Hiking the Cook’s Meadow Loop Trail in Yosemite National Park
Distance: 1.0 miles / 1.6 km
The Cook’s Meadow Loop Trail in Yosemite National Park is a beautiful, easy day hike along a series of boardwalks just outside Yosemite Village, where hikers can enjoy amazing views of Yosemite Falls while walking through a landscape restored from its once-degraded state, when Yosemite Valley used to be home to grazing cattle!
Yes, Yosemite Valley looked much different than it does today, but through amazing restoration work to bring the Valley back from its severely altered past, visitors today can enjoy Cook’s Meadow as it was prior to this era, with its amazing views of Yosemite Valley from all sides of the hike!
Before visiting, I think it’s important to mention that because Cook’s Meadow is so centrally located near Lower Yosemite Falls and Yosemite Village, the best time to visit is first thing in the morning. This is when Cook’s Meadow will see the least amount of crowds—not to mention, parking will be much easier to come by!
Cook’s Meadow Loop Trailhead Parking
Parking for the Cooks Meadow Loop Trail is located in a small parking lot on the south side of the meadow, the same parking lot that also serves the Sentinel Bridge.
That said, since Cook’s Meadow is so close to Yosemite Village, parking in this small lot can be very difficult to find by midday, as all the spots typically fill early in the morning, when the lots in Yosemite Village begin to get full.
This is why I always recommend arriving first thing in the morning, which is something I say for most adventures in and around Yosemite Valley.
Google Maps Directions: Cook’s Meadow Loop Trailhead
Hiking Checklist - Yosemite
Here is a complete list of must-have things that you will want for any hike in Yosemite National Park.
That said, bear spray is purposefully excluded from this list because, while the Sierra Nevadas are home to a large Black Bear population, bear spray is not allowed in Yosemite National Park.
Hiking the Cook’s Meadow Loop Trail
The Cook’s Meadow Loop Trail can begin in either direction from the parking area near the Sentinel Bridge, but I chose to start hiking from the west trailhead in the clockwise direction.
This sign is where visitors can learn about Yosemite Valley and how it used to support cattle—something that truly seems unfathomable today!
It doesn’t take long for the views to open up upon beginning the hike!
These numbers along the Cook’s Meadow Loop Trail refer to an interpretive trail that actually begins in the heart of Yosemite Valley near the visitor center.
However, I personally don’t recommend hiking Cook’s Meadow from this direction, because it’s much more out of the way than the convenient parking area right along the loop near the Sentinel Bridge.
Cook’s Meadow Loop-Superintendent’s Bridge Junction
At this first junction, go right to stay on the Cook’s Meadow Loop Trail, as the bike path to the left simply leads across the Merced River to the Yosemite Valley Chapel.
Cook’s Meadow Loop-Lower Yosemite Falls Junction
The next split is where the trail continues to the shuttle stop and the Lower Yosemite Falls Trail across Northside Drive.
That said, both Cook’s Meadow and Lower Yosemite Falls are two great loops to combine into one longer adventure, as the two can easily be linked up here, and where the Lower Yosemite Falls Trail returns to the shuttle stop at the end.
However, go right to remain on the Cook’s Meadow Loop Trail, but if you are interested in combining the two, go straight to connect the two adventures.
Read My Separate Post: Lower Yosemite Falls Trail
Even on the north side of Cook’s Meadow, the views across the valley toward the Four Mile Trail and Glacier Point are second to none!
Cook’s Meadow Loop-Yosemite Village Junction
This is where the Cook’s Meadow Trail begins the return loop back to the beginning.
Here, go right once again, as the trail to the left leads into the heart of Yosemite Village, where the 'official' Cook’s Meadow Loop begins, with the interpretive markers mentioned previously.
As the Cook’s Meadow Loop Trail makes its way back around to the parking area, don’t forget to turn around toward Yosemite Falls!
Some of the best photos on the entire hike can be taken along this stretch—especially in the early morning light, when there are no people on the trail!
This is the east Cook’s Meadow Loop Trailhead on the opposite side of the parking area from where this hike began.
I like this sign because it shows just how different Yosemite Falls can look, depending on the time of year you choose to visit.
