Glacier Point
Glacier Point, an overlook with a commanding view of Yosemite Valley, Half Dome, and the High Sierra, offers one of the most spectacular viewpoints in Yosemite. You’ll look straight down to the Valley floor from over 3,200 feet above – almost a vertical kilometer. Most summer evenings, the sinking sun colors Half Dome golden. This phenomenon is called “aplenglow”. Here, relaxation and reverie thrive.
Visiting Glacier Point
- Glacier Point Road typically opens for the season in May – often in time for Memorial Day weekend. It closes for the season in November or December, depending on snow conditions.
- In the summer, Glacier Point is roughly a one-hour drive from Tenaya at Yosemite. Take Wawona Road until you reach the Chinquapin intersection, where you will then turn onto Glacier Point Road. Glacier Point is 16 miles from Chinquapin.
- In the winter, you can access Glacier Point on skis, starting from the Badger Pass Ski Area. When the ski area is open, typically from mid-December through late March, cross-country skiers can follow Glacier Point Road for about 10.5 miles (21 miles roundtrip) to the overlook.
Hiking to Glacier Point
- From Yosemite Valley, take the Four Mile Trail to Glacier Point. The trail is closer to five miles in length and climbs about 3,200 feet in elevation with increasingly impressive views as you climb.
- You can also take the Panorama Trail, which features many iconic landmarks in one 13-mile trek. Begin at the Four Mile Trail from Yosemite Valley, hike to Glacier Point, and take the Panorama Trail down, past Nevada and Vernal Falls, to the Happy Isles trailhead.
Tails Accessible from Glacier Point Road
- Sentinel Dome – A classic short hike, just slightly over a mile each way. Ascend granite slopes to a 360-degree view featuring El Capitan, Half Dome, and the Clark Range. Park at the pullout about 13.5 miles down Glacier Point Road, a few miles before the Glacier Point vista.
- Taft Point – Park at the Sentinel Dome parking lot for a one-mile walk that takes you to an expansive view into Yosemite Valley. This is also a wonderful place to view El Capitan from above.
- Ostrander Lake – 6.1 miles (12.2 roundtrip) will take you to a beautiful high-alpine lake with a 1930s ski hut that still stands today. Park at the Ostrander Lake trailhead, about 9 miles up Glacier Point Road.