By Landolfo Mancini 
Yosemite was one of the first established national parks in the USA and, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful places in the world.
If you only have one day in Yosemite National Park, it’s best to spend it in the valley, where you can enjoy the spectacular waterfalls, viewpoints and hikes. Most of them are located quite close to each other.
A detour to the Mariposa grove is also worth seeing the old Redwoods. Some of these giants are over 3,000 years old!
You won’t see the entire park in one day, as it covers almost 1,200 square miles, but you will have enough time to see most of the important highlights.
We spent 2 weeks in Yosemite and in this guide I will show you the best attractions that you can discover during a short visit to the park!
The Best Things To See And Do
* View point on the swing bridge
For your first stop in Yosemite, quickly visit the Swing Bridge picnic area. This place offers one of the best views of Yosemite falls in the park.
The best thing is that during our visit in June we were lucky enough to see an awesome reflection in the water due to historical overflow. The Merced River had turned into a lake!
Most months you won’t see this, but it’s still worth making a quick stop here for your first good look at Yosemite Falls. It is the largest waterfall in the park and, at 739 meters, one of the highest in the world.
* Fog Path
Then go to the parking lot for the Mist Trail. This is one of the busiest hikes in Yosemite, so you should go there early to avoid the crowds and get a parking space.
You can park in the Curry Village or in the parking lot at the Yosemite Valley Trailhead. The latter is closer and will save you 10 minutes on foot, but the former has a café if you want to have something to eat before or after the hike.
The Mist Trail is a wonderful hike with two great waterfalls: Vernal Fall and Nevada Fall. If you are a fit hiker, it is worth going at least to the peak of the spring autumn. Otherwise, you can enjoy a beautiful rainbow under the waterfall.
The Mist Trail is a moderate hike with a lot of elevation gain, even if you stop before the fall of Nevada. If you are not ready for this, you can replace this hike with Mirror Lake, which is all flat and easy.
Sentinel Trail / Cook’s Meadow Loop
After you finish the Mist Trail, it’s time to see more of the valley. Drive to the Yosemite falls viewpoint and find a parking spot. Here is a map.
From here, you can hike the Cook’s Meadow Loop Trail, which is flat, easy, and mostly paved or boarded, making it accessible for walkers and wheelchairs.
Everyone can and should take this trail as it is very laid back and offers some of the best views of Yosemite falls and the valley!
Lower fall of the Yosemite
It’s time to see another waterfall up close! Drive to the Yosemite Lower Drop Trailhead, park and hike to the waterfall.
As you will notice, Yosemite Falls is actually a three-part waterfall with upper, middle and lower falls. This hike offers you a wonderful view of the lower waterfall.
This is another short, flat, easy and accessible hike that takes about 30 minutes round trip. Anyone can do it.
On the way, you will see the upper fall of Yosemite through the trees, and the hike ends at the lower fall, which you can see up close.
Nearby the Yosemite Valley Lodge
If you need to have lunch at this point of the itinerary, you can do it at the nearby Yosemite Lodge Food Court, which is just a 2-minute drive or a 5-minute walk from where you parked for the lower falls.
While you are there, there is also a gift shop and Starbucks, so you can buy a shirt, a mug, a magnet or other souvenirs from the park.
If you have prepared a picnic for the day, there are many places in the valley where you can enjoy your meal with a view. The next one you pass to the west is the El Capitan picnic area.
Viewpoint of Cathedral Rocks
It’s an unmarked and unnamed point of view, but I have to mention it, since it’s worth stopping for photos.
If you continue west on valley loop Road after passing the El Capitan picnic area and before reaching a river bend called Devil’s Elbow, there will be a stopping point with epic views of the cathedral rocks.