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Old Big Oak Flat Road
Yosemite's original 1870s stagecoach road, now a quiet climb above the Valley
About
Long before the modern highway switchbacked down from Crane Flat, stagecoaches climbed into Yosemite Valley on this steep, hand-built grade. Old Big Oak Flat Road traces the park's first real road into the Valley, closed to cars for decades now and left to hikers, offering a quieter way to see the same cliffs the earliest tourists did.
A Road Built by Pick and Shovel
The route began as a mining-era pack trail named for the Gold Rush town of Big Oak Flat, then was graded into a toll road in the early 1870s. Horse-drawn stages worked its tight zigzags for decades before automobiles arrived. When the realigned modern Big Oak Flat Road opened in 1940, this older grade was bypassed and eventually closed to vehicles after rockslide damage made it unrepairable.
Hiking It Today
From the Yosemite Valley side, the classic out-and-back covers about 7.9 miles round trip with roughly 1,800 feet of elevation gain, starting near the Valley Loop Trail off Northside Drive close to El Capitan Meadow. The first mile climbs through the open scar of the 1990 A-Rock Fire with no shade, so pack sun protection and plenty of water. This is not a maintained trail — expect rockfall, downed trees, and rough, washed-out sections rather than groomed tread. In exchange, the old grade delivers open views of El Capitan and Bridalveil Fall that most Valley visitors never see, since so few people hike it.
- Distance: about 7.9 miles round trip (out-and-back) from the Valley trailhead
- Elevation gain: roughly 1,800 feet
- Difficulty: moderate to strenuous
- Access: closed to vehicles; foot travel only, unmaintained tread
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the Old Big Oak Flat Road hike?
The out-and-back from the Yosemite Valley trailhead runs about 7.9 miles round trip with roughly 1,800 feet of elevation gain, typically taking 4 to 5 hours.
Is Old Big Oak Flat Road maintained?
No. It's a historic roadbed rather than an active park trail, so expect rockfall, downed trees, and rough or washed-out sections instead of groomed tread.
Why is it called Big Oak Flat Road if the modern highway has the same name?
This is the original road, first graded as a toll route in the early 1870s and named for the mining town of Big Oak Flat. The paved Big Oak Flat Road drivers use today replaced it in 1940, leaving this older grade as a historic route on foot.
What will I see along the way?
Open views of El Capitan and Bridalveil Fall from the old road grade, plus visible remnants of the original 19th-century roadbed.
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