when I went we stayed outside the park, we did airbnb that was about an hr from the park. the drive wasn't bad, the views heading toward the park were pretty. second day we learned, wake up early because that traffic into the park was bad lol

I liked your video and the tips are very helpful. To be honest, Tuolumne Meadows can also get crowded (though not as much as the Valley). The season makes a big difference. If you go not long after Tioga road opens (the opening of the road varies from year to year but is usually around the beginning of June) there should be fewer people than later summer/fall. This is also a good time to visit the Valley.

Thanks again for another great video with great tips and information

We go to Yosemite every year in mid May and never on a weekend. The falls are raging and the largest crowds haven't arrived. at. As you say if you go in the Summer go up to Tioga Road and visit all the amazing sites around Tuolumne Meadows. The falls aren't spilling in August anyway and the valley floor is crowded and hot.

Of course it is. There are ways to mitigate the crowds. We went for 3 days in October 2024, stayed at the Yosemite Valley Lodge, and went during the week. All of those measures helped. And it was still very crowded. If you stay outside the park, you’re just begging for trouble, or you love stress. Lol

Arriving in the afternoon is fine if your body is on pacific time. A lot of us are coming from the eastern time zone and 5 pm is 8 p.m. to us - a bit late to start touring Yosemite. Love your videos!

So, to answer your question, yes, Yosemite is too crowded. Clearly it is way too crowded.