Glacier Point - Hike near Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park, Glacier Point Rd, Yosemite Valley, CA 95389, USA,Yosemite National Park,California
37.72870398637581, -119.573351017768
9.6 miles S of Yosemite National Park
Address: Yosemite National Park, Glacier Point Rd, Yosemite Valley, CA 95389, USA
GPS: 37°43'43.3"N 119°34'24.1"W
Maps | Directions
State: California
Trails/Routes: 0.3 mi

Restrooms Picnic Tables Trails Rocks National Park

Hike

Located in Yosemite National Park, Glacier Point gives a birds-eye-view of the park you can't find anywhere else. It can be accessed by both hiking and driving through the park, though the roads may be closed until early to late May due to snow. Glacier Point towers over Yosemite Valley, sitting at 7,214 ft compared to the 4,000 ft valley floor. 

From Glacier Point visitors are able to see the famous Half Dome, Vernal Falls, Nevada Falls, Yosemite Falls, El Capitan, and the Yosemite High Country. Each season offers a different view and feel for visitors. Come in the winter and you will see a snow covered Half Dome and High Country. Spring comes with the promise of new green leaves and roaring, snowmelt fed waterfalls. The summer still offers plenty of views, though a lot of tourists will be visiting. Fall brings a change of leaves throughout the park, and so it provides a beautiful contrast to the granite cliffs all around. 

The trails to get to Glacier Point are the Four Mile Trail and the Panoramic Trail. The Four Mile Trail starts at the valley floor and like the name says, it is about 4.7 miles one way. Hiking up to Glacier Point has a significant level of elevation gain (Valley Floor is 4,000 ft and Glacier Point is 7,214 ft). The trail offers views of the Yosemite Valley that belong in a postcard. Those who hike to the top can enjoy an ice cream at the general store, while taking in the views. On the way down, hikers will see Yosemite Falls constantly in front of them, while the other sights of the valley floor come into view as the trail descends. 

The Panoramic Trail is an alternative for going down from Glacier Point. Many hikers alternate between taking the Four Mile Trail up and the Panormaic Trail down (or vice versa). While the sights of the Four Mile Trail include many of the valley floor sights, the Panoramic Trail offers views of Illilouette, Nevada, and Vernal Falls. The trail ends at a different point than the Four Mile Trail, but hikers can take one of the free shuttles throughout the park. 

2.7K Written by cteicheira

Be courteous, informed, and prepared. Read trailhead guidelines, stay on the trail, and don't feed the wildlife.

Read More
  1. Plan Ahead and Prepare
  2. Travel & camp on durable surfaces
  3. Dispose of waste properly
  4. Leave what you find
  5. Minimize campfire impacts
  6. Respect wildlife
  7. Be considerate of other visitors

Directions

From Yosemite National Park

  1. Head northeast on El Portal Rd
    Toll road
    (5.5 mi)
  2. El Portal Rd turns slightly right and becomes Southside Dr
    Toll road
    (6.1 mi)
  3. Continue straight onto Happy Isle Loop Rd
    Toll road
    (0.6 mi)
  4. Continue straight
    Toll road
    (131 ft)
to add photos & videos and suggest edits

Guest Review/Comments

/5
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Edit Review Delete Review
Reply Cancel
View of Half Dome, Vernal Falls, and Nevada Falls added by cteicheira View of Half Dome, Vernal Falls, and Nevada Falls added by cteicheira
Trailside Museum added by cteicheira Trailside Museum added by cteicheira
2.7K

Added by cteicheira

Trails

Distance ?

0.3 miles

Real Ascent ?

181 feet

Real Descent ?

184 feet

Grade (-63° to 54°)

-199% to 137%

Elevation differences are scaled for emphasis. While the numbers are accurate, the cut-away shown here is not to scale.

Other Hiking Trails Nearby

Add Location 4.6 mi

Four Mile Trail

Yosemite National Park

0.8 miles W

Four Mile Trail is a moderate hike that offers the best views of some of Yosemite's most famous landmarks, including Yosemite Falls, Half Dome, Clouds Rest, North Dome, El Capitan, and the Royal...

Hike

hike Hiking Trail

1.9-2.9 mi

Mist Trail

Yosemite National Park

0.9 miles E

The mist trail is a small breakoff from the John Muir Trail through Yosemite National Park. It's called the mist trail because of the heavy amount of mist that hikers walk through as Vernal and...

Backpack, Hike

hike Hiking Trail

backpack Backpacking Trail

0.4-2.1 mi

Illilouette Falls

Yosemite West, Yosemite National Park

1.3 miles SE

Illilouette Falls Trail is a 4 mile hike down to Illilouette Creek, where there is a footbridge, a great view of Illilouette Falls, and several benches for onlookers to stop, rest, and...

Hike

hike Hiking Trail

0.7 mi

Cook's Meadow Loop

Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park

1.6 miles NW

Cook's Meadow Loop is a shorter, smaller hike inside Sentinel Meadow. Cook's Meadow Loop is just under a mile and takes about 45 minutes to complete, depending on how long you stop at each...

