Day Hiking Yosemite National Park

By Brian King

From the low-elevation foothills and canyons of the western Sierras to famed Yosemite Valley and giant sequoia trees and from high alpine meadows and lakes to the rugged peaks of the Sierra crest, Yosemite National Park has hiking trails for all levels of skill and ability. This guidebook details every day hike within Yosemite National Park--from the extremely popular to the little-known, off-the-beaten-path trails. Also detailed are hikes in the surrounding national forest lands as well as nearby excursions to complement your visit to Yosemite National Park. So pick a chapter, pick a hike, and immerse yourself in all that Yosemite National Park has to offer.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Nov 4, 2022
• ISBN: 9798886542660

Brian King

Brian King is Professor and Associate Dean at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and is joint editor-in-chief of the journal Tourism, Culture and Communication. His research focuses on tourism marketing with an emphasis on cultural dimensions and emerging markets, tourism and migration, international education and tourism.

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Day Hiking Yosemite National Park

Brian King

Copyright © 2022 Brian King

All rights reserved

First Edition

PAGE PUBLISHING

Conneaut Lake, PA

First originally published by Page Publishing 2022

ISBN 979-8-88654-262-2 (pbk)

ISBN 979-8-88654-266-0 (digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Nearby Excursions

Important Contact Information

About the Author

Chapter Preview: Lookout Point, O'Shaughnessy Dam to Tuolumne River, Poopenaut Valley, Rancheria Falls, Smith Peak, Wapama Falls

Chapter Preview: Andresen Mine Trail, Aspen Valley, Carlon Falls, Cherry Lake, Diana Falls, Kibbie Lake, Lake Eleanor, Preston Falls, Rainbow Pool

Chapter Preview: Angel Falls, Bass Lake, Chain Lakes, Fresno Dome, Goat Mountain, Jackass Lakes, Lewis Creek National Recreational Trail, Nelder Grove of Giant Sequoias, Star Lakes, Tenaya Falls, Way-of-the-Mono Interpretive Trail

Chapter Preview: Alder Creek Falls, Chilnualna Falls, Chowchilla Mountains, Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, Wawona Point and Biledo Meadow, Mariposa Grove to Wawona, Swinging Bridge, Wawona and the Pioneer Yosemite History Center, Wawona Meadow and Mount Savage

Chapter Preview: Bishop Creek, Empire Meadow and Deer Camp, Henness Ridge Fire Lookout, Inspiration Point, Tunnel View

Chapter Preview: The Cascades and Wildcat Falls, Hite Cove, Lower Merced River Canyon

Chapter Preview: Cascade and Tamarack Creek Bridges, Crane Flat Fire Lookout, Foresta Falls, Little Nellie Falls, Merced Grove of Giant Sequoias, Rockefeller Grove of Sugar Pines, Tamarack Creek

Chapter Preview: Four-Mile Trail; Bridalveil Fall; Eagle Peak; El Capitan; Happy Isles and the Fen; Lower Yosemite Fall; Mirror Lake, Mirror Meadow, Lower Tenaya Canyon, and Hidden Falls; Old Big Oak Flat Road; Ribbon Fall; Royal Arch Cascade; Snow Creek; Staircase Falls; Upper Yosemite Fall and Yosemite Point; Valley Loop Trail—East End; Valley Loop Trail—West End; Wawona Wagon Road

Chapter Preview: Bunnell Cascade, Half Dome, Lost Lake and the Diving Board, Nevada Fall, Sierra Point, Vernal Fall

Chapter Preview: Glacier Point, McGurk Meadow to Dewey and Crocker Points, Mono Meadow and Illilouette Creek, Old Badger Summit, Ostrander Lake, Panorama Trail, Pohono Trail, Sentinel Dome, Summit Meadow, Taft Point and the Fissures, Washburn Point

