What do you take on a day hike in Yosemite? I hiked a couple bucket list trails in Yosemite last week, so I’ll go through what I packed and why in this article.
Why do you need the right gear? Comfort. The difference between you experiencing the Yosemite wilderness as either a viscerally profound, almost naturally spiritual place, or a savage land of discomfort, that should only be looked upon from the refuge of a hotel or car window, is your comfort level on the trail.
The Yosemite trails I hiked were the following: Mist Trail (JMT was closed, as the rain had eroded part of the trail), Upper Yosemite Falls Trail, and pieces of the Yosemite Valley Loop Trail.
I brought lots of gear with me, because it was supposed to rain for most of my stay. Some of it was new items I tested out, and some was my normal stuff. I’ll eventually write reviews of some of this gear, based on this quintessential hiking trip. So check for links below as time allows.
Let’s get into it…
Note: This article is written for hikers visiting Yosemite during the warmest months, and most popular time of the year.
Layers
I didn’t know how significant the rain would be when I was there, so I brought the following layers, for wet summer hiking in Yosemite.
Do not bring cotton clothing when hiking in Yosemite, where there can be rain, and rapid temperature changes. Ascending out of Yosemite Valley and up the trails onto its surrounding mountains, especially on rainy days, is a recipe for big temperature differentials. So stay away from cotton anything, that just holds sweat or rain against your skin and sucks the warmth out of you.
Merino Wool Long Sleeve Base Layer
I have a merino wool, long sleeve base layer I use around Los Angeles, for late fall, spring, and winter hiking around the Santa Monica Mountains. It’s from a company called Merino-Tech, for those interested.
It’s not scratchy; it’s actually rather soft feeling, after having been washed several times.
And more to the point, it stays warm even when it gets a little wet from sweating. Obviously you want to layer in a manner to minimize sweating in the first place. Be bold and hike cold, as they say. But sweat happens, and when it does, it’s less worrisome in a base layer that keeps you warm regardless.
Polyester/Nylon Long Sleeve Base Layer (backup)
I had this as a backup, its use dependent on how drenched my merino wool base layer would have gotten. It’s not as warm as merino wool, but at least it’s sweat wicking, and dries fast after getting wet. Mine is from the REI brand of men’s base layers.
Polyester/Nylon Base Layer Bottoms
My hiking pants are rather lightweight Columbia brand convertibles (see below), so just as an insurance policy on staying warm at altitude, I wore some REI lightweight base layer bottoms, i.e. tights.
Using the base layer and these pants together generally provides a similar warmth level as Levi’s jeans, but without the added weight, or water retention.
And the same base layer philosophy applies here: I’m strategically using synthetics to minimize the wetness against my skin, and the cold that comes with it.
Merino Wool Boxer Briefs
Merino wool has antimicrobial properties that keep things less stinky. And as stated above it’s sweat wicking and holds warmth even when damp. Perfect for underwear!
I used the REI merino wool boxer briefs. They fit nicely, aren’t scratchy, and feel comfortable. They’re neither loose nor tight; definitely in the Goldilocks zone.
Polyester Fleece
I go over the importance of a polyester fleece as a mid layer in my article ‘What Is A Hiking Mid Layer?’ (click the link to see the article). Basically, just like your base layer, a polyester fleece will wick moister, and dry quickly.
I brought a fleece by Columbia – the Columbia Men’s Steens Mountain 2.0 Full Zip Fleece Jacket.
Incidentally, combining it with my merino wool base layer, and a Cotopaxi Fuego hooded jacket, it’s plenty warm to casually walk around the woods during West Virginia winters, with the temps in the 20’s and 30’s.
But for Yosemite, I had it on hand to combine with my merino wool base layer, and a light rain shell, just in case the temperatures were low, during a rain shower.
Related: See my Cotopaxi Fuego Men’s Hooded Down Jacket review for more info on that particular jacket.
Lightweight, Quick Drying Hiking Pants
Again the idea is to use dedicated hiking pants that are light, and are made of non-cotton materials that dry quickly.
