely Strenuous
• Permit Required: Yes, for the final cable section.
• Time: 10–14 hours

For more information on Half Dome and how we managed to hike it without permits check out my 4 Night Yosemite Itinerary. 

If you complete Half Dome, you’ll return to Yosemite Valley using either the Mist Trail (shorter but steeper) or the John Muir Trail (longer but less demanding on the descent).

Half Dome is Yosemite’s most famous hike and a bucket-list adventure for many hikers. The final climb up the cables requires a permit, gloves and a good head for heights. To be on the safer side you should also bring a harness with you which we ended up borrowing someones since I was so nervous while climbing up. It was by far the hardest hike I’ve ever completed—and also the most rewarding.

Panorama Trail

The Panorama Trail is one of Yosemite’s most scenic hikes, offering incredible views of Half Dome, Nevada Fall, and Vernal Fall as you descend from Glacier Point into Yosemite Valley.

Option 1: One-Way Hike (Most Popular)

Most hikers complete the Panorama Trail as a one-way hike, starting at Glacier Point and finishing in Yosemite Valley.

• Distance: 8.5 miles one way
• Difficulty: Strenuous
• Time: 5–7 hours

To reach Glacier Point, you’ll need to reserve a seat on the Glacier Point Tour Bus (when it’s operating), as there is no free shuttle service.

Option 2: Four Mile Trail + Panorama Trail

For a bigger challenge, you can hike Four Mile Trail to Glacier Point before continuing down the Panorama Trail into Yosemite Valley.

• Distance: About 14 miles
• Difficulty: Very Strenuous
• Time: 8–10 hours

This route combines several of Yosemite’s most iconic viewpoints into one unforgettable full-day hike.

In my next post, 4 Night Yosemite Itinerary, Ill explain how to do the Half Dome hike without a permit which is how we did it.

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My Tips After Visiting Yosemite

After spending four nights exploring Yosemite, here are a few things I’d recommend if you’re planning a similar trip.

• Stay inside the park if your budget allows. Staying at Curry Village saved us hours of driving and made it easy to start hiking early each morning.
• Book accommodations as early as possible. Lodging inside Yosemite fills up quickly, especially during the spring and summer months. If your preferred dates aren’t available, keep checking for cancellations.
• Download offline maps before arriving. Cell service is very limited throughout the park.
• Use the free Yosemite shuttle. It made getting around Yosemite Valley incredibly easy, and we didn’t have to use our rental car after checking in.
• Bring layers. October mornings were chilly, but afternoons warmed up nicely once we started hiking.
• Pack a headlamp. If you’re hiking Half Dome or another long trail, there’s a good chance you’ll finish after sunset.
• Wear gloves and a harness for Half Dome. Your hands will thank you when climbing the cables.
• Start popular hikes early. Not only will you avoid the biggest crowds, but you’ll also have cooler temperatures and a better chance of finding parking.
• Start Half Dome hike as early as possible, preferably around 5 am. We didn’t start until 9 am and learned the hard way by having to hike 3 miles in darkness.
• You can still climb Half Dome without a permit: Theres still hope to be able to climb Half Dome even if you didn’t receive a permit by asking other hikers once you get near Sub Dome if they have extra permits. This is what we had to do and it worked!
• Don’t expect Mirror Lake to actually be a lake in the fall. If you’re visiting later in the season, it may be mostly dry.
• Take your time. Yosemite isn’t a place to rush through. Give yourself enough time to enjoy the viewpoints, relax in the valley, and appreciate just how incredible the scenery is.

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Yosemite Overall

Between hiking Mist Trail, standing at the top of Nevada Fall, exploring Yosemite Valley, and unexpectedly getting the chance to summit Half Dome, this trip turned into one of my favorite national park vacations.

If I came back, I’d probably visit in late spring to see the waterfalls at their peak. That said, I really enjoyed visiting in October. The cooler temperatures made hiking much more comfortable, and the smaller crowds meant we could experience the park without feeling overwhelmed.

Whether you’re planning your first visit or returning to tackle another hike, I think four nights is the perfect amount of time to experience many of Yosemite’s highlights while still leaving a few reasons to come back.

Ready to plan your trip? Read Our 4-Night Yosemite National Park Itinerary to see exactly how we spent our time in the park, including Mist Trail, Nevada Fall, and our unforgettable Half Dome adventure.