Mount Dana

Mount Dana tops out at 13,061 feet just east of Tioga Pass, making it the second-highest point in Yosemite and one of the rare 13,000-foot Sierra summits you can reach without ropes or a climbing permit. The trail gains roughly 3,000 feet over about three miles one way, starting right across from the entrance kiosk at Tioga Pass. It's a hard half-day push, and it pays off with a 360-degree view over Yosemite's high country on one side and Mono Lake and the Nevada desert on the other.

What to Expect on the Trail

This is a use trail, not an official maintained park route — no signs, no switchbacks, no ranger patrols. It crosses an open meadow before climbing steadily through talus and scree, with the tread thinning to a rough scramble near the summit. Route-finding is straightforward in clear conditions but gets tricky fast in fog, snow, or low light.

Before You Go

• Altitude: the trailhead itself sits near 10,000 feet and the summit tops 13,000 feet, so altitude sickness is a real risk even for fit, acclimated hikers.
• Permits: no wilderness permit is needed for a day hike from Tioga Pass — just the standard Yosemite entrance fee.
• Season: only accessible while Tioga Road is open, typically late spring or early summer through the first fall snowfall.
• Weather: afternoon thunderstorms build quickly above treeline — aim to be off the summit well before midday.