I use a lot of Columbia gear, as it’s cheaper than the Arc’teryx, Patagonia, Outdoor Vitals, etc. stuff, and gets you 80% there in terms of functionality. So I used the Columbia’s Silver Ridge Convertible Hiking Pants during my Yosemite trip.
These pants let you zip off the lower legs to convert to shorts. Good for temperature swings. Good for airing out wetness, when combining with base layer pants, as described above.
Related: Check out my long form review of the Columbia Silver Ridge Convertible Hiking Pants based on my use at the 75 to 125 mile mark regarding hiking and camping with them.
strengths and weaknesses of Columbia lightweight hiking pants
I like the low profile, nylon woven strap belt, and the non-invasive belt loops, as I use a Gregory Zulu 30L day hiking pack that has a hip belt. I ratchet that belt down to keep the 10+ pounds of stuff I carry (everything I’m mentioning in this article) off my shoulders.
The only drawback to these is, unlike jeans, when you’re hiking you do want to keep your car keys, and wallet in your pack, and not in the pockets of the pants, just to avoid wear and tear on the lightweight material.
These pants, however, handled the abuse of rubbing up against granite walls, and sitting/scooting on slabs of granite, on the Yosemite trails. They’ve also worked for camping in Lake Arrowhead, and San Simeon, recently. They’re not tight when bending over, lunging or squatting, or any other hiking/camping maneuvers you need when setting up/breaking down camp. Definitely on the list of what to take on a day hike in Yosemite.
Rain Shell
Even if it wasn’t going to rain, I’d still needed a rain shell for Vernal Falls. Same goes for just walking up to the viewing areas for Lower Yosemite Fall, or Bridalveil Fall. Especially this year, when the water is flowing at record levels, after the Jet Stream got stuck over California for several months this winter, and dumped loads of rain and snow into the Sierra, and everywhere else in the state.
I used a Columbia lightweight rain shell. Nothing fancy here – no pit zips or Gortex. Just quick drying, treated nylon. I believe the model is called Columbia Men’s Glennaker Rain Jacket. I mostly bought it to keep the rain off my Cotopaxi down jacket, but for this Yosemite trip, it was with me for keeping rain off my Merino Tech base layer, or Columbia Fleece mid layer, as described above.
Rain Pants
It takes forever for Gortex, waterproof shoes, like mine, to dry out if they get wet on the inside. So I made every effort to keep rain and waterfall spray out of my shoes. And that entailed rain pants, whose lower leg sections sit over the opening of my ankle high hiking shoes.
When it comes to these waterproof layers, you have to use them strategically. You don’t want to keep them on the entire hike, as the moisture from your body will have nowhere to go, and you’ll just get wet from your own sweat.
So the rain pants I have can be put on, on trail: they have zippers/velcro on the lower legs, to accommodate putting them on over shoes. And of course they fit over my regular hiking pants. (Actually, when I put my rain gear on for Vernal Fall, I took my shoes off to make it a little easier.)
Mine are from Amazon, and are from the 33,000ft company. They have mesh on the inside and are comfortable to wear over my Columbia hiking pants.
Waterproof Gaiters
If your Yosemite trip involves any type of rain, you might elect to bring a pair of waterproof backpacking gaiters. They basically keep water from entering your shoes from above. Slide your rain pants over them for ultimate protection against the rain.
You might use caution on the Mist trail though, with gaiters. I wasn’t altogether convinced the loops on my gaiters, that go under your shoes, wouldn’t accidentally snag a random piece of granite on those carved out stairs, and cause me to stumble. I was probably overly cautious about it, as I’ve used the same pair on other trails, at the beach, and setting up camp in deep, fox tail ridden grass with no problems. Just something to think about for that particular trail.
Related: Check out my review of these REI Backpacker Low Gaiters based on my summertime use of these on several trails.
Poncho
I always carry a poncho, as it’s an easy way to keep my pack, and most of my body dry during an unexpected rain. It’s also more airy than my rain shell and rain pants, and keeps sweat from accumulating, more so than using those.