Chapter Preview: Cascade Creek; Clouds Rest; Harden Lake; Lukens Lake; May Lake and Mount Hoffmann; Medlicott Dome; Mount Hoffmann Meadow; Mount Watkins; North Dome, Indian Ridge Arch, and Indian Rock; Olmsted Point; Polly Dome Lakes; Pywiack Dome Falls; Sunrise Lakes and High Sierra Camp; Ten Lakes; Tenaya Lake Loop; Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias; Upper Tenaya Canyon Cascades

Chapter Preview: Budd Lake, Cathedral Lakes, Cathedral Peak, Dog Lake, Elizabeth Lake, Lembert Dome, Lyell Canyon, Nelson Lake, Pothole Dome and Little Devils Postpile, Tuolumne Meadows, Vogelsang, Waterwheel Falls, Young Lakes

Chapter Preview: Gaylor Lakes, Granite Lakes, and Great Sierra Mine; Lower Gaylor Lake; Mono Pass; Mount Dana; Parker Pass; Spillway Lake

Chapter Preview: Dana Plateau, Ellery Lake and Ellery Bowl, Gardisky Lake, Glacier Canyon and Dana Lake, Great Sierra Wagon Road and Bennetville Mine, Hall Natural Area, Nunatak Nature Trail, Saddlebag Lake and 20 Lakes Basin, Tioga Lake Loop, Warren Canyon

Chapter Preview: Agnew and Gem Lakes, Barney Lake, Deadman Pass, Fern and Yost Lakes, Gibbs Lake, Glass Creek Meadow and Obsidian Dome, Lake Canyon, Lee Vining Canyon, Lundy Canyon, Parker Lake, Virginia Lakes Canyon, Walker Lake

Chapter Preview: Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, Bodie State Historical Park, Calaveras Big Trees State Park, California Caverns, Devils Postpile National Monument, Eastman and Hensley Lakes, Lake Tahoe, Mammoth Lakes, Millerton Lake State Recreation Area, Mono Lake, Sierra Vista Scenic Byway, Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad

Introduction

Yosemite National Park is one of the jewels of the national park system in the United States. Located in the Sierra Nevada Mountain range of east-central California, Yosemite draws visitors from all over the United States and the world by the millions every year to marvel at the spectacular scenery and unique geological features found within its boundaries. Yosemite National Park covers an area of 747,956 acres (roughly the size of the state of Rhode Island) and ranges in elevation from 2,127 feet at the southwestern border in the Merced River Canyon near the Arch Rock entrance station to 13,114 at the summit of Mount Lyell on the southeastern border of the park at the head of Lyell Canyon. The idea of preserving Yosemite for generations to come first began in the early 1860s with the support of Galen Clark, who would become the first guardian of the park and Senator John Conness. On June 30, 1864, during the height of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln signed a bill known as the Yosemite Grant that set aside Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove for protection as a state park, making this the first time that public land had been set aside for permanent protection. As the years went on, the idea of preserving land continued to gain steam. The most famous voice for the protection of natural resources was John Muir, who, along with President Theodore Roosevelt, was instrumental in the creation of Yosemite and many other national parks and monuments. On October 1, 1890, Yosemite National Park was established with a much larger boundary than what it now is, becoming the third national park following Yellowstone in 1872 and Sequoia also in 1890. Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove, however, still remained under control of the State of California. It took much lobbying and convincing to Congress and President Roosevelt by John Muir, but eventually in 1906, a bill was signed that ceded control of Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove over to the federal government, and they were added into Yosemite National Park.

Within the boundaries of Yosemite National Park, cliffs and waterfalls taller than conceivably possible vie for the visitors' attention along with the largest living things on earth, the giant sequoias. In Yosemite, you will find perhaps the largest concentration of domes anywhere along with spires and even arches, which are very rare in the Sierra Nevada Mountains due to the hardness of the granite.

