Photo: Diliff · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Granite cliffs including El Capitan and Half Dome rise straight from the valley floor in the Sierra Nevada — a dramatic feature on flights across central California.
419Flight Routes
1 kmClosest Pass
🌲 MountainType
Routes that pass it419
DEN → SJC
Both Sides
SJC → DEN
Both Sides
BJC → SJC
Both Sides
CVG → SJC
Both Sides
SJC → BJC
Both Sides
SJC → CVG
Both Sides
ATL → OAK
Both Sides
BUR → PDX
Both Sides
LIH → SJC
Both Sides
OAK → ATL
Both Sides
PDX → BUR
Both Sides
SJC → LIH
Both Sides
BNA → SFO
Both Sides
DEL → PDX
Both Sides
IAD → SJC
Both Sides
PDX → DEL
Both Sides
SFO → BNA
Both Sides
SJC → IAD
Both Sides
LAS → SAC
Both Sides
LAS → SMF
Both Sides
SAC → LAS
Both Sides
SMF → LAS
Both Sides
BWI → SJC
Both Sides
HNL → SJC
Both Sides
SJC → BWI
Both Sides
SJC → HNL
Both Sides
CLT → SFO
Both Sides
KOA → MDW
Both Sides
MDW → KOA
Both Sides
SFO → CLT
Both Sides
LAS → MCC
Both Sides
MCC → LAS
Both Sides
ORD → KOA
Both Sides
EUG → SAN
Both Sides
HSV → SFO
Both Sides
LAX → YVR
Both Sides
SAN → EUG
Both Sides
SFO → HSV
Both Sides
YVR → LAX
Both Sides
JFK → KOA
Right
KOA → JFK
Left
LAX → PDX
Right
PDX → LAX
Left
BNE → YYZ
Right
BWI → HNL
Left
HNL → BWI
Right
SFO → TUL
Left
TUL → SFO
Right
YYZ → BNE
Left
ATL → SFO
Right
HND → PHX
Right
HNL → IAD
Left
IAD → HNL
Right
LAX → SEA
Left
OGG → SJC
Right
PHX → HND
Left
SEA → LAX
Right
SFO → ATL
Left
SJC → OGG
Left
BFI → LAX
Right
BJC → HNL
Right
COS → SFO
Left
HNL → BJC
Left
LAX → BFI
Left
SFO → COS
Right
DCA → HNL
Right
HNL → DCA
Left
MSP → SYD
Right
SYD → MSP
Left
CDC → SFO
Right
LAX → RDM
Left
LAX → RNO
Left
PDX → SNA
Right
PHX → SMF
Right
RDM → LAX
Right
RDU → SFO
Left
RNO → LAX
Right
SFO → CDC
Left
SFO → RDU
Right
SMF → PHX
Left
SNA → PDX
Left
DEN → LIH
Left
LAX → PAE
Left
LIH → DEN
Right
PAE → LAX
Right
DEL → LAX
Left
DUR → SFO
Left
EWR → SJC
Left
LAX → DEL
Right
MDW → SJC
Left
SFO → DUR
Right
SJC → EWR
Right
SJC → MDW
Right
BUR → RNO
Left
JAX → OAK
Right
OAK → JAX
Left
RNO → BUR
Right
ORD → SJC
Left
SJC → ORD
Right
ASP → SFO
Right
AUS → SAC
Left
BUR → SEA
Left
DEN → HNL
Right
HNL → DEN
Left
KOA → SJC
Right
SAC → AUS
Right
SEA → BUR
Right
SFO → ASP
Left
SJC → KOA
Left
LGB → RNO
Left
RNO → LGB
Right
ASE → SFO
Left
DTW → SJC
Left
SFO → ASE
Right
SJC → DTW
Right
HND → SMF
Left
HNL → SBO
Left
SBO → HNL
Right
SFO → LEX
Right
SFO → STL
Right
SMF → HND
Right
STL → SFO
Left
SBO → SFO
Left
SFO → SBO
Right
MCI → SFO
Left
OKC → SFO
Right
SFO → MCI
Right
SFO → OKC
Left
SMF → TUS
Left
TUS → SMF
Right
ORF → SFO
Left
PHX → SAC
Right
SAC → PHX
Left
SFO → ORF
Right
SGF → SJC
Right
