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Old Inspiration Point
Where an Army party first saw Yosemite Valley in 1851 — now a quiet trail stop
About
Old Inspiration Point sits above and beyond the popular overlook that shares its name, reached by continuing up the Pohono Trail well past where most day hikers turn around. Tradition holds this is the spot where a U.S. Army detachment pursuing Native Americans during the 1851 Mariposa War first laid eyes on Yosemite Valley — years before any road reached the rim. That makes it older than the nearby historic Wawona Road below, which carried stagecoaches and then early automobiles (including Theodore Roosevelt's 1903 visit) until the Wawona Tunnel bypassed it and a 1937 flood left the old grade closed to vehicles for good.
Getting There
The hike starts at the Wawona Tunnel trailhead, in the upper parking area just behind Tunnel View on Highway 41. The first stretch retraces the popular climb to the modern Inspiration Point overlook — steep switchbacks gaining roughly 1,000 feet in about a mile — before the Pohono Trail continues on much quieter tread for several more miles to reach the older site. Plan on a full, sustained climbing effort in both directions.
Why Bother Going Farther
Tunnel View long ago took over as the valley's roadside showcase, and the nearer Inspiration Point overlook draws its own steady foot traffic. Old Inspiration Point sees neither crowd. No vehicle has reached this stretch of the old road since the 1937 flood, and the payoff is history and solitude on a rim that most visitors never walk past the first mile of.
- Trailhead: Wawona Tunnel, behind Tunnel View on Highway 41
- Trail: Pohono Trail, continuing past the modern Inspiration Point overlook
- Difficulty: Strenuous — steep, sustained elevation gain over several miles
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Old Inspiration Point different from Inspiration Point?
Yes. Inspiration Point is the closer, more visited overlook about a mile up the Pohono Trail; Old Inspiration Point is farther along the same trail and predates it, tied to the Army party's 1851 first sighting of the valley.
Where does the hike start?
At the Wawona Tunnel trailhead, in the upper parking area just behind Tunnel View on Highway 41.
How hard is the hike to Old Inspiration Point?
Strenuous. The first mile alone gains roughly 1,000 feet on steep switchbacks, and reaching Old Inspiration Point means continuing well beyond that on the Pohono Trail — a serious out-and-back, not a quick overlook walk.
What history is tied to this spot?
Tradition holds that a U.S. Army detachment pursuing Native Americans during the 1851 Mariposa War first saw Yosemite Valley from here, before any road reached the rim. The historic Wawona Road below later carried stagecoaches and early automobiles until a 1937 flood closed it for good.
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