While most visitors make their way to Yosemite Valley for obvious reasons, beyond the rim of the valley lies a high country wilderness filled with clear blue lakes, peaks that reach for the sky, and the largest subalpine meadow in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. To the northwest of Yosemite Valley is Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. Hetch Hetchy was at one time a valley very similar to Yosemite Valley, though not as deep, complete with waterfalls, unique rock formations, and the Tuolumne River flowing through it. This river turned out to be the cause of one of the greatest controversies in the history of the national park system. In 1901, the City of San Francisco applied for permission to dam the Tuolumne River in Hetch Hetchy Valley in order to provide drinking water and hydroelectric power for the city. Despite great protests from John Muir and the Sierra Club, the Raker Act was eventually passed in 1913, allowing for the damming of the river. Construction of O'Shaughnessy Dam began in 1918 and was completed in 1923. The dam was raised another 85 feet in 1938 to its present height. Some say that the fight to save Hetch Hetchy took so much out of John Muir that he had no strength left to continue the battle, and he passed away in 1914 shortly after the passing of the Raker Act.

Yosemite's Seasons

Each season in Yosemite brings with it its own charms and reasons to visit. Springtime temperatures range from the upper fifties to low to midseventies. In early spring, the deciduous trees begin to sprout their leaves, and the flowers of the dogwood trees bloom. Late spring usually sees the waterfalls at their full volume as the winter snow has almost completely melted by this time. All the trails in Yosemite Valley, including those leading out of the valley, Wawona, and Mariposa Grove are open and just about free of snow by the end of spring. Mid to late spring also sees the opening of the Glacier Point Road, allowing access to one of the most spectacular viewpoints anywhere in Yosemite National Park.

Along with hot temperatures, summertime brings the crowds with it as well. With Memorial Day weekend being the unofficial beginning of summer in Yosemite, you can expect all the campgrounds and lodging throughout the park to be full, and with that also comes traffic jams in Yosemite Valley where the temperatures range from the mid to upper eighties to one hundred. Summer sees the opening of the Tioga Road and, with it, access to Tuolumne Meadows and the high country.

Temperatures in Tuolumne Meadows are generally twenty degrees cooler than in Yosemite Valley, making for an ideal way to escape the crowds. During the summer months, the High Sierra Camps open. There tent cabin dormitory-style lodging camps are so popular that they are only available by lottery. If you can't get a spot in one of the tent cabins, you can still hike the High Sierra Camps loop and stay at the backcountry campgrounds that are located at each camp. Hiking and backpacking are most popular during the summer months, along with rafting down the Merced River through Yosemite Valley. Keep in mind, though, that more people means more bears, so whether you are in camp or on the trail, always be aware and store your food and supplies properly.

As summer gives way to fall, the temperatures begin to drop in October, ranging from the midseventies to upper fifties. This is the time when the Tioga and Glacier Point roads close, and the trees begin changing colors. For those who love fall foliage, this is an excellent time to visit. Since there is usually little to no rain throughout the summer, the waterfalls are almost or completely dried up during the fall months, but all the trails through the valley and up to the mid elevations are all still accessible. Late October or early November usually brings the first storms.

Winter in Yosemite is the least visited time of the year, but at the same time, it is arguably the most spectacular time of the year. With temperatures usually ranging from the upper thirties to low fifties in Yosemite Valley, winters are comparatively mild. If you are lucky enough to be here when the valley is cloaked in snow, it is an amazing experience. Hiking in the winter can be a bit challenging; however, there are trails that are accessible throughout the winter. In addition, you can ice-skate on an open-air skating rink in Half Dome Village or make the trip up to Yosemite Ski and Snowboard Area, California's first ski resort for downhill, cross-country skiing or snowshoeing.

Flora and Fauna

Yosemite National Park is home to over four hundred species of mammals, birds, and reptiles as well as a countless number of insect species spread out over five life zones. Fish, however, are found naturally only at lower elevations due to the fact that every major river in Yosemite eventually has waterfalls of varying sizes that prevent fish from migrating to the higher elevations. Several species of trout and a few other species of fish were introduced into lakes throughout the higher elevations in the early to mid-1900s. These fish being non-native had a negative impact on the native species and ecosystems over time, and in 2007, NPS began an experimental removal program at nine lakes to compare how the ecosystems sustain with and without trout.

