Indian Arch Trail

Indian Rock Arch is the only natural granite arch in Yosemite National Park — likely the only one in the entire Sierra Nevada — and the trail to it starts from the Porcupine Creek Trailhead on Tioga Road, not from the Valley floor. Most hikers pair the short spur to the arch with a longer push to North Dome, turning a modest side-trip into a full day on the ridge.

Getting There

From the trailhead, the route crosses Porcupine Creek within the first mile, then climbs through mixed-conifer forest and a grassy meadow before reaching a ridge. Indian Rock sits about 2.6 miles in, with a final 0.3-mile spur off the main trail to the arch itself — a granite span roughly 20 feet wide and just 1.5 feet thick at its narrowest point.

Combine It With North Dome

Very few hikers stop at the arch alone. Continuing on to North Dome brings the round trip to roughly 9–10 miles with around 2,000 feet of elevation gain, and rewards the climb with a rare head-on view of Half Dome, plus Clouds Rest and Glacier Point across the canyon. Because the trailhead sits on Tioga Road, this hike is only possible in the warmer months — the road closes with the first heavy snow and doesn't reopen until spring plowing finishes.

Start early and pack layers: there's no shade on the exposed ridge sections, and afternoon thunderstorms build fast in summer.