Trails
Clouds Rest is the highest point many people have never heard of in Yosemite. It sits at 9,926 feet, over a thousand feet higher than Half Dome. The summit panorama is arguably better. The granite ridge you walk to get there is one of the most dramatic stretches of
Trails
Most people give Mariposa Grove about 45 minutes. They ride the shuttle up, walk to the Grizzly Giant, take a photo next to the California Tunnel Tree, and ride the shuttle back down. And honestly? I get it. It's an hour from Yosemite Valley, the parking lot is
Hiking
Every time someone tells me they have one day in Yosemite and asks which hike to do, I give the same answer. Every single time. No hesitation, no caveats, no "well it depends." The Mist Trail. That's the one. If you only have the time or
Hiking
I've hiked over a thousand miles in Yosemite. I've stood at Glacier Point at sunset, watched alpenglow crawl across Half Dome from Olmsted Point, and felt the thunder of Nevada Fall from the Mist Trail in May. I've seen this place in every season,
Permits
Standing on the summit of Half Dome is one of the most iconic experiences in Yosemite National Park. But before you can go up the cables and step onto that famous granite summit, there’s one hurdle most hikers underestimate: You have to get a permit first. Every year tens
Backpacking
Staring at Recreation.gov while Yosemite wilderness permits vanish in the literal blink of an eye can make you wonder if sleeping in the backcountry is some kind of myth. You refresh the page. You click the date. Everything is gone. How can that be!? The Yosemite permit system is