San Francisco to Yosemite Private Tour with Hotel
Includes the option to hike the breathtaking 4 Mile Trail. Includes lunch, bottled water, snacks, entrance fees, and gratuities.
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Itinerary
The Private Tour rate is for 1-4 people. This two day Yosemite Tour from San Francisco via motorcoach includes Yosemite Valley, the Mariposa Giant Sequoia Grove (upon reopening), Tunnel View, and Glacier Point. On Day 1, we leave at 10:30am from San Francisco area. We go across the newly built Bay Bridge and pass through Oakland and Berkeley on our way to Yosemite. We drive through the Central Valley, which is one of the world’s most productive agricultural regions. We stop for a short break halfway to Yosemite and then pass through Mariposa, a historic gold mining town, where explorer John C. Fremont owned mining claims.
We reach Oakhurst area early evening. Here you have the evening to yourself to rest and enjoy a relaxing dinner. There are several restaurants within walking distance, including a movie theater, brewery, art galleries, and a local museum. The Chukchansi Casino is located ten miles from Oakhurst. On Day 2, we leave early morning around 7 am or sooner if possible.
Glacier Point
We leave in the early morning on day two where we enter Yosemite National Park at the South Entrance. We visit the Mariposa Grove (when it reopens). We stop at Chinquapin, and then on to Glacier Point (where most tour companies do not and cannot visit due to commercial vehicle size restrictions). Glacier Point is an overlook with a commanding view of Yosemite Valley, Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, and the Yosemite High Country. This viewpoint is accessible by smaller vehicles from approximately late May through October of November. The short walk to Glacier Point will reward you with a breathtaking view of both Yosemite Valley and the mountain tops.
OPTIONAL FOUR MILE TRAIL HIKE
At Glacier Point, guests who are looking for hiking time have the option to hike down the Four Mile Trail, which will end on Southside Drive, where they can cross Swinging Bridge and follow the trail to meet us at Yosemite Valley Lodge.
The Four Mile Trail is about 5 miles from Glacier Point to Yosemite Valley Lodge. Most of the time we offer the option of hiking down from Glacier Point to the Valley but sometimes due to scheduling we may offer the option to hike up to Glacier Point from the Valley. The elevation at Glacier Point is 7200 ft and the Yosemite Valley is at 4000 ft elevation. In 2016 President Obama and his family hiked this spectacular trail and only Crossroads Tours offers this option to you.
Crossroads Tours is not offering a personal guided hike and by accepting to hike on the Four Mile Trail or any other trails you are releasing Crossroads Tours from any liability. This hike is STRENUOUS and going downhill is very steep at some places and you must be prepared with appropriate clothing, shoes, walking stick, water and whatever else you may require. It takes about 2-3 hours hiking downhill. Crossroads Tours will allow you 4 hours maximum to reach the Yosemite Valley Lodge. Beyond 4 hours Crossroads may not be able to standby for you and you may have to find other transportation back. If Crossroads has to wait for you the cost will be $ 95 an hour which will be calculated after 4 hours.
Tunnel View
We continue to drive back to Chinquapin and down to Yosemite Valley where we travel through Wawona Tunnel, to Tunnel View, where we can see Bridalveil Falls, El Capitan, and Half Dome.
Yosemite Valley
In Yosemite Valley, we visit Bridalveil Falls, El Capitan, Yosemite Chapel, Sentinel Bridge, Half Dome, and Yosemite Falls. We walk to the base of Yosemite Falls. Guests can find all types of food and beverages at the Yosemite Lodge Food Court. In addition, there are gift shops located here for purchasing souvenirs. Upon resuming, we visit the meadows in front of El Capitan to see if anyone is rock climbing. From there we drive along side of the Merced River and look at the place where President Theodore Roosevelt and John Muir camped in May, 1903.
We leave in the afternoon from Yosemite Valley’s West Entrance towards San Francisco. We soon follow along the Merced River and enjoy the beautiful Scenic All Weather Highway. We stop at least once by the Merced River to enjoy the views and take some breathtaking pictures of the steep granite cliffs surrounding you. In the spring, these cliffs are filled with wildflowers. In this tour people will see more of Yosemite National Park in one day than most other tours of Yosemite.
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Need a lift?
In need of transportation between San Francisco, Los Angeles, Fresno, Oakhurst, Fish Camp, Coarsegold, Madera, Mariposa, Yosemite Valley, and Tuolumne Meadows areas? We offer comfortable shuttle service to and from these areas, including deluxe limousine service. Check us out here.