Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
or idyllic Little Yosemite Valley (8-mile round-trip). The Four Mile Trail (9.2-mile round-
trip) to Glacier Point is a strenuous but satisfying climb to a glorious viewpoint.
Along Glacier Point Rd,
Sentinel Dome
(2.2-mile round-trip) is an easy hike to the
crown of a commanding granite dome. And one of the most scenic hikes in the park, the
Panorama Trail
(8.5-mile one-way) descends to the Valley (joining the John Muir and
Mist Trails) with nonstop views, including Half Dome and Illilouette Fall.
If you've got the kids in tow, nice and easy destinations include
Mirror Lake
(2-mile
round-trip, or 4.5 miles via the
Tenaya Canyon Loop
) in the valley, the
McGurk Mead-
toric log cabin to romp around in, and the trails meandering beneath the big trees of the
Mariposa Grove in Wawona.
Also in the Wawona area has one of the park's prettiest (and often overlooked) hikes to
and June, it follows a cascading creek to the top of the dramatic overlook falls, starting
gently, then hitting you with some grinding switchbacks before sort of leveling out again.
The highest concentration of hikes lies in the high country of
Tuolumne Meadows
,
which is only accessible in summer. A popular choice here is the hike to
Dog Lake
(2.8-mile round-trip), but it gets busy. You can also hike along a relatively flat part of the
John Muir Trail into lovely
Lyell Canyon
(17.6-mile round-trip), following the Lyell Fork
of the Tuolumne River.
Backpacks, tents and other equipment can be rented from the
Yosemite Mountaineer-
Apr-Oct)
. The school also offers two-day Learn to Backpack trips for novices and all-in-
clusive three- and four-day guided backpacking trips ($375 to $500 per person), which are
great for inexperienced and solo travelers. In summer, the school operates a branch from
Tuolumne Meadows.
