Yosemite is famous for its iconic vistas of towering granite domes, massive waterfalls plunging thousands of feet off granite cliffs, colossal 3,000-year-old giant sequoia trees, and peaceful high-elevation lakes. It can be overwhelming to decide where to hike. Allow us to customize your private guided hike based on your interests.

Experience the best of Yosemite National Park with an awe-inspiring customized interpretive guided hike with our expert local guides. You will be overwhelmed by the pristine beauty of Yosemite as you learn about its flora, fauna, and history. 

We offer customized private hikes from family-friendly to strenuous treks. Below are some of our most popular Yosemite guided hikes. Call 559-676-8842 if you have questions about our offerings or want to book a personalized guided hike. You can also email us at ContactUs@pedalforwardbikes.com. 

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Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias:

Mariposa Grove is the largest grove of giant redwoods in Yosemite National Park and contains 490 Giant Sequoias. These magnificent and colossal trees are about 3,000 years old and approximately 290 ft (88 Meters) tall! Giant Sequoias are the largest trees on the planet and only grow on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada in California.

Our guide will lead you on an awe-inspiring 5 1/2 mile interpretive hike full of fascinating facts about this ancient forest’s flora, fauna, and history. The hiking time is approximately 3 1/2 hours long on a well-maintained dirt trail. The 3 1/2 hours do not include travel time to the grove or time spent riding the shuttle to the trailhead.

During the hike, you will see the fallen Monarch, Bachelor & Three Graces, The 3,000-year-old Grizzly Giant, Faithful Couple, California Tunnel Tree, Clothespin Tree, Mariposa Grove Cabin, Columbia Tree, and much more.

Season: Mid-April through November based on snow conditions.

Difficulty: Family Friendly – Easy to moderate depending on how much of grove you want to see.

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Chilnualna Lower & Upper Falls: 

If you like to be up close and personal with raging waterfalls and are up for a challenging and rewarding hike with a 2,200 ft elevation gain, then the 8.4-mile round trip hike to the upper Chilualna falls is a fantastic option. You should anticipate the total hike to last at least 4.5 hours. During the experience, our guide will lead you on an exhilarating interpretive trek full of fun facts about the geology, flora, fauna, historical facts, and lore of the area we will be exploring. 

For a shorter and less challenging tour, we can combine the lower Chilnualna Falls hike with an impressive stroll through the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias to the Grizzly Giant. The Chilnualna Lower falls hike is a quick and exciting 1-mile round trip excursion. Another option is to add the nearby Wawona Meadow Loop hike offering peaceful meadow views on a flat, maintained pathway. 

Season: As early as mid-March to late May, depending on the winter snowpack.

Difficulty: Family -Friendly/Easy for the lower falls only. Strenuous for the combined upper and lower falls hike.

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Pothole Dome:

Pothole Dome is an easy, beautiful, and relatively short 2.5-mile hike offering remarkable variety. It is located near many iconic meadow landmarks at the westernmost edges of Tuolumne Meadows. 

This hike will take you to the top of a granite dome with stunning views across Tuolumne Meadows and then down the other side. After trekking down the dome, our guide will lead you on a trail that traverses a series of cascades of the Tuolumne River. You will then enjoy a stroll that runs parallel to the river. This hike is family-friendly and avoids other heavily trafficked hikes.    

You can combine this short hike with the following hikes to extend the hiking time. Lyell Canyon, and Tenaya Lake Panoramic Trail.

Season: Late May to late October

Difficulty: Family Friendly – Easy

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Tenaya Lake Panoramic Trail:

Tenaya Lake is known as the “Gem of the Sierra lakes,” the incredible view of the lake from an elevated trail is superb and sure to be etched in your memory for years to come. 

This 2.5-mile (1.5 to 1.75 hours) round trip hike starts on a hard packed improved trail leading to boardwalks, bridges, and eventually a gently rolling and elevated shoreline trail with few obstacles. In addition to the beautiful lake, you will be surrounded by views of multiple magnificent granite domes as pictured above.  

If you would like a longer hike, we can add the May Lake hike, extending the tour to 3 to 4 hours.  

Hiking Season: Late May to late October

Difficulty: Family Friendly – Easy

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May Lake & Hoffmann Meadow

Our May Lake hike is both scenic and inspiring! On this family-friendly 2.5-mile (1.5-hour) out-and-back hike, you will see unusual rock formations, enjoy views of Yosemite Valley, and find peace in the serenity of beautiful May Lake with its striking granite cliff backdrop. We combine the Hoffman Meadow hike with the 3-mile (2.5-hour) trek to round out the experience.   

Hiking Season: Mid-May to late-October

Difficulty: Family-Friendly – Easy to Moderate. This hike has a peak elevation of 9,270 ft; therefore, you will feel the elevation in your breathing.

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Sentinel Dome & Taft Point Loop

On this dazzling hike, after a quick scramble to the top of Sentinel Dome, you will be rewarded with a spectacular 360-degree view of Yosemite National Park. From Sentinel Dome, our guide will take an interpretive hike to the stunning Yosemite Valley Views from Taft Point. Taft point has unique geological features such as fissures (fractures in the granite) and a heart-pounding lookout point on the cliff’s edge. This once-in-a-lifetime 4.9-mile (3 -4 hour) hike will leave you spellbound and ready for a good night’s rest.

We can extend this excursion by stopping at the world-famous Glacier Point before the beginning of the Sentinel Dome Taft Point loop hike.

Hiking Season: Mid-May to late October

Difficulty: Moderate 4.9 miles with an elevation gain of 1,000 ft.

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Personalized Guided Hike Pricing

All of our hikes are private hikes. You will only be hiking with our expert local guide and people you know!

• 1 Person = $200
• 2 People = $300
• 3 People = $400
• 4 People = $450
• 5 People = $500
• 6 People = $550
• 7 + add $50 person
• Note: Prices do not include guide gratuities. Gratuities are greatly appreciated by our guides for a job well done!

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Meet Our Guide