HALF DAY HIKES
Valley Floor Loop Trail
This easy, pleasant and scenic Yosemite day hike on fairly level terrain provides an opportunity to visit the more popular spots in Yosemite Valley via less traveled paths. General information on Yosemite, geology, flora, fauna and Native American history are themes of this hike.
FULL DAY HIKES
Sentinel Dome to Yosemite Valley
A moderate, 10-mile hike, with a steep descent, that follows the south rim of the valley stopping at breathtaking vistas: Taft Point, Sentinel Dome, Glacier Point and Union Point. Geology, flora, fauna and park history will be discussed along this pleasant hike. We use public transportation to access the trailhead. A one-way bus ticket can be purchased from the Yosemite Lodge Tour Desk. Please call 209.372.1240 to purchase a bus ticket.
Illilouette, Nevada, and Vernal Falls via the Panorama Trail
A moderate, 10-mile Yosemite day hike starts at Glacier Point on the valley's south rim, and returns down to Yosemite Valley via the Panorama Trail, passing two of Yosemite's well-known waterfalls and another awesome but less famous fall. John Muir, early Yosemite and the John Muir Trail are natural topics of conversation for this hike. We use public transportation to access the trailhead. A one-way bus ticket can be purchased from the Yosemite Lodge Tour Desk. Please call 209.372.1240 to purchase a bus ticket.
Valley Floor Full-Day Loop
An easy hike covering Yosemite's rich climbing history, general Yosemite Valley geology and biology and descriptions of the wondrous rock formations. The hike along valley trails passes El Capitan, where guides describe and discuss Big Wall climbing. Binoculars will be supplied for viewing.
EXTREME DAY HIKES
Half Dome
The Mountaineering School guides this one-of-a-kind Yosemite hiking experience to the iconic summit of Half Dome by reservation only. This trail is a strenuous 16-mile hike that gains 4800 feet from trailhead to summit, including the sometimes intimidating Half Dome Cables. Our hiking guides are friendly and fun hiking partners - and carry important group supplies such as water filters, first aid kits and communication devices - and most importantly know the trail well, so that they can tell you about points of interest, and about Yosemite wildlife and vegetation.
Please Note: The National Park Service now requires Half Dome day-hikers to obtain and carry a special Half Dome permit. Permits are available online only starting March 1, 2011 for the 2011 season, and no first-come first-served permits are available. Yosemite Mountaineering School has a small number of permits for last-minute guided hikes. Please call us at (209) 372-8344 to check for specific dates.
Also, our 4-day Tuolumne Meadow to Yosemite Valley backpacking trip can incorporate a Half Dome summit attempt, depending on conditions and the speed and ability of the group. You can also design a personalized backpacking trip for your group. Again, last minute trips are dependent on the ability to obtain permits, but Half Dome day-use permits can be obtained along with overnight permits.
