There are so many things to see and do in Yosemite, and exploring on a bicycle is a great way to maximize time and avoid frustrations with parking and crowds. One of our best days in Yosemite was biking the valley floor with our kids. Do not miss this memorable experience.
In this post, I cover all you need to know to plan your biking adventure in Yosemite!
- Where you can bike in Yosemite Valley
- Where to rent bikes in Yosemite Valley
- Rental bike options in Yosemite Valley
- Our itinerary for an epic day biking in Yosemite
If you have your own bikes that you are planning to bring to Yosemite, jump down below to our epic day to help you plan yours! We always bring our son’s bike when traveling to Yosemite, but we have never all ridden around the valley together. This year, we decided to spend our 12th wedding anniversary doing just that. We had an incredible day, and I highly recommend you take a day to do the same!
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BIKING IN YOSEMITE PLANNING TOOLS
WHERE CAN I BIKE IN YOSEMITE VALLEY?
Although bicycles are not allowed on trails, Yosemite Valley has over 12 miles of bike paths connecting the valley’s most popular attractions. The valley floor is very flat, which makes biking with kids an easy and fun adventure. Whether you bring or pack your bikes, you will surely enjoy the flexibility biking offers you and your family. Save this map of the Yosemite Valley Biking Trails on your phone so you always know where you are! Check out our sample itinerary below to start planning your day
WHERE CAN I RENT A BIKE IN YOSEMITE VALLEY?
Yosemite Valley has multiple bike rental options, making a family bike adventure very easy to plan. Due to snow in the valley, the rental season runs from the start of April to late October/Early November. Unfortunately, outside of ADA bike rentals, you cannot make reservations in advance. You can rent bikes from three locations in Yosemite Valley.
1) YOSEMITE VALLEY LODGE BIKE STAND
During our August 2021 visit, the Yosemite Lodge bike stand was open from 8-6 pm. The bike stand is located right next to the pool behind the front desk. I called in advance and was told to be there by 9 to ensure getting bikes for the day. In addition, early arrival gives you plenty of bikes to pick from, as all bikes are beach cruisers, and the seats cannot be adjusted. This is especially important when renting for kids, as the right seat height and helmet size will set you up for a successful day. You can check current hours here, but I recommend calling in advance just to check in about your family’s specific needs.
2) CURRY VILLAGE BIKE RENTAL KIOSK
During our August 2021 visit, the Curry Village (previously known as Half Dome Village) bike stand was also open from 8-6 pm. The bike kiosk is located next to the front office. Once you pay for your rental, you will head to the bike yard to pick out your bikes. We stopped by here to swap helmet sizes for our daughter around lunchtime, and a ton of bikes were still available. Again, you can check current hours here, but I recommend calling in advance to check in about your family’s specific needs.
3) YOSEMITE VILLAGE BIKE RENTAL STAND
The Yosemite Village Bike Rental Stand is located next to the village store. The Village Store or neighboring Degnan’s Kitchen are great options for picking up a picnic for your bike ride. You can check current operations here.
BIKING IN YOSEMITE RENTAL OPTIONS
Several family-friendly options are available to rent at the three Yosemite Valley locations. There are no rentals for babies under the age of one. All bike rentals include helmets as well.
- Kids bikes – $40/day or $30/5 hours (half day)
- Adult bikes – $40/day or $30/5 hours (half day)
- Adult bikes with trailers – $75/day or $55/5 hours (half day)
Riders in the trailer need to be age one or older for safety reasons. The bike stands also have ADA and electric scooters requiring advanced reservations. You also can rent wheelchairs and strollers during your Yosemite Valley visit at each bike stand.
OUR EPIC DAY BIKING IN YOSEMITE
START AT THE YOSEMITE VALLEY LODGE
Staying at the Yosemite Valley Lodge, we rented and started our ride from there. My husband walked over shortly after 8 am and rented the bikes while we finished getting ready for our day. We left the Yosemite Valley Lodge and headed West on the bike path directly behind our building (we were in Laurel). This is also the start of our favorite evening routine, which you can read more about in this post.
YOSEMITE VALLEY LODGE TO CURRY VILLAGE
We crossed Swinging Bridge and the Merced River and headed North along Cook’s Meadow all the way to Curry Village. This was a beautiful stretch and allowed us to get comfortable riding for a bit.
CURRY VILLAGE TO HAPPY ISLES NATURE CENTER
From Curry Village, we headed South to the Happy Isles Nature Center. This is a great place to explore with kids and stop for a snack. The area has plenty of bike racks and benches to rest on. There is so much to see as you wander through the area.