The western slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the Yosemite region contains five life zones. On the eastern side of the mountain range, you will find four life zones in the Yosemite region. These life zones occur at higher elevations, though, due to less precipitation on the eastern side of the mountain range.

Beginning at the lowest elevations of the park up to around 3,500 feet, you have the Foothill, Woodland, and Chaparral Zone. This includes the canyons of both the Merced and South Fork Merced Rivers as well as the lower elevations of the Tuolumne River below Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. The mammals found in this life zone are on the smaller side with predators like gray foxes and bobcats as well as spotted skunks, ringtail cats, rabbits, chipmunks, and gophers. Among the reptiles, you will find several species of snakes, including the common king snake as well as the alligator lizard and the skink. Birds at these elevations tend to be on the smaller side as well, including birds such as the scrub jay and western bluebird and a specie of woodpecker. Several species of frogs and salamanders can be found at these elevations as well. Trees in this life zone include several smaller pines, oak, willow, and cottonwood.

Starting at 3,500 feet up to 6,000 feet is the Lower Montane Zone. This includes Yosemite Valley, Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, Wawona, the entire Big Oak Flat Road, and Tuolumne Grove. The mammals in this zone include larger predators such as black bears and mountain lions, as well as bobcats and coyotes. Smaller mammals include raccoons, gray squirrels, and mule deer. Reptiles in this zone include several species of snakes and lizards including the western rattlesnake and the western fence lizard. A large number of bird species can be found in this zone, including the golden eagle, spotted owl, peregrine falcon, raven, and Steller's jay. Larger trees begin to appear at these elevations, including ponderosa and sugar pines, black oak, dogwood, and big-leaf maple trees as well as several types of fir trees.

Moving up, from 6,000 feet to 8,500 feet, is the Upper Montane Zone. This includes Mariposa Grove, Glacier Point, the lands beyond the rim of Hetch Hetchy, the Merced River from Little Yosemite Valley to Merced Lake and the Tioga Road from Crane Flat to Tuolumne Meadows. Mammals in this zone include the red fox, porcupine, marten, chipmunk, shrew, and several species of mice. Reptiles being cold-blooded generally aren't found at these elevations; however, you may spot the occasional snake. Birds include the great gray owl and species of grosbeak and goshawks. Tree species include lodgepole and western white pine as well as red and white firs and aspens.

Higher up at elevations of 8,500 feet to 10,500 feet, which is just about tree line, is the Subalpine Zone. This includes Tuolumne Meadows, Dana Meadow, Lyell Canyon, Mono Pass, and Tioga Pass. Mammals in this zone include the bighorn sheep, pika, and yellow-bellied marmot. Birds in this zone include species of nutcracker, grosbeak, and woodpecker. Trees include whitebark pine and mountain hemlock.

The highest peaks along the Sierra Crest above tree line and 10,500 feet reside in the Alpine Zone. Life in this zone is fragile, and only the hardiest of species survive at these elevations. Pikas, yellow-bellied marmots, and alpine chipmunks reside in the tundra, while small birds such as the finch can be found high up on the mountains.

As you make your way over Tioga Pass and descend to the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the Alpine Zone is above 12,000 feet, the Subalpine Zone is between 10,500 feet and 12,000 feet, the Upper Montane Zone is between 9,000 feet and 10,500 feet, and the Lower Montane Zone is between 7,000 feet and 9,000 feet.

Visitation and Getting Around

Through time, Yosemite National Park has always been one of the most visited national parks in the country. Although Yosemite became a National Park in 1890, visitation statistics did not begin until 1906. Through 2016, which is the last year visitation numbers are available as of this writing, Yosemite National Park has seen 190,404,834 visitors. In 1906, just over 5,000 people visited the park, and the total number of visitors stayed at 15,000 or under through 1914. The next year, visitation more than doubled and continued to increase. Nineteen twenty-two saw the first year over 100,000 visitors, and three years later, visitation doubled again to just over 200,000 visitors. Two years later, visitation nearly doubled again and stayed in the 400,000 range until the early 1930s when the Great Depression hit, and visitation dropped for a few years. Visitation started to rise again in the mid to late 1930s and, in 1940, topped 500,000 for the first time. Nineteen forty-one saw almost 100,000 more visitors than the previous year, then WWII started, and visitation significantly dropped during the duration of the war. Yosemite saw record visitation after the war ended, and visitation continued to increase. Nineteen fifty-four saw visitation top the 1,000,000 mark for the first time. The next year, visitation dropped below 1,000,000 but topped that mark the following year and stayed in the 1,000,000–2,000,000 range until 1966.