The ponchos I saw on the trip up to the top of Vernal Fall didn’t seem like they were doing much for the wearers. They were getting blown every which way from the wind created by the water fall. And they weren’t doing anything for folks’ lower extremes.
Dedicated Hiking Shoes
I don’t skimp on hiking shoes, like I do for my rain shells. I use the Salomon X Ultra 4 GTX’s (and used to use the X Ultra 2’s). These are the ones with the Gortex so I can walk through shallow water without getting the inner areas of the shoes wet. I walked through many a puddle on the Mist Trail, in Yosemite and stayed dry!
Their outsoles have a high friction coefficient, which is what you need on slippery granite stairs in Yosemite. Check out my article on measuring my shoe’s friction coefficient and comparing it to others’ in my collection. I didn’t slip once on any of the wet granite stairs, or granite cobbled trail in Yosemite.
They offer adequate protection on the trail, but also have enough give in them that you can feel what’s happening in technical areas and react accordingly.
And of course, they feel very supportive and comfortable; more so than my Merrell Moabs.
Related: Check out my review of the Salomon X Ultra 4 GTX shoes based not only on this Yosemite trip, but other local So Cal hiking.
But basically, you don’t want to wear sneakers or flip-flops on these Yosemite trails, unless you want to stub your toe or slip.
Merino Wool Socks
Again, stay away from cotton socks. I used light to mid-weight merino wool socks for these Yosemite hikes. Definitely a top priority on what to take when day hiking Yosemite.
Footwear FAQ’s for Yosemite
Should I bring hiking boots to Yosemite?
Dedicated hiking boots from a reputable manufacturer are appropriate to bring to Yosemite for day hiking and/or backpacking. Salomon, Merrell, La Sportiva, etc. are good brands to consider. I prefer the GTX (i.e. Gortex waterproofing) options if I know I’m not going to be walking through water that’s deep enough to get into the interior of my shoes. However if you know you’re going to be walking through calve-deep water, you may elect to go with quick drying trail running shoes, like those made by Altra.
Can you hike Yosemite in sneakers?
While you can definitely walk around the Yosemite Valley Loop Trail in sneakers, dedicated hiking shoes are preferred on the trails surrounding the Valley. Some sneakers do not have adequate toe boxes and you can easily stub your toes hiking in such. Plus a lot of sneakers do not have deep enough lugs on their outsoles, and these outsoles may not have enough of a friction coefficient to tackle wet, slippery granite, or other frequent trail conditions in Yosemite. Lastly, sneakers are less water resistant, or water proof than hiking shoes. Keep that in mind during rainy times of the year in Yosemite, or when doing hikes with waterfalls near.
Trekking poles – depending on the trail
I use trekking poles on the overwhelming majority of my day hikes. That being said, I didn’t bring them with me on the trails I was on in Yosemite. Here’s why:
- I was taking a lot of photos and videos the entire time, and poles are hard to deal with, when doing so, especially on narrow, steep trails/steps, with loads of traffic on them.
- It was supposed to rain, and I wanted to use my rain shell for my pack. If I had wanted to strap my poles back on my pack, during a wet period when its rain shell was in place, I couldn’t. The shell can’t fit over the poles when they’re strapped in.
- Too much traffic to use them properly on the Yosemite bucket list trails.
- There are times I needed to have my hands free to grab railing or the sides of rock walls to keep stabilized on the trail.
- Most people ‘using’ trekking poles looked like they weren’t using them to full capacity, either from trail conditions, traffic, or just not knowing how.
Rubber tips for trekking poles
If you do bring poles, bring the rubber tips for the granite, depending on which trail you’re going on. The naked tips work good grabbing So Cal sandstone conglomerate. But I’m thinking the rubber tips would work better for the granite on the Yosemite bucket list trails.
I would have used my poles on the Upper Falls Trail, were it not for the dark rain clouds, and that I had a phone gimbal for pictures/video of the trail. And were I lugging a 30 pound pack up the JMT to Little Yosemite Valley Campground, I would definitely be using them!
On my normal treks, I use Cascade Mountain Tech poles: you can find my review of them by clicking this link.
