Mt. Hoffmann Trail

The Mount Hoffmann Trail climbs from May Lake to the 10,850-foot summit of Mount Hoffmann, the peak marking the exact geographic center of Yosemite National Park. It's a steep, rewarding day hike — 5.6 miles round trip with roughly 2,000 feet of elevation gain — that trades a gentle warm-up near the lake for a real climb once you pass it.

What to Expect

The first 1.2 miles to May Lake are easy, winding through lodgepole pine forest on a well-graded path — a fine turnaround point on its own if the lake is all you're after. Past May Lake, the trail changes fast: switchbacks through open forest give way to bare granite slabs and a steep, sustained push to the summit. Expect loose rock, sun exposure above treeline, and thinner air — the trailhead alone sits around 8,850 feet. No permit is required for a day hike; only overnight camping in the area calls for a wilderness permit.

The Payoff

From the summit, the view opens across most of the park at once: Half Dome, Clouds Rest, the Clark Range, and the Cathedral Range peaks to the south, with the Tuolumne high country spreading north. Few spots in Yosemite let you see both the Valley rim and the high Sierra crest in the same sweep.

Getting There

The trailhead sits at the May Lake parking area, a short spur off Tioga Road (Highway 120) near Yosemite Creek. Tioga Road is seasonal — typically open from early summer into fall — so the trailhead is unreachable whenever the road is closed for winter.