Yosemite National Park is a seemingly endless places of wonders. Around every corner and up every mountain there is another breathtaking view to take in, another view to the horizon to stand in awe of or another near mile high cliff face to avoid vertigo and look down – check out my post of visiting Taft Point for that nervous sweat inducing experience!
One of my favourite locations in the National Park was however the incredibly scenic Tunnel View.
Tunnel View is incredible for many reasons but namely its tunnel like view through the Yosemite Valley. The view has the beautiful Bridal Veil falls to the right, El Capitan to the left and Half Dome straight down the middle – all top sights within the National Park.
Where is Tunnel View?
Tunnel View is easily accessible from Wawona Road and is located just before the Yosemite Tunnel. Arriving by car there is a good sized car park on both sides of the road however you may need to jostle for space as it can get busy, particularly around sunset, so plan your visit in advance to avoid disappointment.
I visited Tunnel View twice as I wanted to experience it both during daytime and at dusk where the shadows and colours were said to be beautiful. Staying at the Ahwahnee Hotel it was easy to get to Tunnel View so was well worth making the second trip.
During the daytime visit Tunnel View was quite busy but people were coming and going quite quickly, stopping to take a few photos and a selfie before moving on to another sight within the National Park.
The evening visit was a very different experience however as the brick lined wall that faces on to Tunnel View was completely full with camera tripods and professional and semi-professional photographers. I have to say there appeared to be a lot of “all the gear, no idea” going on here! That somewhat spoilt the evening experience as they were doing nothing more than waiting for the sunset to happen blocking others from getting a good view.
As a result the viewing area was quite restricted and narrow at either side of all the tripods so with everyone waiting for the sunset, tripods all in the way and more people arriving getting frustrated at a lack of parking, it was a bit frustrating for everyone. You couldn’t really stand and enjoy the view for any length of time as others were waiting to step forward into the same spot to get their own unobstructed view.
That didn’t of course spoil what remains a beautiful location but if you are planning an evening visit here do be prepared to put up with a sea of photographers so get your arrival time right.
Tunnel View review
Visiting Tunnel View is a must if you are travelling to Yosemite National Park. It’s simply one of those iconic locations that the park is famed for so it’s not really somewhere you will want to miss out on. I really enjoyed the views that it offered as it made a nice change to view the National Park for a lower vista point; many of the views around Yosemite are high up and incredibly impressive due to the scale of the formations you overlook but this did offer something slightly different.
I really enjoyed my time here despite the frustration of camera tripods in the evening. Not one to be missed, make sure you check it out!
Planning a trip to Yosemite National Park?
If you are planning to visit Yosemite National Park be sure to get the best possible prices on the best hotels. Take a look at the latest deals below from Booking.com to ensure the best price.
Booking.comAre you heading to Yosemite National Park this year? Let us know your plans in the comments!
