YOSEMITE TRAILS

Tioga Rd
Distance: 8.8 miles, round-trip
Elevation gain: -560ft
Difficulty: Difficult
Best time of year: Whenever Tioga Rd is open (generally June through October).

Four Mile Trail

Yosemite Valley
Distance: 9.6 miles, round-trip
Elevation gain: 3,200ft
Difficulty: Difficult
Best time of year: Spring and early summer, when the waterfall is at its best.
This hike has you on a switchback-filled journey from the valley floor to the Glacier Point visitor center -- and back. The views pick up after a mile when you climb out of the trees on the valley floor. After that, you’ll get a head-on shot of Yosemite Falls, plus views of Sentinel Dome, El Capitan, and Half Dome. There’s ice cream at the visitor center, which basically everyone who likes ice cream (so... everyone) uses as motivation for reaching the summit. And, if this uphill hike gets you down, you can always take the Glacier Point shuttle bus back to the valley, cutting the total distance in half.

Yosemite Falls Trail

Yosemite Valley
Distance: 7.2 miles/8.4 miles with Yosemite Point, round-trip
Elevation gain: 2,600ft to Yosemite Falls; 2,900ft to Yosemite Point
Difficulty: Difficult
Best time of year: Spring and early summer when the waterfall is at its best.

  • One of the oldest trails in Yosemite (built from 1873 to 1877), this hike leads to the top of the continent’s tallest waterfall (!!!), which measures in at 2,425ft. At one mile (and weaving through dozens of switchbacks), you’ll reach Columbia Rock. Then continue on to reach Yosemite Falls.

  • For just another 1.6 miles, roundtrip, you can visit Yosemite Point for views of Half Dome and Eagle Peak.

Panorama Trail

Glacier Point Rd
Distance: 8.5 miles, one-way
Elevation gain: 3,700ft with Sentinel Dome; 3,400ft without
Difficulty: Difficult
Best time of year: Whenever Glacier Point Rd is open, typically mid-May through early November. Waterfalls are best in spring and early summer.

Mono Pass

Tioga Rd
Distance: 8 miles, round-trip
Elevation gain: 1,000ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Best time of year: Whenever Tioga Rd is open (generally June through October). In early summer, some creeks may be hard to pass without getting wet.

  • This hike starts at a lung-busting 9,700ft and climbs even higher to 10,599ft.