Day hiking backpack
I use a Gregory Zulu 30L backpack. It has the pocket/hook setup for adding a Gregory water reservoir if that’s something your into. And it has plenty of space to put my fleece, rain shell, rain pants, poncho, survival kit, first aid kit, emergency bivy, external phone battery, extra socks, quick drying towel, food and water, life-straw, phone, wallet, keys, compass, map, headlamp, and phone gimbal carrying case. I also hang my Zoleo communicator off its hanging loop, and can strap my trekking poles to dedicated loops on its back.
Related: Check out my full review of the Gregory Zulu 30 pack by clicking here.
Pack rain shell
My Gregory pack comes with its own rain shell. This shell does have a strap/hook to securely fasten it to the pack for high wind areas. But it makes it a pain to get anything in and out of the pack. Luckily in light wind and rain, just the elastic edge around the shell keeps it hugging the pack adequately. Thus you don’t always need to use the strap/hook provided.
But double check your pack before you leave for Yosemite, to see if it comes with one. Usually it’s in a zippered compartment somewhere on the pack.
Hip belt keeps the weight off your shoulders for easy walking 8+ hours per day
I recommend a pack with hip belts to keep the weight off your shoulders all day. Makes a difference in your fatigue level, and reduces wear and tear on your merino wool base layer shirt. Gregory consistently makes hip belt straps/buckles that are extremely easy to tighten, and loosen as you’re walking, which is what you’ll be doing all day, when using a pack with a hip belt.
Pack liner
In the rain, and in the mist from the Mist Trail, you’re going to need a waterproof pack liner. I just use a large garbage bag myself. You pack’s rain shell gets you 90% of the way there, in terms of keeping your stuff dry, but water can sometimes find its way in, so definitely use a liner.
Ziploc Baggies
I used waterproof Ziploc baggies for my phone, my small camping towel, my external phone battery, my map, and other essentials that can’t afford to get wet.
You’ll also need a Ziploc baggie to pack out trash from snacks and lunch.
Water and Gatorade/electrolytes
Bring plenty of fluids on the trail. If you’re just day hiking, then you can probably get away with just bringing enough fluids to keep you from getting so dehydrated, that your hiking performance is diminished. Just bring enough to keep you from getting thirsty. Then after the hike you can take in more fluids over a few hours to fully rehydrate.
The general rule is 500mL to 1L of water for every hiking hour; 500mL/h for cooler, easier hikes, and 1L/h for hotter, harder hikes; modifying this to how your particular body works. But you can read more about hiking hydration, and figuring out how much fluid you need by reading my article, How Much Water Do You Need for Hiking?
Keep in mind, if you’re sweating a lot, and especially if you’re not used to doing so, you’ll be also losing sodium (and potassium and chloride) in your sweat. So be sure to bring Gatorade or other means of replenishing salt on the trail. Electrolyte powders to put in water, other sports drinks, or salty snacks are all good ideas.
To hike the Mist Trail, I ended up bringing 1L of water and ~0.5L of Gatorade for 4 hours of moving time (6 hours of being on trail). Afterward, I went to the Yosemite Base Camp Eatery, and took in another ~0.5L of fluid and salty french fries, to also replete some of the salt I lost through sweating. And throughout the rest of the day I took in more fluid to fully rehydrate. More on the specifics of hiking the Mist Trail by clicking here to read my article I wrote directly after hiking it.
Water Filtration Devices
If you’re going on an extra long day hike, it may be advantageous to have a water filtration system, like a Sawyer Squeeze. That way you’re not lugging around 5+ pounds of water up those 2000+ foot climbs off the Valley floor.
Just be careful not to collect water to filter from unsafe areas along the rivers and streams. That water is raging in places, currently as I write this article.
Plenty of food calories, including salty snacks
Day hiking the bucket list hike out of Yosemite Valley involves a lot of uphill. You should plan on bringing a significant amount of calories to keep you going on the trail for these longer hikes.