Nineteen sixty-seven brought over 2,000,000 visitors for the first time and stayed in the 2,000,000–3,000,000 range for the next twenty years. Nineteen eighty-six was the first year that Yosemite saw more than 3,000,000 visitors and outside of 1996 stayed in the 3,000,000–4,000,000 range for the next thirty years. Nineteen ninety-six saw visitation slightly top the 4,000,000 mark. Twenty fifteen saw record visitation at 4,150,217 visitors, and that mark was shattered in 2016 with the celebration of the one hundredth anniversary of the formation of the National Park Service with over 5,000,000 visitors. How all these visitors arrived in Yosemite has evolved from trains to horse-drawn stagecoaches on rough dirt roads to early automobile travel on these same rough dirt roads. As the number of visitors increased, the need for modern roads increased.

Today, Yosemite National Park has five entrance stations. CA Highway 41 enters the park from the south and becomes the Wawona Road. CA Highway 140 enters the park from the southwest through Arch Rock and becomes the El Portal Road. CA Highway 120 enters the park from the west and becomes the Big Oak Flat Road. These three roads lead directly to Yosemite Valley and merge into one-way roads.

Southside Drive heads east into the valley, and Northside Drive heads west out of the valley. There are several smaller roads in the valley, most of which are two-way traffic that allow you to cut across the valley. CA Highway 120 also enters the park from the east and becomes the Tioga Road, which crosses the park and joins with the Big Oak Flat Road. In the northwest corner of the park, the Hetch Hetchy Road enters the park for access to Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. This road dead-ends at the parking lot near O'Shaughnessy Dam.

About This Book

All the hikes in this book are grouped by their geographical region. Each description begins with basic information about the hike beginning with the total round-trip distance of the hike along with any side-trip mileage. The trailhead elevation and hiking season are given so you can base your hikes on the time of year that you visit. The level of difficulty is given along with detailed directions to the trailhead, and a brief overview of the hike is given along with the description of the trail. If you are looking to extend your hike into the backcountry for an overnight journey, wilderness permits can be obtained at the Wilderness Center in Yosemite Village, the permit station in Tuolumne Meadows, the Hetch Hetchy entrance station, and at the Yosemite Ski and Snowboard Area A Frame building in the winter. Permits can be obtained by reservation up to twenty-four weeks in advance or on a first-come-first-served basis beginning at 11:00 a.m. the day before your hike is set to begin. Reservations account for 60 percent of all permits for a particular trailhead and cost $5 per reservation plus $5 per person. There are seventy-five permits per day issued for the Half Dome cables, fifty of which are available by reservation. The remaining twenty-five are available on a first-come-first-served basis the day before your hike. Permits are $10 per person.

Due to an ongoing legal dispute between the former concessionaire of the park—Delaware North Parks and Resorts—the National Park Service and Aramark, the new concessionaire over the naming rights of some of the properties throughout the park, some of the historical place-names have had to be changed. The following properties have been renamed as of March 1, 2016.

The Ahwahnee Hotel is now the Majestic Yosemite Hotel. Yosemite Lodge at the Falls is now Yosemite Valley Lodge Curry Village, or Camp Curry is now Half Dome Village. The Wawona Hotel is now the Big Trees Hotel.

Badger Pass is now Yosemite Ski and Snowboard Area.

Hopefully one day, this dispute will be resolved, and the historical names will be restored.

