Clark Point — Attraction in Oakhurst

Great hike, great reward. Challenging and some altitude, but not overly difficult (safe). Came in mid March on a Tuesday. Fresh snow.

View was amazing, with differing views throughout the day -- even if it was the same spots!

I'd call this an beginner-intermediate hike; we did a part of Yosemite Falls a couple of years ago and the incline was much harder on that than this one. This one is more about endurance. Take breaks and you can do it!

Our experience if it helps people prepare: Started Mist Trail from Camp Curry around 11. We just had regular hiking boots on. It was a bit slippery in the morning. First bit to Verbal falls bridge view took some work but wasn't too hard. Mist trail was closed to the Vernal Falls, so we headed to Clark Point. Hardest bit was after the bridge with all the switchbacks and altitude.

My Strava logged 3.5h of active time. Probably had another hour of breaks including lunch at Clark Point.

The way down was a bit hard on the knees but...

We visited Yosemite in March during our children’s spring break, and it was an amazing experience! Planning is crucial this time of year, as the weather can change rapidly. Some roads, like Tioga Road and Glacier Point Road, were closed due to snow, but Highway 140 was open, allowing easy access to Yosemite Valley. We were lucky to camp at Upper Pines Campground, one of the few open year-round.

The highlight of our trip was hiking to Nevada Falls via the winter route of the Mist Trail. The snowy and icy conditions made it challenging, but our shoe spikes were a lifesaver. Trails like Lower Yosemite Fall, Mirror Lake, and John Muir Trail were open and offered incredible views. March is also perfect for avoiding crowds and seeing waterfalls at their fullest.

Overall, a fantastic trip—peaceful, scenic, and unforgettable! Just make sure to plan ahead, check conditions, and bring...

We were recommended to continue past Vernal Falls (itself a challenging and worthwhile hike) to Clark Point by the man in the visitors centre....highlighting in pink on map. Glad we took this advice as a) you get to see the impressive smooth, natural sluice just above Vernal Falls b) you get an amazing view of Vernal Falls from way above with a better perspective and without the crowds, c) have a much nicer route back down to bottom of the original trail junction without the awkward 600 rough steps and big crowds (we saw 5 other people the whole way along this route) with amazing views all the way

It is a fairly long but very well defined (occasionally signposted) route which we manged easily with a 10 year old. Take water and snacks if...