Choose your own adventure by doing one or both of these spectacular viewpoints. Taft Point features an amazing view of the valley, including El Capitan and Yosemite Falls, from a railguard-less and extremely steep drop-off. You'll also see The Fissures here, narrow fractures in the granite that drop 2,000 feet. Taft Point only is an easy to moderate 2.2-mile, or 3.5 km, round-trip hike from the parking lot with 200 feet of elevation gain. There's a small creek crossing that, with stepping stones and logs, should be easy to stay dry. Sentinel Dome's view is more similar to Glacier Point's, with all a 360-degree view of Yosemite Valley and beyond from the top. Unlike Taft Point, you'll have to scramble to get to the best view on the top of the dome. Sentinel Dome only is 1.8 miles, or 2.9 km, round-trip with 400 feet of elevation gain, though much of that is just getting to the top of the dome. To do both together as a loop, with additional valley views in between, is about 5 miles, or nearly 8 km, with 1,000 feet of elevation gain. Expect to spend about 2 hours doing one, or 4 hours to do the loop. Most do Sentinel Dome first if doing the loop. You can also save some time, and elevation change, by doing one, then returning to the parking lot to do the other.
Another handy food court where everyone can get what they...
Read MoreThis is the park's second largest visitor center, and a...
Read MoreQuick photo-opp time! There’s a large Yosemite National Park sign...
Read More