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Clouds rest trail yosemite11/28/2023 I can cite more times they were wrong than right. No wonder people get lost! And here is a PSA for anyone who visits Yosemite: never trust those trail signs. Everyone assumed that the trail would just point them to their destination. No maps, lots of questions at each trail intersection, and one temporarily lost high schooler who took a wrong turn at a trail junction. But the biggest observation I had is that no one seemed prepared to make navigation decisions. Everyone seemed excited and happy to be out on this beautiful Yosemite day. It’s inspiring to see people out of their comfort zone but still stoked to be in such an amazing place. Having not hiked around crowds like this for a strenuous hike in a while it was kind of fun to chat with others. A similar (better?) view without the cables! The crowd ranges from experienced climbers to first-time hikers, and despite the range of skills and abilities everyone seemed to be having a great time on a beautiful July day.īeautiful flowers and meadows along the trail I think a lot of people use this as their backup hike, and with good cause. The trail attracts a large number of users, especially now that the Half Dome permit system is in place. The trail wanders through pine forest and granite hillsides, the sights and smells unmistakably Yosemite. I can just SMELL the Yosemite in this photo! I do appreciate saving the time on route-finding, however. I’ve been doing so much off-trail travel that I was a bit complacent in my mindset, assuming it would be a quickie since it is all trail to the peak. It was the site of my first backpacking trip in the park, and having very few memories of the trail I decided it was time to go back, but for a dayhike this time.Īpproximately 14 miles round trip with around 3000 ft of gain, it’s not exactly an easy hike for most people. A fun rocky summit, hiking through terrain that only means Yosemite, incredible views of the Valley, and yes, crowds of inexperienced but eager tourists. You can’t have a conversation about Yosemite without someone asking, “Have you done Half Dome?” But people should really ask, “Have you done Clouds Rest?”Ĭlouds Rest from Sunrise is what Yosemite means to me wrapped up in a nice little bow. Keep an eye out on those pesky chipmunks at the summit.Everyone talks about Half Dome. This hike can easily be done in a day or can be combined with overnight or extended backpacking trips to Sunrise Lakes or Little Yosemite Valley if you’re crazy enough to summit Half Dome the next day. This is easily the hardest part on your legs as the trail climbs about 1,000 feet in less than a mile (20% grade)… it’s no fun on the way down either! From there the trail descends a bit then makes a moderately steep climb to the summit of Clouds Rest. The trail will run along Tenaya Creek for the first half mile or so and then begins a very steep climb at about two miles in. You will find bear lockers at the trailhead we suggest using these if you plan to leave food in your vehicle during the hike. The trail is easy to follow with only a couple of different intersections, but both are well-marked…just keep following the Clouds Rest trail! The trailhead is at the Sunrise parking area which is at the southwestern tip of Tenaya Lake off Tioga Road. You will see conflicting mileages on this trail, but I’m going with the distance from the GPS app I use on my phone as it has been very accurate every time I’ve tested it. If you’re afraid of heights you probably don’t want to attempt this hike although there are excellent, but not 360 degrees, views just before you cross the arête. It is a fairly long and difficult hike with some exposure thrown in just before the summit as you cross a narrow ridge with deep drop-offs on both sides. Hoffman is on the left and the flattop Tuolumne Peak is on the right: The view looking north from one of the first major viewpoints about 2.5-3.0 miles into the trail. (1 being your Grandma can do this hike, 5 being you’ll feel like your Grandma when this hike is over).Difficulty Factor: 4 (some sections are a 5).(1 being “Meh…”, 5 being “Hike? What hike?”).On the southern side of Tioga Road, southwestern end of Tenaya Lake (Latitude, Longitude: 37.825883, -119.470066).We hiked Clouds Rest as part of a hiking trip to Yosemite National Park and Mount Whitney. The sweeping panoramic, 360-degree views from the summit provide an incredible display of several of Yosemite’s most prominent landmarks like Half Dome, El Capitan, Mt. This is easily one of the top 3 day hikes in Yosemite National Park and likely a top 10 National Park hike. I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my link.ĬLOUDS REST HIKING TRAIL – YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.
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