Take time to explore the different rivers, rocks, forests, and fen areas before heading inside for a family art class or Junior Ranger program. Interpretive panels guide you through the outdoor areas. Don’t forget some cute family pictures in this beautiful area. This area is also where the Mist Trail to Vernal Falls begins. Something for another day and definitely on my bucket list!
HAPPY ISLES NATURE CENTER TO MIRROR LAKE
From Happy Isles, we headed out to Mirror Lake. About 1/4 mile from the lake, rental bikes need to park for the last uphill push to the lake. Mirror Lake is a great place no matter the season. The colors are vibrant, and the scenery is spectacular whether the lake is full, frozen, or dried up. We love having a picnic lunch here, but we opted for a snack on this biking adventure as it was still a little early.
Plan to take your time visiting Mirror Lake. We wandered outside the lake, had a snack, took pictures of the kids, and helped our son with a few pages of his Junior Ranger book. This was a great rest after riding the distance we had covered.
MIRROR LAKE TO THE CURRY VILLAGE PIZZA DECK
From Mirror Lake, we headed back to Curry Village for lunch at the Pizza Deck. This order-at-the-counter outdoor craft beer and pizza kitchen was the perfect stop for lunch. Check out the menu here. There was plenty of shady seating, and the pizza was delicious! I will mention that the squirrels are pretty aggressive at the Curry Village Pizza Deck. My husband was grabbing our order and saw one run on someone’s table and grab a ranch packet! So *pro tip* sit by someone with a dog as we did! Ha!
Curry Village is a great place to explore with kids. They have a large wrap-around porch with rockers around the game room, and relaxing there with ice cream would have been ideal, however, the ice cream shop was closed due to COVID. So keep that in mind as an option when you go! We could also check in the Curry Village bike stand to swap our daughter’s helmet for a smaller size. So this is a great place to stop and check in if you are having any bike or helmet issues!
CURRY VILLAGE TO THE AHWAHNEE HOTEL
From the Pizza Deck, we headed into Yosemite Village and out to the Ahwahnee Hotel. This was a beautiful stretch of the ride as you take Northside Drive along the Ahwahnee Meadow into Yosemite Village and up Ahwahnee Drive on the other side of the meadow.
Ahwahnee Drive gave us perfect afternoon shade, and we were thrilled to arrive right at the Ahwahnee Bar was opening for the day! The Ahwahnee is a beautiful hotel worth checking out and makes for a great stop for all. Our son loves the lobby’s “Sweet Shop” and we love the craft cocktails from the lounge. If you are still hungry, treat yourself to an appetizer from the Ahwahnee Bar. The Bavarian Pretzel was gigantic and was served hanging from a giant hook in the center of the platter. Another great stop for all.
THE AHWAHNEE HOTEL TO YOSEMITE VALLEY LODGE
From the Ahwahnee, we headed back to Yosemite Lodge. We passed the Yosemite Falls trail because we planned to return later in the evening. Bikes are not allowed on the short trail, but there is plenty of bike parking, and this would be a great time to walk out to enjoy the falls if you are not staying the night.
From here, we took some time to regroup in our room. If you follow my blog, you know my son has Cystic Fibrosis and needs breathing and vest treatments twice daily. We took an hour or so to handle treatments and change into swimsuits for our favorite evening routine – a dip in the Merced River, a bike loop around Cook’s Meadow, and a walk out to Yosemite Falls.
YOSEMITE VALLEY LODGE TO SWINGING BRIDGE AND THE MERCED RIVER
As the sun began to set behind the towering granite walls surrounding the valley, we headed back out on the same path we started from. Keep a lookout along your ride, as we have seen a bear and countless deer on this exact route in the early evening. We parked the bikes for a short dip in the Merced River and then finished our day with another loop of Cook’s Meadow before returning our bikes. We arrived at Yosemite Lodge Bike Stand right before 6.
YOSEMITE VALLEY LODGE TO LOWER YOSEMITE FALLS
If you are staying at the Lodge, this is a great time to head over to Yosemite Falls, as chances are you will have it almost to yourself! We enjoyed our short walk (.5 miles round trip) out to Lower Yosemite Valley Falls before picking up dinner at the Base Camp Eatery in Yosemite Valley Lodge.
It was the perfect recipe for an unforgettable day. Definitely work biking in Yosemite into your Yosemite plans!
Looking for other fun things to do in Yosemite? Check out our first itinerary with all the details you need to plan an epic trip!
YOSEMITE TRIP PLANNING RESOURCES
Planning a trip to Yosemite? Check out my other Yosemite resources here!
- Plan Your Trip to Yosemite National Park with Kids
- Secret Yosemite – Hiking Hetch Hetchy
- Two Days in Yosemite National Park
- Road Trip – Sequoia & Yosemite National Parks Itinerary and Planning Guide
