A “picture-perfect chapel in the woods” nicely describes Yosemite Valley Chapel. It is tucked up against a colossal rock and nestled among conifers in Yosemite National Park. The New England-style church is on the National Register of Historic Places and is the oldest structure used for public purposes in the park. Visit the nondenominational Yosemite Valley Chapel to view its interior, attend a service or be blessed prior to hiking or climbing some of the park’s more challenging trails and rock formations.
Learn about the chapel’s first pipe organ, which was dedicated to the memory of Florence Hutchings, who died in a climbing accident in 1881 when she was 17 years old. She helped maintain the church from the time it was built in 1879. The California State Sunday School Association was responsible for erecting the building.
Although the chapel’s design comes from New England, the architect was Charles Geddes from San Francisco. Imagine the feeling of worshippers when the chapel’s bell rang for the first time, echoing off the rock faces and introducing a new sound to the valley.
After the death of U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant, the chapel held a memorial service in his honor. Among the attendees was Sir Arthur Sullivan, one of the Gilbert and Sullivan composers, who was visiting the area and agreed to be the organist for the occasion. Expect to see weddings here, as the 250–seat chapel has become very popular as a venue for such events.
Yosemite Valley Chapel was originally built on land about a mile away, near the Four Mile trailhead, because that area was expected to grow in population. However, the opposite happened and eventually the church stood alone. Yosemite Valley was regarded as a better location for the structure. In 1901 it was disassembled and reconstructed on its present site just off Southside Drive, near the Cook’s Meadow Loop trail. From a nearby spot, look for a view of Yosemite Falls that’s spectacular. Accessibility to the chapel is provided by a wheelchair lift.