Authors note: in 2019, a settlement was reached between Delaware North Parks and Resorts, the National Park Service, and Aramark, and the original names have been restored, with all the naming rights being returned to the National Park Service once the contract with Aramark has concluded. Hopefully, with this resolution, something like this will never happen again.

Things to Know before You Go

While typically a day hike requires much less gear than an overnight hike, there are still some essentials that should be taken. Water—it is recommended that you drink one liter of water for every mile you hike. Food—salty foods are better, and you should bring enough to sustain you for more than a day. Also essential are a hat, sunglasses, sturdy hiking boots, sunscreen, a map, compass, whistle, flashlight, poncho or emergency blanket, and a basic first aid kit. You should also dress in layers since the temperature and weather can change drastically throughout the day. Thunderstorms can occur at any time throughout the summer, and snowstorms have happened at the higher elevations every month of the year. If you see a thunderstorm approaching, avoid exposed rock, such as the summit of a mountain or the top of a dome. If lightning is present while you are on the trail, take cover under a tree and avoid being in contact with anything that could be a lightning rod.

It is never recommended to hike alone; however, if you do, always make sure to let someone know where you are going. If no one is with you that you can notify, then you can check in with a ranger before and after your hike. Basic information to leave is where you are going and where you are starting from and returning to, what time you expect to return, and any side trails you may be taking along the way. This way, should you become injured or lost on the trail, finding you becomes much easier. If you do become lost or injured, stay put! So often, people make their situations worse by trying to find their way out or back to the trail, only to become lost even further. Also, if you do become lost or injured, the universal distress signal is three repetitive sounds, be it with a whistle or banging rocks against each other.

Should you encounter a large animal on the trail such as a bear or mountain lion, stand your ground. Get up on a rock if possible, spread your arms, make yourself look as large as possible. Make noise, do whatever you can to get the animal to retreat, but never turn your back or run. This shows fear, and there is no way you will outrun either a bear or a mountain lion. While on the trail, there are a few rules of etiquette to follow. Never cut switchbacks; this erodes the soil around the trail, causing it to deteriorate and could cause loose rocks to fall toward hikers below. When hiking through a meadow, stay on the trail. Walking off to the side of the trail to avoid a muddy or boggy spot damages the fragile terrain and ultimately spawns a new trail. When passing on a narrow trail, the right of way goes to the uphill hiker. If you encounter horses or a pack train on the trail, stand to the downhill side of the trail. This is to prevent the horses from going over the edge of the trail should they get spooked.

With all that being said, strap on your hiking boots, fill your water bottle, pick your hike, and hit the trail. There's no better way to experience all that Yosemite National Park has to offer.

Chapter 1

Hikes Beginning along Hetch Hetchy Road

The Hetch Hetchy Reservoir is located in northwestern Yosemite and offers a chance to escape the crowds and noise that often come along with Yosemite Valley. Once a valley that rivaled Yosemite Valley, the Raker Act was passed in 1913 to allow the city of San Francisco to dam the Tuolumne River and flood Hetch Hetchy Valley to supply water and power to the city. Construction on the dam began in 1918 and was completed in 1923 and raised to its current height in 1938. Years of fighting and campaigning against the dam by John Muir and the Sierra Club proved to be unsuccessful, and John Muir died in 1914 shortly after the Raker Act was passed.

Hikes along the Hetch Hetchy Road range from easy to extremely strenuous and offer an opportunity to explore many of the different geological features of the region. To reach Hetch Hetchy, you first exit Yosemite at the Big Oak Flat entrance station, then drive a mile west on Highway 120 to Evergreen Road where you turn right and follow it through the Stanislaus National Forest before reaching Camp Mather, a private camp for residents of San Francisco where you make another right turn for Hetch Hetchy Road. Lookout Point offers a distant overlook of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, and you can continue on from there through Cottonwood Meadow to Smith Peak for an even more impressive view of Hetch Hetchy and the northern wilderness beyond. An extremely steep trail leads down to the Tuolumne River in Poopenaut Valley while a much easier trail descends from O'Shaughnessy Dam to the Tuolumne River. Waterfall lovers can follow the trail along the north shore of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir to Wapama Falls and beyond to Rancheria Falls. The only amenity found along the Hetch Hetchy Road is a backpackers' campground located near O'Shaughnessy Dam. However, just outside the park boundary along Evergreen Road, there are three picnic areas, one on either side of the South Fork Tuolumne River in the Carlon Day Use area and the other at Middle Fork along the Middle Fork Tuolumne River. Camping is available at the Dimond O campground, and lodging as well as a restaurant and small general store can be found at the Evergreen Lodge.