SJC → SGF
Left
BNA → SJC
Right
FAT → MSO
Left
LGB → SEA
Left
MSO → FAT
Right
NGU → SFO
Left
SEA → LGB
Right
SFO → NGU
Right
SJC → BNA
Left
DFW → STS
Left
RIC → SFO
Left
SFO → RIC
Right
STS → DFW
Right
BOS → SJC
Left
OAK → STL
Right
SJC → BOS
Right
SNA → YYJ
Left
STL → OAK
Left
YYJ → SNA
Right
LAS → SUU
Right
SUU → LAS
Left
ATQ → SEA
Right
CVG → SFO
Left
DEN → SFO
Left
LAS → STS
Right
MCI → OAK
Left
OAK → MCI
Right
SEA → ATQ
Left
SFO → CVG
Right
SFO → DEN
Right
STS → LAS
Left
BJC → SFO
Left
KIX → PHX
Right
PHX → KIX
Left
SFO → BJC
Right
CUN → LAS
Right
FAT → SEA
Right
LAS → CUN
Left
LAS → MNL
Left
MNL → LAS
Right
SEA → FAT
Left
PDX → SAN
Right
SAN → PDX
Left
AUS → SMF
Left
IND → SFO
Left
LIH → SFO
Right
RNO → SAN
Right
SAN → RNO
Left
SFO → IND
Right
SFO → LIH
Left
JAN → SFO
Right
MFR → SAN
Left
ONT → RNO
Left
SAN → MFR
Right
SFO → JAN
Left
DEN → OAK
Left
OAK → DEN
Right
DCA → SFO
Left
IAD → SFO
Left
ONT → PDX
Left
PDX → ONT
Right
SFO → DCA
Right
SFO → IAD
Right
LCK → SFO
Left
SFO → LCK
Right
SNA → YVR
Left
YVR → SNA
Right
ATL → SJC
Right
DAL → OAK
Right
DFW → OAK
Right
FAT → PDX
Right
HOU → SMF
Left
OAK → DAL
Left
OAK → DFW
Left
ORL → SFO
Right
PDX → FAT
Left
SFO → ORL
Left
SJC → ATL
Left
SMF → HOU
Right
BWI → SFO
Left
CMH → SFO
Left
MCO → SFO
Right
SEA → SNA
Right
SFO → BWI
Right
SFO → CMH
Right
SFO → MCO
Left
SJC → SLC
Right
SLC → SJC
Left
SNA → SEA
Left
BFI → SNA
Right
IAH → SMF
Left
SMF → IAH
Right
SNA → BFI
Left
ANC → ONT
Left
DFW → SAC
Left
LIH → OAK
Right
OAK → LIH
Left
ONT → ANC
Right
SAC → DFW
Right
EUG → LAX
Left
LAX → EUG
Right
HNL → SFO
Right
LAX → MLE
Right
MLE → LAX
Left
SAF → SFO
Right
SFO → HNL
Left
SFO → SAF
Left
JNU → LAX
Left
LAX → JNU
Right
MSP → SJC
Left
SJC → MSP
Right
ABQ → OAK
Right
OAK → ABQ
Left
PIT → SFO
Left
SFO → PIT
Right
MCF → SFO
Right
OMA → SFO
Left
PHL → SFO
Left
SFO → MCF
Left
SFO → OMA
Right
SFO → PHL
Right
SFO → TPA
Left
TPA → SFO
Right
CPT → SFO
Right
DAL → SFO
Right
DFW → SFO
Right
HNL → OAK
Right
OAK → HNL
Left
SFO → CPT
Left
SFO → DAL
Left
SFO → DFW
Left
CLE → SFO
Left
FLL → SFO
Right
MDW → SFO
Left
SFO → CLE
Right
SFO → FLL
Left
SFO → MDW
Right
DEN → OGG
Right
DPA → SFO
Left
OAK → PHL
Right
OGG → DEN
Left
OGG → SFO
Right
PHL → OAK
Left
SFO → DPA
Right
SFO → OGG
Left
BJL → SFO
Left
EWR → SFO
Left
JFK → SFO
Left
MIA → SFO
Right
ORD → SFO
Left
PHX → TPE
Left
RSW → SFO
Right
SFO → BJL
Right
SFO → EWR
Right
SFO → JFK
Right
SFO → MIA
Left
SFO → ORD
Right
SFO → RSW
Left
TPE → PHX
Right
LGA → SFO
Left
SFO → LGA
Right
MDW → MRY
Right
MRY → MDW
Left
MSY → SFO
Right
SFO → MSY
Left
ABQ → SFO
Right
SFO → ABQ
Left
DTW → SFO
Left
MDW → OAK
Left
