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FrançaisYosemite’s five best day hikes are the Pohono Trail, the Four Mile Trail, the Yosemite Falls Trail, the Panorama Trail and Half Dome, and four of the five depend on Glacier Point Road, which is open only from roughly late May to October or November. The practical planning facts first: Yosemite is not using a timed entry reservation system in 2026, entry costs $35 per vehicle for seven days with an additional $100 per person for non-US residents, and Half Dome needs a permit won in a lottery whenever the cables are up. Each hike below has its official distance and elevation gain, how to reach the trailhead, and the season that actually works.
Before you go: fees, reservations and permits
Three pieces of admin decide whether these hikes are possible on your dates, and the first one changed for 2026.
Do you need a reservation to enter Yosemite?
No. Yosemite announced in February 2026 that it will not use a timed reservation system during the 2026 season, after reviewing traffic, parking and visitor numbers from 2025. The park is managing congestion with real-time traffic monitoring, active parking management in the valley and extra staff at the busiest junctions instead.
This has changed repeatedly over recent years, so check the park’s own reservations page before you travel rather than trusting any article, including this one. The park’s advice for 2026 is to visit on weekdays where you can, arrive early at weekends and holidays, and look at Tuolumne Meadows, Wawona and Hetch Hetchy when the valley is busy.
What does it cost to get in?
A standard seven-day pass is $35 for a private vehicle, $30 for a motorcycle and $20 per person on foot, bicycle or horse. Children aged 15 and under are free.
Two things to know. Non-US residents aged 16 and over pay an additional $100 per person, unless they enter on an annual pass, and the America the Beautiful annual pass costs $80 for US residents and $250 for non-residents. And Yosemite does not accept cash: every entrance takes cards and mobile payment only.
Which hikes need a permit?
Only Half Dome among the five, and only for the section beyond the base of the subdome. Permits are required seven days a week whenever the cables are up, which is normally from the Friday before Memorial Day until the day after the second Monday in October.
A maximum of 300 people a day go beyond the subdome, roughly 225 day hikers and 75 backpackers. Day-hiker permits come from two lotteries on Recreation.gov.
- The preseason lottery runs from 1 to 31 March, offers 225 permits a day, and results arrive in mid-April. One application per person, up to six people, for a date or a range of dates.
- The daily lottery runs during the season, opening two days before the hiking date, from midnight to 4 p.m. Pacific time, with results that night. Weekdays from late August are the best odds.
There are two fees: $10 per application, charged when you apply and non-refundable, and $10 per person charged only if you get a permit, refundable if you cancel the day before or if the cables are not up.
Backpackers, including anyone camping in Little Yosemite Valley, apply for Half Dome as part of a wilderness permit instead. Wilderness permits are free and are also needed for any overnight trip on the other four routes.
The 5 best day hikes in Yosemite National Park
The five hikes below are ordered from most accessible to most demanding, with the park’s own distances where it publishes them.
1. Panorama Trail
The Panorama Trail is the easiest way to earn Yosemite’s biggest views, because you start at Glacier Point and walk downhill to the valley floor. It is roughly 9 miles (14.5 km) one way and takes most people 6 to 8 hours at an unhurried pace, and the views run almost continuously rather than arriving at a single summit.
The route leaves Glacier Point, drops to the crossing of Illilouette Creek, climbs briefly, then joins the Mist Trail above Nevada Fall and descends past Vernal Fall to Happy Isles. Watch for the unmarked spur to Panorama Point, which looks back at Glacier Point, Royal Arches, North Dome and Half Dome.
Getting there: take the Glacier Point Tour bus up from the valley and walk back down. One-way tickets exist precisely for this, and it removes the parking problem entirely. From mid-May to September you may be sent to park at Badger Pass and use the free shuttle if the Glacier Point car park is full between 10 a.m. and 4.30 p.m.
Season: whenever Glacier Point Road is open, roughly late May to October or November. Waterfalls are fullest in late spring and early summer.
Note for 2026: the Mist Trail between its junction with the John Muir Trail and the top of Vernal Fall is open Fridays to Sundays and holidays through October, plus most weeknights from 3.30 p.m. to 7 a.m., because of repair work. The John Muir Trail is the alternate route down at other times, which adds distance. Check current conditions before you set off.