Lookout Point

Distance: 2.5 miles round trip

Starting elevation: 4,500 feet

Hiking season: March to November

Difficulty: Easy

Directions: From the west end of Yosemite Valley, drive 19 miles to the park boundary at the Big Oak Flat entrance, then continue another mile to Evergreen Road. Turn right and follow it for 7 miles to a T-junction in Camp Mather with Hetch Hetchy Road. Turn right and in a mile reach the Hetch Hetchy entrance station. Park immediately to the right of the entrance station next to the ranger buildings.

Lookout Point is an easy hike that can be done on your way to Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. From the top of the rocky summit, you have a 360-degree panorama of the entire Hetch Hetchy Valley and the surrounding area, including Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, itself up to Wapama Falls. From the small parking area next to the entrance station, pick up the trail and parallel the road as you hike alongside a boundary fence. Soon you cross the fence and leave the national park boundary where you meet a trail that leads to the Mather Recreation Center. Turn left here and continue paralleling the road until you soon come to another fence crossing where you enter back into Yosemite National Park. The trail roller-coasters alongside the road for about another 1/4 mile before turning to the east and beginning an easy 200-foot climb up the hillside.

Once you reach the obvious saddle, the trail levels out, and you now are walking through a lush overgrown garden until reaching a trail junction at one mile. At this junction, you turn left and continue for another 1/4 mile, first on a level path, then up the base of Lookout Point. Just before you reach the summit, the trail dies out, and you have to make an easy scramble over the rocks to reach the summit where you have a fantastic view of the western end of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and the lower Tuolumne River Canyon. Once you have taken in the views from atop Lookout Point, make your way back to the trail junction where you have a couple of options to extend your hike. A left turn would lead you to the Smith Peak trailhead parking along the Hetch Hetchy Road where you could continue hiking down to the reservoir if you have a car waiting for you. Continuing straight at the junction leads a quick 1/2 mile to another trail junction where you would turn left to continue on to Cottonwood Meadow and up to Smith Peak. If neither of those are part of your plans, then turn right to retrace your steps back the trailhead at the Hetch Hetchy entrance station.

O'Shaughnessy Dam to Tuolumne River

Distance: 1.5–2 miles round trip

Starting elevation: 3,900 feet

Hiking season: Year-round

Difficulty: Easy

Directions: From the west end of Yosemite Valley, drive 19 miles to the park boundary at the Big Oak Flat entrance, then continue another mile to Evergreen Road. Turn right and follow it for 7 miles to a T-junction in Camp Mather with Hetch Hetchy Road. Turn right and in a mile reach the Hetch Hetchy Entrance Station, then continue another 8 miles to the parking lot at the end of the road.

There are two trails that lead from the Hetch Hetchy Road down to the Tuolumne River. The Poopenaut Valley Trail descends a very steep slope down to a meadow along the river. This hike is the easier of the two. Much easier, in fact, dropping only a couple of hundred feet from the top of the dam to the river. From the parking lot, make your way down to O'Shaughnessy Dam and walk along its length and gaze out over Hetch Hetchy Reservoir to Wapama Falls and Kolana Rock. There are several signs along the dam detailing the history of its construction and the use of water to generate electricity for San Francisco. At the far end of the dam is a long tunnel that marks the beginning of the trail along the north shore of the reservoir, and you may see a waterfall cascading down the cliffs below the dam. This happens when the water level in the reservoir is high and extra water is being released to maintain the proper water level.

To reach