Guided Half Dome Backpacking Trips
The Half Dome day hike lottery runs about a 22% success rate in the preseason round, and your odds on any single date are closer to 1%. Tens of thousands of people apply. Most don't get a permit.
Backpacking changes the math entirely.
Backpackers with an eligible wilderness permit can add Half Dome at the trailhead for $10 per person. No lottery. No refreshing Recreation.gov. Your permit is valid any day your wilderness trip is active, so you pick the best weather window instead of being locked to a date months in advance.
Every trip on this page is built around a wilderness permit I've already secured, with a Half Dome add-on included. You don't need to navigate the permit system, worry about lottery odds, or wonder whether you'll actually get to stand on the summit.
The permit is handled. The route is planned. You show up ready to hike.
| Trip | Length | Difficulty | Highlights | Size | Dates | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Half Dome Backcountry (Memorial Day) |
5d / 4n | Intermediate | Half Dome with extra time, potential Clouds Rest / Echo Valley loop | 2 | May 21 – 25 | $2,375 pp | |
Private Half Dome Expedition |
4d / 3n | Flexible | 1:1 guiding, Half Dome, custom route and pace | 1 | Jun 19 – 22 | $2,200 total | |
|
High Sierra Lakes Traverse → Half Dome
Signature
|
8d / 7n | Advanced | Lake basins, off-trail alpine, Half Dome finish, one-way traverse | 2 | Jun 28 – Jul 5 | $3,400 pp | |
Late Summer Half Dome |
4d / 3n | Intermediate | Prime-weather Half Dome, wildflowers, Illilouette / LYV camping | 5 | Aug 14 – 17 | $1,900 pp | |
Half Dome Weekend |
3d / 2n | Intermediate | LYV base camp, Half Dome summit, established trails, best entry point | 4 | Aug 28 – 30 | $1,600 pp | |
Half Dome Weekend (Labor Day) |
4d / 3n | Intermediate | Half Dome summit, LYV base camp, optional Clouds Rest or Echo Valley extension | 2 | Sep 4 – 7 | $1,900 pp |
Half Dome permit included on every trip. All prices include wilderness permit, tent, all meals, cooking gear, and pre-trip planning.
Not sure which trip fits? Keep reading or contact me to talk it through.
May 21–25: Half Dome Backcountry (Memorial Day)
5 days / 4 nights
Trailhead: Happy Isles
$2,375 per person
Recommended experience: Prior backpacking experience, comfortable hiking 8–12 miles/day with ~3,000ft of gain carrying a full pack.
Half Dome over Memorial Day weekend. This is more immersive than a standard 3-day Half Dome trip. Extra time means less rushing, more flexibility in pacing, and the ability to explore beyond just Half Dome. We may add Clouds Rest or loop around Echo Valley depending on group vibe and conditions.
What to expect:
- 8–12 miles/day
- Half Dome summit via cables (permit included)
- Potential for Clouds Rest or Echo Valley loop depending on conditions
- Small group (2 clients) for easier decision-making on a busy holiday weekend
June 19–22: Private Half Dome Expedition
4 days / 3 nights
Trailhead: Happy Isles
$2,200 total
Recommended experience: Comfortable hiking full days with a pack; prior backpacking helpful but not required if you've done strenuous day hikes.
This is a fully private trip. One-on-one. No group dynamics, no shared decision-making. Just you, me, and the route.
We'll summit Half Dome and spend the rest of the time exploring nearby terrain. Clouds Rest, quieter viewpoints, whatever makes sense given your interests and the conditions.
June is ideal. Long days, stable weather, strong conditions for moving through the High Sierra.
What to expect:
- Completely flexible itinerary built around your goals
- Roughly 6 miles to reach the first camping zone on Day 1; everything else is flexible
- Half Dome summit via cables (permit included)
- Opportunity to explore beyond standard routes and camp away from crowds
- Full attention on your pacing, skills, and experience. True 1:1 guiding
⭐ June 28 – July 5: High Sierra Lakes Traverse → Half Dome
SIGNATURE EXPEDITION
8 days / 7 nights
Start: Rafferty Creek Trailhead → Finish: Happy Isles
$3,400 per person
Recommended experience: Prior multi-night backpacking at elevation; comfortable with 8–12 mile days and 2,000–3,000 ft of gain with a full pack.