2. Four Mile Trail
The Four Mile Trail connects Yosemite Valley and Glacier Point in 4.8 miles (7.7 km) one way with 3,200 feet (975 m) of elevation change, and the name is a survivor of an older, shorter alignment. The park rates it strenuous in either direction.
Downhill from Glacier Point is the easier version and is what most people walk. Uphill from the valley floor is a serious climb with switchbacks most of the way, and the reward is arriving at the 3,214-foot (980 m) drop above Curry Village on foot.
Getting there: the trailhead on the valley floor is on Southside Drive, reachable on the valley shuttle. For the downhill version, take the Glacier Point Tour bus up.
Season: spring through autumn. Not a winter route, and the upper section holds snow and ice late.
On the trail: the surface is rocky and uneven, and turned ankles are one of the commonest injuries on Yosemite trails. Proper boots matter more here than the distance suggests. Starting at first light gets you the sunrise and avoids the worst of the midday heat on an exposed climb.
3. Pohono Trail
The Pohono Trail is the viewpoint collector’s route, linking Glacier Point and Tunnel View along the south rim in about 13 miles (20.9 km) one way. Allow 5 to 10 hours depending on how long you stop, and stop often, because the whole point of this trail is the sequence of overlooks.
Walking from Glacier Point to Tunnel View is the easier direction. Either way there are several strenuous climbs. Early on you can choose whether to add the climb to Sentinel Dome, which costs about 100 m of extra ascent and is worth it. If you skip it, Taft Point, Dewey Point and Inspiration Point are all still on the route.
Getting there: this is a point-to-point walk, so you need two cars, one at each end, or the Glacier Point Tour bus in one direction. The bus runs to a timetable and the last departure is the one that matters, so plan the walk around it rather than the other way round.
Season: while Glacier Point Road is open. Summer brings crowds at the overlooks and mosquitoes in the shade, so take repellent.
4. Yosemite Falls Trail
The Yosemite Falls Trail climbs to the top of North America’s tallest waterfall and it is one of the oldest trails in the park, built in the 1870s. The full route is 7.2 miles (11.6 km) round trip with 2,700 feet (823 m) of gain, which the park rates moderate to strenuous and which takes most people 6 to 8 hours.
There is a much shorter version. Stopping at Columbia Rock makes it 2 miles (3.2 km) round trip with 1,000 feet (305 m) of gain, and the view down the valley from there is excellent. That is the sensible choice on a hot day or with children.
Getting there: the trailhead is by Camp 4 on the valley floor, on the shuttle route.
Season: spring and summer. Bring a waterproof in spring when the fall is at full volume, because the spray reaches the trail. Note that Yosemite Falls dries up almost completely by late summer in most years, so an August walk buys you the climb and the view but not the waterfall.
On the trail: there is very little tree cover, so this is a bad choice in the middle of a hot day and a good one at dawn. The route near the top gets slippery, and staying on the trail near the steep sections is not optional.
5. Half Dome
Half Dome is the hardest day hike in Yosemite and the only one that needs a permit. The park gives it as 14 to 16.4 miles (22.5 to 26.4 km) round trip with 4,800 feet (1,463 m) of elevation gain, rated strenuous, and most people take 10 to 12 hours.
The route starts at Happy Isles near Curry Village and follows the Mist Trail past Vernal and Nevada Falls, then climbs through Little Yosemite Valley to the subdome. The last stretch is the famous one: a steep granite face climbed using two steel cables, fully exposed, with nothing but the cables between you and the drop. If you are uneasy with heights, the walk to the base of the subdome is magnificent on its own and there is no shame in stopping there.
Permits: required whenever the cables are up. See the permit section above, and apply in the March preseason lottery if you can.
Season: the cables are normally up from the Friday before Memorial Day to the day after the second Monday in October. Dates shift with conditions, so check the park’s current status.
Safety, and this part is not optional. Never climb the cables when the rock is wet: this is the single most dangerous thing about the route. Check the forecast the morning you go, and remember that thunderstorms in Yosemite mostly build in the afternoon, which is exactly when a slow party is on the cables. Start before dawn. Carry a head torch and spare batteries in case you finish in the dark. Carry far more water than feels necessary, take salty food, and treat heat exhaustion as a real possibility rather than a footnote. There are places to refill along the way. The hundreds of steps beside Vernal Fall are slick with spray in spring.
If you want to break the hike over two days, a wilderness permit for Little Yosemite Valley lets you camp roughly a mile above Nevada Fall, which means carrying your gear up.
