Rush Creek Lodge 45 mins to Yosemite Valley

Tours:

• Grand Tour is a full-day tour (~ 8 hours) that visits Yosemite Valley, Glacier Point and the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias. This tour operates during the late spring through summer (May - September, conditions permitting).
• Valley Floor Tour is a two-hour tour of Yosemite Valley that operates all year. From approximately April through October, this is an open-air tram tour (weather permitting). From around October through March, this is a bus tour.
• Bicycles are available for rent in Yosemite Valley.
• Horseback riding
  • Guided horseback ride from Big Trees Stable to Mirror Lake or a half-day ride to Clark Point.
  • Yosemite Trails Saddle & Sleigh Company
• Ranger Tour

Spots:

• Tuolumne Meadows (possibly not open till May)
  • Tioga Road is a 39 mile scenic Yosemite drive past forests, meadows, lakes and granite domes.
  • The round trip is 7 miles to either Upper or Lower Cathedral Lake and 8 miles for both
  • Soda Springs Trail 1.5 miles r/t
• Glacier Point/Tioga Road > Panoramic trail one way 8 miles > take bus to Glacier Point
• Yosemite Valley
• Mariposa Sequoia Grove
• Tunnel View: El Capitan + Half Dome
• Wapama Falls - Hetch Hetchy area 40 mins from rush creek lodge
• May Lake: from the trailhead on Tioga Road, you’re only 1.3 miles from dipping a toe in idyllic May Lake

Hikes:

• Mariposa Sequoia Grove (may need shuttle entry)
  • Big Trees Loop Trail (easy) 0.3 mile (0.5 km) loop from trailhead, 30 to 45 minutes (wheelchair accessible) Begin at Mariposa Grove Arrival Area. Winding through a forest with many giant sequoias, this trail features the Fallen Monarch and interpretive panels on the life and ecology of giant sequoias. This loop is relatively flat and is wheelchair accessible.
  • Grizzly Giant Loop Trail (moderate) 2 miles (3.2 km) loop from trailhead, 1.5 to 2 hours Begin at Mariposa Grove Arrival Area. Start along the Mariposa Grove Trail at the Big Trees Loop and hike past notable trees such as the Bachelor and Three Graces, the 3,000-year-old Grizzly Giant, and California Tunnel Tree. Allow two hours to enjoy the full loop that winds along the edge of the grove and includes 300 feet (91 m) of elevation gain. Visitors with a valid disabled placard can drive as far as the Grizzly Giant parking area and enjoy this area of the grove via a section of trail that is wheelchair accessible.
  • Guardians Loop Trail (strenuous) 6.5 miles (10.5 km) round trip from trailhead, 4 to 6 hours. Begin at Mariposa Grove Arrival Area. After hiking to the tranquil upper portion of the grove, a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) loop takes hikers past many famous features including the fallen Wawona Tunnel Tree, the Telescope Tree, and the Mariposa Grove Cabin.
• Bridalveil Fall Trail Easy / 0.5 mi (round trip)
• Lower Yosemite Fall Trail Easy / 1 mi (entire loop)
• Cook's Meadow Loop Easy / 1 mi (entire loop)
• Mirror Lake Loop Easy to Moderate 2 mi (lake & back) or 5 mi (entire loop)
• VALLEY LOOP Trail Moderate / 6.5 mi (half loop) or 13 mi (full loop) Mostly flat (START AT CHAPEL - CUT ACROSS BRIDGE AT EL CAPITAN TO DO 6.5 VERSION)
• MIST TRAIL - VERNAL FALLS and Nevada Fall Trails Moderate to Strenuous / 1.6 mi-8 mi / (round trip) (START SHUTTLE #16 STOP HAPPY ISLES NATURE CENTER) STOPS AT VERNAL FALLS FOOR BRIDGE OR YOU CAN GO TO TOP OF WATERFALL - BRING RAIN GEAR FOR WATERFALL SPRAY
• UPPER YOSEMITE FALLS Trail Moderate to Strenuous / 2.0 mi (round trip)
• 2 mi (round trip IF YOU GO TO TOP) STARTS AT CAMP 4
• Snow Creek Trail Strenuous / 9.4 mi (round trip)
• Four Mile Trail / Strenuous 4.8 mi (one way)
• Half Dome Trail / Strenuous 14 mi-16.4 mi (round trip)
• North Dome Bag a peak without all the work of Half Dome on this moderate, 5-mile round trip to the top of 7,543-foot North Dome.

Food:

• Food Court at the Yosemite Lodge (vegan burgers, starbucks, etc)
• Ahwahnee Dining Room
• Cocina Michoacana (30 mins away - tofu, potato tacos)
• Ever Green Lodge (falafel burgers, vegan tamales) - 20 mins