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Apr 15, 2024 · Rising nearly 5,000 feet above Yosemite Valley and 8,800 feet above sea level, Half Dome is a Yosemite icon and a great challenge to many hikers.
Half Dome is a quartz monzonite batholith at the eastern end of Yosemite Valley in Yosemite National Park, California. It is a well-known rock formation in the park, named for its distinct shape. One side is a sheer face while the other three sides are smooth and round, making it appear like a dome cut in half.
May 20, 2024 · The hike to Half Dome is one of Yosemite’s most challenging and most memorable hikes. On this hike you get to walk on some of Yosemite’s most popular hiking trails, view the Vernal and Nevada waterfalls, and walk through shady forests of Sequoia trees.
No Dogs Allowed. The hike up to Half Dome, towering over the Yosemite Valley at 8846 feet, is one of the great bucket list hikes. You'll pass iconic waterfalls, hike through majestic sequoias, and then pull yourself up steel cables to stand at the summit.
The trail to Half Dome from Yosemite Valley is an extremely steep and strenuous hike covering over 14-16 miles. Hikers gain 4,800 feet of elevation along the trail that passes highlights such as Vernal Fall and Nevada Fall, before reaching the cables on Half Dome’s steep granite domes.
Why climb the trail to Half Dome? Half Dome is the ultimate Yosemite day hike - the one you can't die without doing, and the one you're most likely to die while doing.
Keep reading for our complete guide on how to hike Half Dome including when to visit, what to pack, how to get Half Dome permits, and a detailed trip report.
Aug 15, 2024 · Standing 5,000 feet above Yosemite Valley, Half Dome is without a doubt a US National Park icon. The route to the summit traverses some of the park’s most popular and spectacular hiking trails.
Dec 3, 2021 · Little Yosemite Valley is the most popular area in the Yosemite Wilderness, mainly because it provides easy access to Half Dome. Wilderness permits for the trails leading to Little Yosemite Valley are the most difficult to obtain, and a wilderness permit reservation is strongly recommended.
Mar 18, 2019 · Yosemite's Half Dome is an iconic emblem of Yosemite National Park. Its granite rock, the vertical face, is North America's sheerest cliff at only seven degrees from straight up. It's not new, but it's 87 million years old.