OAK → MDW
Right
SFO → DTW
Right
DAL → SMF
Left
DFW → SMF
Left
OAK → OGG
Left
OGG → OAK
Right
SMF → DAL
Right
SMF → DFW
Right
OAK → ORD
Right
ORD → OAK
Left
FAI → LAX
Left
KOA → SFO
Right
LAX → FAI
Right
SFO → KOA
Left
FLL → SMF
Left
GRR → SFO
Left
SFO → GRR
Right
SMF → FLL
Right
BDL → SFO
Left
HND → LAS
Right
HOU → OAK
Right
JFK → OGG
Left
LAS → HND
Left
NZY → SEA
Left
OAK → HOU
Left
OGG → JFK
Right
ONT → SEA
Left
SAN → YVR
Left
SEA → NZY
Right
SEA → ONT
Right
SFO → BDL
Right
YVR → SAN
Right
BFI → ONT
Right
DCA → LIH
Left
LIH → DCA
Right
OGG → ORD
Right
ONT → BFI
Left
ORD → OGG
Left
LAS → SAL
Right
LSV → OAK
Right
OAK → LSV
Left
PBI → SMF
Left
PIT → HNL
Left
SAL → LAS
Left
SAN → SEA
Left
SEA → SAN
Right
SJU → SMF
Left
SMF → PBI
Right
SMF → SJU
Right
BFI → SAN
Right
BJC → MRY
Right
IAD → LIH
Left
KOA → OAK
Right
LIH → IAD
Right
MRY → BJC
Left
OAK → KOA
Left
SAN → BFI
Left
ALB → SFO
Left
BOS → SFO
Left
DEN → MRY
Right
MRY → DEN
Left
PHX → STS
Right
ROC → SFO
Left
SFO → ALB
Right
SFO → BOS
Right
SFO → ROC
Right
STS → PHX
Left
AUS → OAK
Right
OAK → AUS
Left
KOA → PIT
Left
PIT → KOA
Right
ANC → SAN
Left
SAN → ANC
Right
SFO → YTZ
Right
YTZ → SFO
Left
MCO → SMF
Left
SBA → SEA
Right
SEA → SBA
Left
SFO → YYZ
Right
SMF → MCO
Right
YYZ → SFO
Left
ADL → SFO
Right
DAL → SJC
Right
DFW → SJC
Right
HNL → PHL
Right
LAS → MER
Right
LAS → OAK
Right
MER → LAS
Left
OAK → LAS
Left
PHL → HNL
Left
SFO → ADL
Left
SFO → SLC
Right
SFO → THE
Left
SFO → YKZ
Right
SJC → DAL
Left
SJC → DFW
Left
SLC → SFO
Left
SYD → YUL
Left
THE → SFO
Right
YKZ → SFO
Left
YUL → SYD
Right
IAH → SFO
Right
SFO → IAH
Left
BNE → SFO
Right
LSV → SFO
Right
SFO → BNE
Left
SFO → LSV
Left
OAK → SLC
Right
SCL → SMF
Right
SLC → OAK
Left
SMF → SCL
Left
HOU → SFO
Right
MIA → SJC
Right
SFO → HOU
Left
SJC → MIA
Left
Tip: Visibility depends on cloud cover, time of day, and how close the flight path comes. Sit on the listed side for the best chance of a view. Morning and evening flights often offer the best lighting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you see Yosemite Valley from a plane?
Yes — 419 flight routes pass within 80 km of Yosemite Valley. The closest routes include Denver to San Jose, San Jose to Denver, Denver to San Jose. The landmark is visible from both sides, with the landmark passing about 1 km away.
Which side of the plane is best for viewing Yosemite Valley?
The best side varies by route. For the most common routes near Yosemite Valley: on a Denver to San Jose flight, visible from both sides; on a San Jose to Denver flight, visible from both sides; on a Denver to San Jose flight, visible from both sides.