Family Vacation to Yosemite, CA in the Winter


Every year we take a family vacation in the Winter time. We do this mostly to avoid the crowds and prices of Spring Break. Last Winter we decided to try something new with the kids and planned our first family hiking vacation. I wasn't sure how this vacation would go as it wouldn't be on a beach and would involved long hikes, but to my surprise it was my kids favorite vacation we've taken so far, and Punta Cana is in the mix!


I've been asked by a few people to create a travel blog with tips and tricks of visiting places we've gone. When I'm planning vacations I LIVE on Pinterest collecting all of the information I can so that we can have an exciting and out of the ordinary trip. SO I've decided to compile a few blog posts worth of trips we have taken as a family, as a couple, and some solo trips I've done as well. I'll make these as quick and to the point as possible in hopes it helps someone else when planning.

Where to stay when visiting Yosemite


A few things we keep in mind when we are choosing our stay with the kids

  • Does it have a pool or a hot tub
  • Is it within an hour drive from where we want to visit
  • Are there food options that make sense for the kids
  • Are there activities close by


There are places to stay within the park, but on this trip we knew we would be doing a few hikes that were outside of Yosemite, including Sequoia National Forest so being out of the park worked best for us.


Tanya Lodge in Fish Camp, CA

  • Indoor AND outdoor pool and hot tub
  • Nightly movies in the pool
  • Ice skating rink
  • Outdoor fire pits with s'mores
  • Sledding
  • Game room for the kids


Fish Camp is about 30 minutes outside of Yosemite and about 45 minutes away from the most known hikes.

Where to Hike when visiting Yosemite in the Winter


It's important to note that in the Winter a large portion of Yosemite is shut down due to the roads not being accessible. We went in January of 2021 and the weather was oddly warm for that time of year so we surprisingly did not see much snow. Here are the hikes we were able to do with our then 7 and 10 year old.


  • The view of Half dome- when arriving into the park you'll go through the famous tunnel that leads to the picturesque scenery of the falls and half dome. You'll want to stop for this quick photo op! (see below)


Lower Yosemite Falls Trail

Mirror Lake via Valley Loop Trail


Initially this hike was going to be just a quick one to see the infamous falls, which was even more amazing to see in person than I was expecting. We stopped right at the gorgeous falls to eat a snack and take in the views, you can sit on the rocks really close to the water and get some fun photo ops too. This hike says it's 1.4 miles, and that is what we had planned, but that 1.4 ended up turning into a 10.5 mile hike which was both gorgeous and exhausting for everyone. We ended up connecting to Mirror Lake via Valley Loop Trail from the falls. This hike was very doable for the kids, it got a little long on the way back, but it's listed as moderate which was just fine for our family.


*Note that if you take both trails, you will end up hiking 10.5 miles total

*Also note, we started these hikes off dressed in full winter gear. Hats, snow pants, gloves, the works, BUT about half way through hiking we ended up in T-shirts and tank tops. The weather here was so unpredictable, so I would pack for all options.

Hiking Sequoia National Forest


Like mentioned above when we chose our stay we wanted somewhere that would be easily accessible to the different places we wanted to visit. Part of traveling in the Winter is figuring out what we can and cannot see based on the weather, the parks, and what is open that time of year. We knew when visiting this part of California that we would want to see Yosemite National Park as well as the Red Sequoia trees in Sequoia National Forest.



Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias Trail

This is a 6.7 out and back moderate hike. Here we did see some snow and had to trek through it as we got further out on the trail. The great Sequoia trees were breath taking and photos do not do them justice for how giant they are in real life.


Sierra National Forest


Angel Falls via Willow Creek Trail

For our third day of hiking we set out to see the Sierra National Forest. We chose Angel Falls via Willow Creek Trail, because it was a moderate out and back of 3.1 miles and after a 10.5 mile hike the day before we needed something a little shorter to keep the kids engaged and from killing us haha.


This turned out to be a really cool hike. The temps are warmer here as the Sierra Forest is more south and less elevation than Yosemite. This trail head is not marked well as it's off the highway and leads you down a pretty rough road. We also had to cross a fallen tree over the creek to start on the trail, but it made the hike more fun in my opinion. The end of the hike leads you to the top of the water fall with great views and the perfect spot for lunch before turning back.

Yosemite Winter trip takeaways for families

  • Winter is a great time to visit, the temps are warm enough for hiking, the crowds are almost non existent so you'll have all the trails to yourself, and the views are amazing
  • We had originally planned to do some snowboarding while on this trip, but to our surprise there was little to no snow, which then made hiking a lot easier
  • Fly into Fresno, it's a quick hour and a half to Fish Camp
  • Take the time to visit Yosemite National Park, Sequoia National Forest, and Sierra National Forest while in the area
  • In n Out is a must on the way to and from Fresno
  • All of the hikes I list are easy to find and follow the trails on the All Trails App