The Funniest Reviews of Yosemite National Park Left by Visitors During Peak Season
Not everyone is impressed by the world’s largest sequoias.
One of the most popular National Parks in the US, Yosemite National Park in California is on every traveler’s bucket list. Sites like the 2,425-foot-tall Yosemite Falls (the tallest waterfall in the US) and the the ancient Mariposa Grove, which contains not only hundreds of mature sequoia trees but also two of the 30 largest sequoias in the world, have inspired generations of visitors who bask in their magnificent glory.
However, with over 3.7 million recreational visitors in the past year alone (75% of which come from May to October), Yosemite is bound to have some haters. Although there are tons of tips and tricks for avoiding the crowds and navigating the park like a pro, there were still plenty of disenchanted hikers who found themselves disappointed by the natural splendor of the park and felt inclined to document their negative opinions on the Internet. It turns out there’s a vast divide between Yosemite’s diehard fans and those who were hoping there’d be Wi-Fi, or at least a bar at the end of the trail. Here’s a list of some of the funniest reviews of Yosemite National Park from peak season this year.
The Rocks
Yosemite is known for its stately rock formations including El Capitan, Half Dome, and more. It’s no surprise that visitors, and therefore reviewers, provided commentary on just that topic—rocks.
“Nice rocks.” –Google reviews, September 2024
“El Capitan is an impressive rock mountain.” –Google reviews, October 2024
But not everyone is a fan of what seems to be a large driver of the park’s tourism.
“5 stars for the beauty. 1 star for safety, and I'm not talking about climbing rocks—that's for the crazies. I'm a normal person talking about the roads.” –Google reviews, October 2024
The Wildlife
While it’s usually expected to run into some local wildlife when enjoying a National Park, reviewers have some differing opinions.
“I hate it when bears fall, shakes the ground a bit too much.” –Google reviews, September 2024
“Animals seen: deer, roe deer, hundreds of squirrels, woodpeckers. No bear, but I want to say good for us…” –Google reviews, August 2024
“I wish they were more dog friendly.” –Google reviews, August 2024
The Literal Outdoors
“There was a complete absence of Wi-Fi, rendering it impossible to send or receive messages or partake in the simple pleasure of watching YouTube during our idle moments.” –Google reviews, July 2024
“The only downside was that there was no shuttle service from the top, so we had to hike all the way back down, which was quite boring.” –Google reviews, August 2024
“There were times where my friends and I did not have any connection and needed to resort to the map to figure out where to go.” –Google reviews, June 2024
“No shower (only in the waterfall)” –Google reviews, September 2024