Hike

hike Hiking Trail

0.8 mi

Lower Yosemite Falls

Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park

1.8 miles NW

Yosemite Falls is 3,967 feet high, making it twice as tall as the Empire State building, ten times as tall as Niagara Falls, and one of Yosemite Valley's biggest attractions. Lower...

Hike

hike Hiking Trail

Mirror Lake

Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park

1.9 miles NE

Mirror Lake is a seasonal lake situated in a secluded corner of the beautiful Yosemite Valley. The lake sits at the base of Half Dome and allows a different perspective of the famous monolith....

Backpack, Hike, Swim

swim Swimming Hole

hike Hiking Trail

backpack Backpacking Trail

2.9 mi

Upper Yosemite Falls

Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park

1.9 miles N

Yosemite Falls is the tallest waterfall in North America, standing at 2,425 feet. It's made up of Upper Yosemite Falls, Lower Yosemite Falls, and the middle cascades. Lower Yosemite Falls...

Hike

hike Hiking Trail

15.9 mi

Valley Loop Trail

Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park

2.0 miles W

The Valley Loop trail at the heart of Yosemite is one of the best ways to discover the park. The entire loop is 11.5 miles long, and there are several places to enter and exit the trail...

Hike

hike Hiking Trail

1.2 mi

Taft Point

Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park

2.0 miles SW

The hike to Taft Point is often paired with the hike to Sentinel Dome. There is a 5 mile loop that connects the two and offers breathtaking views of the valley along the south rim. The trailhead...

Hike

hike Hiking Trail

4.0 mi

North Dome

Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park

2.1 miles N

North Dome is a strenuous 10.4 mile hike that gives visitors a close up view straight at Half Dome from across the valley. It also has a unique view of Clouds Rest peak. Because the hike...

Backpack, Hike

hike Hiking Trail

backpack Backpacking Trail

Horsetail Falls

Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park

3.0 miles W

Horsetail Falls is located near El Capitan Valley in Yosemite. Around mid to late February, the fall gains popularity due to the way the orange glow of the sunset radiates off of it. In order to...

Hike

hike Hiking Trail

2.1 mi

Snow Creek Falls

Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park

3.3 miles NE

Snow Creek is one of the more difficult waterfalls to find in the valley, but in the spring and summer months, the elusive waterfall can be seen from the Mirror Lake Trail, a 5 mile loop around...

Backpack, Hike

hike Hiking Trail

backpack Backpacking Trail

1.9 mi

Half Dome

Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park

3.5 miles E

Half Dome is the most popular and difficult hike in Yosemite Valley. The trail is about 14 miles long with an elevation gain of 4800 feet. There are cables to help you scale up to the summit once you...

Hike

hike Hiking Trail

0.2 mi

Ribbon Falls

Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park

3.7 miles W

Standing at 1612 ft tall, Ribbon Falls is one of the tallest waterfalls in Yosemite Valley and the longest single-drop waterfall in North America. It's visible from El Capitan road as you...

Hike

hike Hiking Trail

1.7 mi

Mono Meadow

Yosemite West, Yosemite National Park

4.0 miles S

The hike through Mono Meadow is the best way to get a view of Mt. Starr King, Clarke Range, and Half Dome all at once. It's about a three mile round trip hike towards Yosemite backcountry. It...

Hike

hike Hiking Trail

0.2 mi

Bridalveil Falls

Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park

4.1 miles W

Known for being the focal point for one of Ansel Adams' most famous photographs, Bridalveil Falls is one of the first waterfalls you see as you enter Yosemite. The path to get there...

Hike

hike Hiking Trail

0.5 mi

McGurk Meadow

Yosemite National Park

5.0 miles SW

McGurk Meadow is a short, 0.8 mile hike through one of Yosemite's wildflower meadows. The trail is fairly flat, about 100 feet of elevation gain, and it doesn't require too much effort,...

Hike

hike Hiking Trail

5.5 mi

Ostrander Lake

Wawona, California

7.3 miles S

Ostrander Lake is a long, 11.4 mile hike just behind Sentinel Dome. Unlike most of Yosemite's summer hikes, the trail to Ostrander Lake is open during the winter for people to ski through....

Hike, Swim

swim Swimming Hole

hike Hiking Trail

0.7 mi

Lukens Lake

Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park

8.7 miles N

Lukens Lake is a small lake in the White Wolf area of Yosemite National Park. The hike is a short, 1.6 mile walk through a forest to the secluded lake surrounded by trees and a small...

Hike, Swim

swim Swimming Hole

hike Hiking Trail

1.2-1.6 mi

May Lake

Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park

9.3 miles NE

May lake is a relatively small lake that rests at the base of Mt. Hoffman in Yosemite National Park. One of the park's most scenic lakes, May lake not only gets up close and personal with...

Hike, Swim

swim Swimming Hole

hike Hiking Trail

More Similar Arenas Near Glacier Point:

Hiking Trails Things to Do

Nearby Campsites

Add Location

Merced River

Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park

1.1 miles NW

The main fork of Merced River at Yosemite National Park is a perfect place to fish, swim, raft, and even pan for gold. The river circles around the center of Yosemite Valley, and almost every...