We start at Rafferty Creek Trailhead in the Tuolumne Meadows area and spend eight days moving through a chain of high-country lake basins, finishing with a Half Dome summit before descending into Yosemite Valley. One-way journey, not an out-and-back.
There's no rigid daily itinerary. I handle navigation, provide options, and we adjust the route to match conditions and how the group is feeling. We'll spend most of the trip in terrain very few visitors ever reach.
This is the only time I'm offering this route in 2026.
What to expect:
- 8–12 miles/day (some days more, some less)
- Elevation ~8,000–9,000+ ft for most of the route
- Some off-trail travel
- Lake-to-lake traverse ending near Half Dome
- Half Dome summit via cables (permit included)
- Physically demanding. You need multi-day backpacking experience
- Trip ends in Yosemite Valley (YARTS shuttle from Valley to Tuolumne included)
August 14–17: Late Summer Half Dome
4 days / 3 nights
Trailhead: Mono Meadow
$1,900 per person
Recommended experience: Comfortable with 8–12 mile days and extended climbs with a full pack.
Late-season Half Dome. By mid-August, the weather is stable, the wildflowers are peaking at higher elevations, and the summit conditions are as good as they get.
This trip is capped at 5 clients to keep it manageable and maintain a premium experience. You're not moving through the backcountry with a tour group. This is a small team working together.
What to expect:
- 8–12 miles/day
- Half Dome summit via cables (permit included)
- Late-season stability (one of the best weather windows of the year)
- Wilderness camping in Illilouette Basin / Little Yosemite Valley area
August 28–30: Half Dome Weekend
3 days / 2 nights
Trailhead: Happy Isles
$1,600 per person
Recommended experience: Comfortable hiking full days with sustained elevation gain; no prior backpacking required.
Little Yosemite Valley as a base camp, Half Dome as the objective. Two nights in one of Yosemite's most iconic wilderness camping areas, with a full summit day on Half Dome in between.
This is the most direct path to Half Dome via backpacking. No complex logistics, no remote terrain, established trails the whole way. If you've thought about backpacking to Half Dome but weren't sure you were ready for a longer expedition, this is where you start.
What to expect:
- Happy Isles trailhead start
- Two nights camping in Little Yosemite Valley
- Half Dome summit via cables (permit included)
- Established trails throughout
- 8–10 miles/day
September 4–7: Half Dome Weekend (Labor Day)
4 days / 3 nights
Trailhead: Happy Isles
$1,900 per person
Recommended experience: Comfortable hiking full days with sustained elevation gain; no prior backpacking required.
Little Yosemite Valley as base camp, Half Dome as the primary objective, with room to push further. Four days gives us time to do more than just check off Half Dome. Depending on group fitness and conditions, we will add Clouds Rest or hike the Lost Valley towards Merced Lake and loop back around to LYV.
Labor Day weekend in Yosemite is one of the last windows of stable summer conditions before the season shifts. The cables are still up. The days are long enough.
This is 2 clients maximum. Great trip for a couple or someone looking for a small group trip.
What to expect:
- Happy Isles trailhead start
- Three nights camping in Little Yosemite Valley area
- Half Dome summit via cables (permit included)
- Optional secondary objective: Clouds Rest or Echo Valley depending on group and conditions
- Established trails throughout
- 8–10 miles/day
Looking for the full 2026 trip roster including non-Half Dome routes? View all backpacking trips →
Why Backpack to Half Dome?
Most people attempt Half Dome as a day hike. It's a 14–16 mile round trip from Yosemite Valley with nearly 5,000 feet of elevation gain. You're up before dawn, racing the clock and the crowds, hoping the weather holds for a single fixed date you locked in months ago through a lottery.
It works. But there's a better way.
Backpacking to Half Dome means you camp in the wilderness near the summit, pick your weather window during the trip, and hike the cables without the pressure of a round-trip day. You wake up in Little Yosemite Valley or Illilouette Basin, summit in the morning when conditions are best, and walk back to camp instead of grinding out 7 more miles to a parking lot.
