Everywhere you turn at California’s Yosemite National Park, there’s seemingly an incredible vista. The globally popular destination in the Sierra Nevada Mountains attracts a wide range of travelers, from day trippers driving in from nearby cities like Sacramento and Reno, Nevada, to extreme climbers that scale some of the world’s premier rock faces. Regardless of their purpose, all who visit the Yosemite Valley marvel at the scenery, including the stunning sunrises seen from Tunnel View.
As my video shows, the overlook is at the bottom of the valley facing east, near the end of the Wawona Tunnel that’s part of Wawona Rd. A few of Yosemite’s most iconic features like Half Dome, Bridalveil Fall, and the towering granite face of El Capitan are visible across a sea of evergreen.
If you want an unobstructed vantage point like mine, it’s imperative that you arrive well before the sun clears the mountains; the National Park Service (NPS) estimates that 5,000-7,000 tourists stop at the overlook daily during high season. My brother and I parked an hour before dawn during our November visit, and there were already several vehicles occupying the attraction’s limited number of parking spaces.
While Tunnel View is free to visit, the NPS charges a fee to enter the park: Admission ranges from $20 USD per person to $35 USD per private vehicle. Some areas of Yosemite require reservations, and a few major roadways and trails are often closed during the colder months. For more information on the park including alerts, visit Yosemite’s official website.
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– Click to view my high-resolution photo collection of the columns at California’s Crowley Lake.