What to know before you hike in Yosemite
Four things apply on every trail in the park.
- Bears are active day and night. Store food properly, use the bear-proof bins, stay at least 50 yards from a bear in forest or meadow, and if one approaches you or is in a developed area, make noise and scare it off. Overnight trips need bear-resistant food storage.
- About 95% of Yosemite is designated wilderness. Stay on the trails, respect closures, and follow Leave No Trace: carry out everything you carry in.
- Waterfall flow is seasonal and dramatic. Spring and early summer are the full-volume months. By late summer Yosemite Falls is effectively dry and Vernal, Nevada and Bridalveil Falls are low.
- Trails close without much notice for rockfall, snow, ice, fire or repair work, and open trails are not automatically hazard-free. Check current conditions on the morning you walk.
Getting to Yosemite
Most visitors reach Yosemite by car, and the drive from the coast is long enough to need planning: our guide on how to get from Los Angeles to Yosemite National Park covers the routes and the timing. For more of the United States, the country hub has the rest of our coverage.
Five roads enter the park. Wawona Road (Highway 41 from Fresno), El Portal Road (Highway 140 from Merced) and Big Oak Flat Road (Highway 120 from Manteca) are the year-round approaches. Tioga Road, the continuation of Highway 120 across the park, and Glacier Point Road are seasonal, and Glacier Point Road is the one that four of these five hikes depend on. All entrances except Hetch Hetchy are open 24 hours a day.
If you are comparing hire cars for the drive up, DiscoverCars searches the Californian suppliers in one go, which is worth doing before you commit to an airport pick-up.
Campgrounds inside the park take reservations up to five months ahead and are strongly recommended, and the lodges accept bookings up to 366 days out. Neither has first-come, first-served sites in the valley any more.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a reservation to enter Yosemite in 2026?
No. Yosemite announced in February 2026 that it will not operate a timed reservation system for the 2026 season. Check the park’s reservations page before travelling, because this has changed several times in recent years.
How hard is it to get a Half Dome permit?
Hard in the preseason lottery and easier in the daily one, especially on weekdays from late August. The preseason lottery runs 1 to 31 March for 225 permits a day, and the daily lottery opens two days before each hiking date.
What is the best short hike in Yosemite Valley?
The Yosemite Falls Trail as far as Columbia Rock: 2 miles (3.2 km) round trip and 1,000 feet (305 m) of climbing, for a view straight down the valley. It is the best return on effort in the park.
When is Glacier Point Road open?
Roughly late May to October or November, depending on snow. Four of the five hikes on this page start or finish on it, so it is the single date that shapes a Yosemite hiking trip.
Can you hike Half Dome without a permit?
Only as far as the base of the subdome. Rangers check permits there, and the cable route beyond it requires one every day the cables are up.
When are Yosemite’s waterfalls at their best?
Late spring and early summer, when snowmelt is at its peak. Yosemite Falls is effectively dry by late summer in most years, so plan a waterfall trip for May or June.
WonderfulWanderings Pro Tips
Four things came out of checking this page against the park’s current information.
- Yosemite dropped its timed entry reservation for the 2026 season. The park announced it on 18 February 2026 after reviewing 2025 traffic data. Most guides still describe a reservation system, and some still describe the version before that one. Check the park’s own page, because this is the fact that has moved most often.
- Non-US residents pay $100 per person on top of the $35 vehicle fee. Two European adults in one car pay $235 for a week, not $35. The non-resident America the Beautiful pass at $250 covers a whole US parks trip and beats the surcharge from three adults upwards.
- Yosemite entrances take no cash at all. Cards and mobile payment only, at every gate.
- The Mist Trail has a detour through October 2026. Repair work means the stretch from the John Muir Trail junction to the top of Vernal Fall is open Fridays to Sundays and holidays, and most weeknights from 3.30 p.m. It affects both the Panorama Trail descent and the Half Dome route, and the John Muir Trail alternative is longer.
About the author. This guide is written and maintained by the Wonderful Wanderings editorial team. Wonderful Wanderings was founded in 2012 by Sofie Couwenbergh, and this Yosemite guide began as a contribution from a hiking specialist and is now maintained against the National Park Service’s own trail, permit and road information. The team covers the United States for independent travellers, including the national parks, the car rental and the routes worth planning a trip around, and updates this page when fees, permits and road seasons change.