The permit path is more reliable, too. Day hikers enter a lottery with roughly 1% odds per date. Backpackers with an eligible wilderness permit add Half Dome at the trailhead. No lottery. On my guided trips, I handle all of it before you arrive.
For the full breakdown of how Half Dome permits work, both the day-hiker lottery and the backpacker pathway, see the complete guide: Half Dome Permits: The Complete 2026 Guide.
What's Included
Every Half Dome backpacking trip includes:
- Wilderness permit (already secured)
- Half Dome permit ($10/person fee included)
- Wilderness First Aid-trained guide on every trip
- Lightweight 2-person tent for each client
- All meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner
- Cooking equipment (stoves, pots, utensils, fuel)
- Bear canister for food storage (BearVault BV500)
- Backcountry water treatment
- Group first-aid and emergency equipment
- Pre-trip video calls covering route, gear, food, conditions, and group introductions
Not included: Park entrance fees, transportation to trailheads, personal backpacking gear (backpack, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, clothing), rental gear, flavored beverages, and guide gratuity.
You carry your own gear and food. I'll make sure you know exactly what to bring well before we hit the trail. View the full Backpacking Gear List →
What to Expect on a Half Dome Trip
The approach to Half Dome starts at Happy Isles in Yosemite Valley on most trips. You'll hike past Vernal Fall and Nevada Fall on the Mist Trail or John Muir Trail, climbing roughly 2,000 feet in the first few miles before the terrain opens up into the Little Yosemite Valley corridor. That's where most Half Dome backpacking trips establish a base camp.
Summit day is its own experience. The final push involves the Sub Dome, where NPS rangers check permits, followed by the cables. The cables are steep, exposed, and require you to pull yourself up using metal cables bolted into granite. Grippy gloves are highly recommended. I cover technique and preparation before summit day so you know exactly what you're walking into.
On the summit, there's room to spread out, take in the view, and just be there without rushing. That's the difference between backpacking to Half Dome and day hiking it. You earned the summit, and you don't have to immediately turn around and race 7 miles back to the Valley.
If weather turns, we adjust. Wet cables are genuinely dangerous, and I will never push a summit attempt in unsafe conditions. Having multiple days on a wilderness permit means we can wait for a better window rather than making a bad call on a fixed date.
For more on what backcountry travel in Yosemite involves, including wildlife and food storage, see Backpacking in Bear Country.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Half Dome permit included? Yes. Every trip on this page includes both the wilderness permit and the Half Dome add-on. The permits are already secured for these dates. Max group size for Half Dome is 6 people including the guide, per NPS regulations.
Do I need backpacking experience to do a Half Dome trip? It depends on the trip. The Half Dome Weekend (Aug 28–30) and Private Half Dome Expedition are designed for hikers stepping into backpacking for the first time. The Signature 8-day traverse requires prior multi-day backpacking experience. Each listing notes the recommended experience level, and we'll discuss your fitness and experience on a planning call before the trip.
What if the cables are wet on summit day? We don't go up. Wet granite on the cables is where most serious Half Dome accidents happen. Because these are multi-day trips, we have flexibility to wait for a better weather window rather than committing to a fixed date. Safety is non-negotiable.
How do I choose which Half Dome trip is right for me? If you've never backpacked before, start with the Half Dome Weekend. If you want a private experience, the Private Half Dome Expedition is 1:1. If you want the full Yosemite backcountry experience with Half Dome as the finale, the Signature Traverse is the trip. Not sure? Contact me and we'll figure it out.
What's the payment structure? A 50% deposit holds your spot at booking. The remaining 50% is charged automatically 30 days before the trip start date. Full payment at booking is also available if preferred.
Have more questions? See the full FAQ page.
I'm Eric, owner and guide at Yosemite Life and a professionally permitted Yosemite guide. I offer guided backpacking trips and private day hikes for anyone who wants to experience Yosemite's backcountry and iconic summits with the permits, planning, and safety handled. If Half Dome has been on your list and you want to do it right, let's talk.
