Half Dome
The park's symbol, and one of America's great hikes, with steel cables up the last 400 feet. See it from below, or enter the permit lottery.
- Open
- Cables up in summer; check nps.gov/yose
- Price
- Park entrance fee; permit for the cables
- Time Needed
- 10–14 hours
- Address
- Happy Isles Trailhead, Yosemite National Park, CA 95389Google MapsApple Maps
- Getting There
- Start from Happy Isles in the eastern valley before dawn.
Why Go
The 14-to-16-mile round trip climbs almost 5,000 feet. The cables are generally up only from late May to mid-October, and hikers need a permit from the lottery on Recreation.gov.
If you aren't hiking, the view from Glacier Point or Sentinel Bridge at sunset is just as good.
Tips
- Don't climb the cables if there are clouds or thunder about: people have died on wet rock.
Nearby
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