The northwest face, mostly solid granite, rises 5,000 feet 1,520 m above tenaya creek. There are on average six sar operations per day in yosemite because people get peak fever. Yosemite village visitor center the ahwahnee curry village nature center at happy isles summer only badger pass ski area winter only to tamarack flat campground 3. Its the worthwhile destination of this hike, but the entire day is spectacular. The views you get from shorter, easier hikes are really great, too. Sure, it doesnt have the grandeur that half dome has, but having been up both of them, i can say that the view from clouds rest is the better of the two. Clouds rest is the highest point in the valley sitting at 9,931 feet, 1,000 feet higher than half dome. Along this loop you pass by the beautiful tenaya lake, hike over clouds rest, take in several great views of half dome, and hike through little yosemite valley and the lost valley. It is guarded by an arduous hike, but the rewards are certainly no secret. Though ive been lucky to visit yosemite several times, our most recent trip in october was the first time id really sought out hikes outside of the famous and crowded valley. Clouds rest is a towering summit ridge that looks down on half dome and the spectacular yosemite valley. Clouds rest cabin, located in foresta, is inside yosemite national park and 8 miles from yosemite valley. I have been to clouds rest in all seasons except winter and took the opportunity this past march to visit the mountain in genuine winter conditions thanks to the record setting snowpack. While the valley certainly has its share of showstoppers im excited to start.
Bunnell, a medical doctor with the mariposa battalion, notes that his party named. This is the third a series of posts on winter adventure in yosemite. This yosemite map shows most major park roads with notes about seasonal closings. A hike in from tioga road to the north makes for a more reasonable day hike through some beautiful wilderness scenery. I used to think hiking downhill was much easier than hiking uphill. Clouds rest, a massive granite formation just northeast of half dome in yosemite valley, is visible throughout yosemite valley and is an excellent trail for viewing the valley floor from above. You can also see an overview of the main hiking trails, but be sure to pick up an actual trail map before you head out into the. Backpack to clouds rest from glacier point, panoramic. So we hiked 5 miles on the first and the last day with 4 hours driving. Clouds rest, one of john muirs favourite peaks, offers spectacular views over half dome and numerous yosemite peaks.
I did everything in a hurry since the sun was going down fast. Clouds rest hiking guide joes guide to yosemite national. Yosemite forum view topic tenaya lakeclouds resthalf. The first post was about mount watkins and the second about glacier point and sentinel dome. The jaunt from clouds rest to little yosemite valley isnt particularly difficult. Clouds rest viewpoint trail hiking trail, yosemite valley. Visit clouds rest on your trip to yosemite national park. Although there are many peaks in the park having far greater elevation, clouds rests proximity to the valley gives it a very high degree of visual prominence. National geographic topo map, profile and trail overhead files for the clouds rest trailhead. The narrow summit of clouds rest may give some people weak knees but it is probably the best place to get simultaneous views of yosemite valley and yosemites backcountry. For example north dome has a great view of half dome, in 8 miles round trip. Here youll find both summer and winter trail maps, as well as maps from every campground and the overall park brochure maps.
You can watch the sun setting over big yosemite valley, and the sunrise in the other direction, and youll be the first and only ones at the summit of clouds rest the. Clouds rest cabinyear round lodging in yosemite national park. Mt watkins is about six miles rt from olmstead point, spectacular view of clouds rest. Clouds rest 3025 m has probably the best view of yosemite valley, and a view that includes half dome unless the ugly view from half dome that has the parking lot as its main feature. Hiking to one of yosemites best viewpoints the mile out and back hike to clouds rest off tioga pass is one of the better hikes in the national park. Visiting yosemite wilderness on foot visiting yosemite national park by road free wilderness permits are required yearround for all overnight trips into yosemite wilderness. All the glaciercarved wonder of little yosemite valley and the surrounding peaks unfolds at the top of clouds rest 9,926 ft. It is 3,027 m 9,930 ft tall and due to its proximity to the yosemite valley, it. Moist and myself decided to hitch from roads end in kings canyon to yosemite for some bumming around the touristinfested wilderness and to. Clouds rest hike of the yosemite national park is not as popular as the other hikes like the half dome. Be prepared for rapidlychanging weather conditions.
From yosemite valley you take the same trail as if you were going to half dome. Youll have to haul water up from the earlier sources but i thought it was more than worth it. Clouds rest is a large granite dome on the rim of yosemite valley, and its summit grants one of the best views in the entire park. Pdf files and external links will open in a new window. I also used to think i could hike just fine without a pair of hiking poles, which i considered the requisite sign of bad knees and getting old. My last hike in yosemite was in april almost ten years ago. See yosemite national parks iconic natural wonders on this convenient minibus tour that saves time and energy.