For example, I used my day hiking calorie calculator, which I built from the ground up, using my knowledge of math and nutrition, to calculate that I burned around 1,290kcal on the Mist Trail, over 4 hours of moving on the trail. Strava, said I burned 1,138kcal, but I started the app late, after already accomplishing the first part of the hike.
If you’re not bringing Gatorade, or other electrolyte sports drinks, or powders, then definitely bring salty snacks to replace the salt you’re losing on the trail via sweat. Jerky, chips, pretzels, Mountain House freeze dried meals & a Jetboil stove, etc. are all good options.
Related: See my Jetboil page for more info on that particular backpacking stove.
Sun Protection
In the sun exposed areas of the trails, the sun is hot and relentless. It’s not uncommon to see people sunbathing on trails, to dry out after getting wet from the spray of the falls. So bring sunscreen to avoid burns.
I have an article from last year that still has good Environmental Working Group picks, regarding safe, effective sunscreens. Check it out here.
You’ll also need a hat with a brim for sun protection. I was using a beanie hat and my nose got a little burnt!
Bug Protection
The bugs didn’t bother me that bad when I was in Yosemite. The only time they’d try to get on me was when I’d stop moving. But nonetheless, I’d bring a face net, and/or DEET spray, if bugs tend to bother you. You can even spray some DEET into a bandana and wrap it around your arm, if you don’t want to get the chemical on your body.
Safety Essentials
Check out my hiking navigation and communication page for more detailed explanations of using Gaia GPS, and the Zoleo Satellite Communication device.
Gaia GPS phone app or equivalent
I was constantly checking Gaia GPS on my phone when on the trail, and when figuring out parking. I have the free version, but it still lets you create a route, based on a particular hiking trail, save it on your phone to use, when you are out of cell service range (which I was for a lot of Yosemite), and see where you are on the trail/route in real time. It helped me a few times, where I got off the trail, and didn’t know which way to go.
Map and Compass
Pretty straightforward, just practice using these before you go into the wilderness, and put them in a waterproof baggie.
Satellite Communication Device
There’s not reliable cell service around Yosemite. So to text my family/girlfriend my progress on trail, and send them my coordinates and my location on a digital map, I used a Zoleo Device. My Zoleo also has an SOS button that lets me talk to a rescue coordination center, who can put me in touch with local Yosemite rangers if needed.
Related: Check out my review of my Zoleo Device here.
Headlamp
I wasn’t planning on being on the trail so early or so late that I’d need a headlamp. But I brought one as a safety measure. I use the Black Diamond Spot 400-R, which holds a lot of charge for such a bright light.
First Aid Kit/Simple Survival Kit
I always have a small Bear Grylis survival kit, and a first aid kit in my pack. Because you never know…
Emergency Bivy
Another lightweight piece of gear, that should be part of what to take on a day hike in Yosemite, is an emergency bivy. I’ve seen one being used on my way back up the Grand Canyon, where a hiker had fallen ill and was stuck on the side of the trail, out after dark. It’s basically just a giant piece of aluminum foil to wrap yourself in to keep you warm, when you’re down and the temperatures drop.
What not to bring when day hiking in Yosemite
Bear Spray
Bear Spray is prohibited in Yosemite National Park, even in the wilderness sections, i.e. the hiking trails. Same goes for the small self defense pepper sprays, pepper spray key chains, etc. To stay caught up on what weapons are allowed and prohibited in the park, check out Yosemite’s Weapons/Firearms webpage.
To learn how to haze Yosemite bears that get too close, or when to retreat from them, check out Yosemite’s What To Do If You See a Bear page.
Soap/Liquid detergents
Soaps and liquid detergents can harm aquatic wildlife in Yosemite National Park. Instead of bringing soap to wash your hands, bring self-drying hand sanitizer that doesn’t need to be washed off.
Further Reading
Thanks for checking out my article on what to bring on a day hike in Yosemite. You can also check out my ‘how to’ article for hiking the Mist Trail up to Nevada Fall. Or you can take a look at my Yosemite Cedar Lodge review by clicking here.
Or check out my Yosemite National Park page for more info on my interaction with the Park: hiking, lodging, and food…