Camp, Swim, Whitewater

swim Swimming Hole

camp Campsite

whitewater Whitewater Rapid

5.7 mi

Ten Lakes

Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park

12.3 miles N

A 6.4 mile hike will lead you to three of the Ten Lakes at Ten Lakes Basin. There are three possible trails to take to see this phenomenon. The shortest begins at Yosemite Creek. The other two...

Backpack, Camp, Hike

hike Hiking Trail

camp Campsite

backpack Backpacking Trail

Crane Flat

Big Oak Flat, Yosemite National Park

12.4 miles W

Crane Flat Campground is a meadow and forest between Tuolumne and Merced Groves of Giant Sequoias. The campground is 30 minutes outside Yosemite Valley, has restrooms and picnic...

Backpack, Camp, Hike, Snowshoe

hike Hiking Trail

camp Campsite

snowshoe Snowshoe Trail

backpack Backpacking Trail

6.0 mi

Glen Aulin

Wawona, California

15.0 miles NE

This is an 11 mile hike along the Tuolumne River to Glen Aulin. There is a view to take in at every turn on this hike, whether it's the Tuolumne River, Tuolumne Fall, Soda Springs,...

Backpack, Camp, Hike

hike Hiking Trail

camp Campsite

backpack Backpacking Trail

Glen Aulin

Glen Aulin, California

15.1 miles NE

This trail is a popular route to take in the Yosemite High Country because it is a good introductory hike into the backcountry. At the end of the hike there are several waterfalls as well as a...

Backpack, Camp, Hike, Swim

swim Swimming Hole

hike Hiking Trail

camp Campsite

backpack Backpacking Trail

Tuolumne Meadows

Tuolumne County, California

16.1 miles NE

A beautiful alpine meadow found in the upper Sierra Nevada Mountains. Open during the summer, this meadow offers excellent views of nearby granite domes and mountains. There is a roadway through...

Camp, Hike

hike Hiking Trail

camp Campsite

4.0 mi

Saddlebag Lake

Lee Vining, California

23.2 miles NE

A man-made lake found in the Inyo forest, resting at about 10,008 feet above sea level, Saddlebag Lake is located just outside the Tioga Pass entrance to Yosemite National Park. This lake has some of...

Camp, Canoe, Hike

hike Hiking Trail

camp Campsite

canoe Canoeing Area

Briceburg Recreation Area

Midpines, California

24.3 miles W

Camp, Kayak, and Swim near Midpines, California

Camp, Kayak, Swim

swim Swimming Hole

camp Campsite

kayak Kayaking Area

Crystal Lake

Mammoth Lakes, California

32.0 miles E

Unlike many hikes in the Sierra's, Crystal lake can be done as a day hike and as the perfect way to get away for a bit. As hikers make their way to the lake, they will see the monolith Crystal...

Camp, Hike

hike Hiking Trail

camp Campsite

Standish Hickey Area

Lakeshore, California

41.3 miles SE

Standish-Hickey is an inland river canyon that runs along Highway 101 just 180 miles from San Fransisco. It's home to a two-mile stretch of the south fork on Eel River, where many...

Backpack, Camp, Hike, Kayak, Swim

swim Swimming Hole

hike Hiking Trail

camp Campsite

kayak Kayaking Area

backpack Backpacking Trail

Wild Willy's Hot Spring

Mammoth Lakes, California

44.2 miles E

Wild Willy's Hot Springs, also known as Crowley Hot Springs, is a spring located in Long Valley. Long Valley is home to one of the highest concentrations of geothermal surface water in...

Camp, Hot Springs

camp Campsite

hot springs Hot Spring

Crowley Lake Campground

Crowley Lake, California

45.4 miles E

Nestled amidst the stunning Eastern Sierra region, Crowley Lake BLM Campground near Benton, California, is a hidden gem waiting to be discovered by nature enthusiasts and camping aficionados. With...

Camp

camp Campsite

More Campsites Near Glacier Point:

Campsites

Embed Arena

Where do you plan to embed this code?

<script src="https://www.freearenas.com/embed/a67a21233"></script>

Copy
×
loading...

Edit Your Experience

Log Your Visit to This Location

We've logged that you went. Is there anything else you want to add?

Thank you for your review/comment

We've recorded your comments. Is there anything else you want to add?

By recording your visit on FreeArenas.com, you'll have a collection of all the great places you've been and provide valuable information for yourself and others in the future.

Have you been to this location?

/5
Cancel

Donate to the Cause

Help us inspire and inform every person to enjoy life and the great outdoors in a responsible way. There's a lot of ways to do this. Here's a few ways we're working on our mission right now: Providing information, Building and maintaining local trails, Helping and teaching kids to fix their bikes, Cleaning up local parks to provide safe and clean places to enjoy nature. Learn More

Update Review

/5

New Collection

Add an Arena

Just some quick info about this location to get started...