Hug the eastern edge of the mountainside and muscle your way through the 500foot climb to the summit. This table gives the weather forecast for clouds rest at the specific elevation of 3025 m. Washed my feet with soap and got into the tent right before 9pm. This backpacking loop itinerary startsends within the famous yosemite valley in yosemite national park and traverses several of the highlights within the park. Clouds rest and sunrise lakes yosemite hiking the world. Clouds rest map pdf approximate elevation profile for the clouds rest hike. We begin our trek along the shores of beautiful tenaya lake at an already high elevation of 8149 feet. If you do not have the half dome permit but you still want to witness the great views and in fact look down upon the half dome, clouds rest hike from yosemite.
It has panoramic views of the high country and westward views down the valley passing by illilouette and nevada falls. This is a strenuous, no joke hike though, so dont take it lightly if you choose to undertake it. The plan is to wake up before sunrise and hike half dome to watch the sun rise and then hike back to camp and rest a bit before packing our stuff and hiking up clouds rest and. The clouds rest trail winds its way through wildflowercovered meadows, forests and rocks before it starts the steep switchbacking at times stair step climb. As with all backcountry trails in yosemite, you can camp anywhere, so long as youre 100 feet off the trail. Download a free copy of the official yosemite national park map before your yosemite vacation. However, half dome needs a permit which has to be obtained via a lottery. While it is possible to hike from yosemite valley up to the summit of clouds rest, the strenuousness of the 16mile round trip with 6000 of elevation gain will discourage all but the strongest hikers. However, the park forbids camping within 100 feet of the trail, and since 100 feet from the trail on the clouds rest summit ridge means somewhere down the severe slopes. Yosemite highlights loop yosemite national park 40 mile. The most direct route is from the sunrise lakes trailhead on tioga road near tenaya lake.
I used the tent rain fly even though it was warm and it wasnt going to rain. Clouds rest is a mountain in yosemite national park east northeast of yosemite village, california. Clouds rest and the lembert dome yosemite national park. Little yosemite valley is the half way from the trailhead to clouds rest. Hike clouds rest to half dome, tenaya lake trailhead. This trail remains popular as a day hike despite its difficulty and vertigoinducing exposure on the domes sloping spine. Sitting at over 1,000 feet above half dome, clouds rest is one of the quintessential hikes in all of yosemite national park. This is a peak at 9,930 feet elevation that provides great views of half dome and yosemite valley. View of the clouds rest peak as seen from tuolumne meadows the peak on the left. John muir writings the yosemite by john muir forward to chapter 1 contents title page 1. Leaving the parking area at the west end of tenaya lake, cross the lakes outlet can be deep in spring, dry by late summer. While it was very spectacular, the snow left from elninio made it anything but easy.
This looked on the map and from the guidbooks like a spectacular and relatively easy backpack. Starting in yosemites high country, this trail will take you to the top of clouds rest 10,000ft and to the top of half dome 9,000ft. On the first day, we hiked the popular trail up to clouds rest. Clouds rest hike, yosemite national park life travel. The valley to clouds rest by mac 10 comments after skipping out on our sierra high route attempt, mr. Clouds rest is a mountain in yosemite national park, california. If youre looking for arguably the best view of the valley, hiking clouds rest in yosemite will certainly fit the bill. Half dome to clouds rest im gonna be in the hsc backcountry next month and on one of the nights i plan to camp near the junction of the jmt and the clouds rest trail. Clouds rest via sunrise lakes trail outdoor map and guide. Along the way you will get 360 degree views of never ending granite, hike through high elevation forests, and cool.
If youre looking for a yosemite map, youve come to the right place. It is the iconic vision of the american west, exceptional enough to garner unabashed affection from ol john muir. Campsite at clouds rest trail junction campsite at clouds rest trail junction. You may feel a temptation to set up camp along the summit ridge of clouds rest, and there are a handful of bivy sites that look particularly promising. This destination is much more desirable than half dome because you dont need to win the lottery to hike to it and its views surpass those of half dome. Wa clouds rest emeri 9 c r e e k s w e k c h e r r y lak l maxwel c r e e k e s scho. Watkins and slopes of clouds rest the half dome, clouds rest beyond the three brothersthe lefthand one, eagle peak, is the highest. Our advanced weather models allow us to provide distinct weather forecasts for several elevations of clouds rest. Clouds rest, yosemite l clouds rest hike l 10adventures.
667 1084 1145 544 748 1218 932 1407 181 812 1213 1438 1080 744 1212 828 807 282 280 1324 93 553 1443 323 1090 458 377 151 1330 949 635