Yosemite Hiking Trails
Note that the distances given are not always particularly relevant. The distance given is the length of the trail as described, but many trails can be done in longer and shorter versions (the first mile or so of the Hite Cove trail is the best part, for example). Also, some trails are described from backcountry trail junctions, so there may be several miles of hiking just to get to the beginning of the trail.
The route type may also differ. Bus shuttle routes can also be car shuttle routes if you have two cars or someone to drop you off. Of course, they can also be done as out and back routes. Semi-loops have an out and back portion as well as a loop portion.
Click on a column title to sort by that column.
Trail |
Elevation gain/loss | Overall Quality | Distance in Miles | Distance Comments | Trip Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alder Creek Fall | 1000/1000 | 2 | 8 | Round Trip | Out and back |
| Fern Ledge: John Muir's Yosemite Falls | 1400 more or less | 5 | 4 | Thats a rough distance. Count on about 1-2 hours each way. Three hours if your companion has to stop every six seconds to look at flowers (sorry guys) | Out and back |
| Four Mile Trail | 3260/3260 | 4 | 4.6 | One way distance, using the bus shuttle that leaves from the Lodge. 9.2 miles round trip. | Bus Shuttle |
| Half Dome Cables Route | 4800/4800 | 5 | 16 | Round trip from Happy Isles, via the Mist Trail. Add 2 miles RT via the JMT | Out and back |
| Hite's Cove | 600/600 | 3 | 8.4 | Round trip distance to Hite Cove ghost town, but the first mile is the best for wildflowers so this can be almost any length. | Out and back |
| Mariposa Grove of the Giant Sequoias and Wawona Point | 5 | 6 | You can walk as little (take the shuttle) or as much as you want. 6 miles to see the upper grove and Wawona Point without using the shuttle | Semi-loop | |
| Mist Trail to Nevada Falls Loop | 2800/2800 | 5 | 6 | Distance assumes you hike up the Mist Trail (2.5 miles) and down the JMT (3.5 miles). 5 miles if you do the Mist Trail RT | Semi-loop |
| Mount Lyell from Tuolumne Meadows via Lyell Canyon | 4500/4500 | 4 | 25 | Round trip distance | Out and back |
| Obelisk Lake from Merced Lake | 2700/2700 | 4 | 35 | 35-40 RT from Glacier Point; about 6-8 miles RT from Merced Lake | Out and back |
| Panorama Trail from Glacier Point to Yosemite Valley | 500/3000 | 3 | 7.8 | to Happy Isles via the Mist Trail. Add a mile for the JMT. 10 miles round trip from Glacier Point | Bus Shuttle |
| Red Peak Pass via Ottoway Lakes | 5000/5000 | 4 | 30 | 12 miles to Lower Ottoway Lake, 15 miles to Red Peak Pass and another 30 minutes to the summit of Red Peak | Out and back |
| Yosemite Falls Trail | 2600/2600 | 5 | 6.8 | Round trip distance. Don't be fooled by the distance, though. It's a tough 6.8 miles. | Out and back |
