Must-do experiences in Yosemite Mariposa County this Year
The snow is melting in the High Sierras, making way for powerful waterfalls, wildflower-strewn meadows and whitewater rafting in Yosemite’s Mariposa County. Here’s the top ways to explore Yosemite in 2026.
Pay it back with a New Voluntourism Adventure: With Mariposa Trails’ new voluntourism experiences, travellers can blend adventure with stewardship, exploring iconic landscapes while giving back to the trails that make the Sierra foothills magical. A purpose-driven experience that invites Yosemite National Park visitors to step beyond sightseeing and become trail stewards, helping maintain nearby hiking trails that connect communities and nature.
Attend the Inaugural Yosemite Film Festival: The inaugural Yosemite Film Festival and Storyteller Summit (25-28 June), brings filmmakers, climbers, and outdoor creatives together in the birthplace of American rock climbing, with film screenings, storytelling workshops, and Q&A panels.
Hit the Hiking Trails: Experience the Sierra Nevada foothills in a new way this year, as an interpretive installation has been unveiled at Stockton Creek Preserve, Mariposa. Created by California naturalist and illustrator Obi Kaufmann, distinctive illustrations of native plants and wildlife are integrated throughout the trail system, encouraging visitors to deepen their connection to the landscape. For guided hikes in the park, leading Yosemite tour company, YExplore Yosemite Adventures, is launching a special hiking series to mark its 20th anniversary.
Fly High with Skydive Yosemite: Soar above the world’s most iconic granite rocks, waterfalls and giant sequoia groves. Skydive Yosemite is the only sky diving company to fly over Yosemite National Park. Jumping from the plane, participants will see Half Dome and El Capitan, before landing at Yosemite-Mariposa Airport.
Glamp at Wildhaven Yosemite: Following a successful debut, Wildhaven Yosemite, is expanding. Doubling glamping sites from 40 to 80, and adding a pool, guests can immerse in Yosemite’s great outdoors whilst receiving hotel-like service and on-site activities that embody Yosemite’s spirit.
Scale the rocks: Whilst climbing the face of the world’s most famous rock – El Capitan – may be for experts, Half Dome, Sentinel Rock and Cathedral Peak are among some of Yosemite’s other rock stars worth the ascent. First-time climbers can take a beginner class ‘Welcome to the rock’, courtesy of Yosemite Mountaineering School & Guide Service. Accessible for all, private guided climbs are available, with the school set up to guide people with physical limitations.
Go for Gold in Mariposa’s old towns: California’s Gold Rush history lives on across Mariposa County, where visitors can pan for gold along the Merced River and ride the Yosemite Mountain Sugarpine narrow gauge railroad. Retrace the route taken by the ‘Father of the National Parks’, John Muir, as he discovered Yosemite and surrounding Old West towns, including Hornitos, Coulterville and Mariposa.
Whitewater raft on the Wild & Scenic Merced River: From spring to early summer, the Wild & Scenic Merced River lives up to its name when High Sierra snowmelt fills its banks with whitewater fury. At peak snowmelt, the Merced runs high and fast (class IV), with calmer waters in summertime – ideal for first-time rafters and kayakers. Local outfitters here.
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