Lee Vining, California

Dewey Point lies on the western side of the Pohono Trail, across the valley from El Capitan and above Cathedral Rocks. When I was there in September, it was deserted but for a few birds drifting on the thermals above the cliffs. The sunset was stunning. It felt like there was nothing between me a...

Inspiration Point is a granite slab located on the mountainside above Tunnel View. Hiking to this scenic point will provide you with the same views you would get from Tunnel View with less people around. Hiking this trail can also take you to different parts of Yosemite if you're so inclined (Bri...

Step 1: Get Wilderness Permit from the Wilderness Office the day before! Permits are free and required. This trail is a Point-to-Point trail so make sure you have a shuttle situation figured out (or you can always hitch hike).  The best option is to get dropped off at Tunnel View so that you don'...

Park at the Tunnel View parking lot. The Pohono Trail, which you fill follow for the first half mile, starts on the left side of Wawona Tunnel. You should notice a small path starting from the parking lot. The trail quickly ascends up a series of switchbacks before reaching a junction. If you...

Beginning at 4400 feet of elevation in the bottom of Yosemite Valley, this trail will take you up about 3000 feet over 13 miles. You'll finish the hike at Glacier Point and be richly rewarded with one of the most spectacular views of Half Dome in the park.If you are interested in seeing landmarks...

This approximately 5-mile out-and-back trail is a great hike in Yosemite National Park. This trail starts off of Dewey Point's Meadow Trail, but you can also start from the Dewey Point Ridge trail, which you'll pass first when coming up Glacier Point Road. This trail is not dog friendly, but is a...

Situated on the eastern edge of Emigrant Wilderness, Leavitt Lake is a great introduction to backpacking in the Sierra Nevada. Leavitt Lake is located at the end of Forest Service Route 077 off of Highway 108. It is actually possible to drive to Leavitt Lake, but a high clearance vehicle is requi...

The goal for our weekend was to do some winter camping in the Yosemite backcountry; we decided on Sentinel Dome as our destination. The trail is a cakewalk during the summer, but winter turns it into a 10 mile uphill grind from the car. Most people opt to head for the ski hut at Glacier Point, bu...

Take the one-hour shuttle ride from the Yosemite Lodge to the Yosemite Ski Area, so that you don't have to worry about driving in the snowy conditions, or finding parking. If you don’t own snowshoes, you can easily rent a pair from the rental shop for the day. Current rates are $24.00 for a full ...

Turtleback Dome will provide you with views of southern Yosemite and the Valley in a less crowded area. This hike on a service road is relatively easy with a slight elevation gain over the entire 0.7 miles. To get to the Trailhead, take Wawona Road north towards the valley. Use the referenced poi...

Situated in the northwest portion of Yosemite National Park, Hetch Hetchy is is a not often visited treasure of the Central Sierra Nevada. In 1913, in an extremely controversial move, work on the O’Shaughnessy Dam was started to provide water to the growing population of San Francisco. Today, Het...

Hetch Hetchy has a completely different character than other areas of Yosemite National Park, and the hike to Wapama Falls is an excellent way to explore this relatively remote section of the park. You can only imagine what this valley looked liked before it was dammed and is second to none compa...

Old Big Oak Flat Road used to be one of the main entries into Yosemite Valley, before HWY 120, 140 and 41. It was a dangerous road which had to be realigned, reconstructed and maintained continuously and was eventually closed in the 1940’s after a giant rockslide made it completely irreparable. T...

Start: 38º19'08.46"N 119º39'49.26"W Elev 8879ftPark along Hwy 108, head down the bank and across the stream at the bottom. There you will find the start of the trail.This is a challenging hike without much of an actual trail to follow for the majority of it. The hike is very steep in certain are...

Trailhead Coordinates: 38º 19'08.46"N 119º39'49.26"W Elev 8897ftThe trail is kind of tricky to find. It is West of the PCT trailhead at Sonora Pass and it is not marked. You park along the side of Hwy 108 and scramble down an embankment where a creek flows at the bottom. Cross this creek and you ...

The hike to the Wawona Swinging Bridge is a 0.7 mile dirt path. Start at the trailhead located next to the parking lot. The hike is surrounded by many trees which offers a lot of shade. For the first couple of minutes the trail is fairly straight. You then begin to hike down for just a minute or ...