Pohono Trailhead

Pohono Trailhead sits across Wawona Road from the Tunnel View overlook, at the west end of the 13.8-mile Pohono Trail that runs along Yosemite Valley's south rim to Glacier Point. From the same view that greets most park visitors on their first drive in, the trail climbs into forest along the rim, reaching a string of granite viewpoints that few valley-floor visitors ever hike out to see.

Rim Viewpoints

The trail strings together several named overlooks above Yosemite Valley, each with its own angle on the granite walls below:

• Old Inspiration Point and Stanford Point, closer to the Tunnel View end
• Crocker Point and Dewey Point, both looking straight down into the valley
• Taft Point, near the Glacier Point end, with an optional 0.5-mile spur to the summit of Sentinel Dome

Planning Your Hike

• Full traverse: 13.8 miles one-way to Glacier Point, rated strenuous, typically 8–10 hours, with about 3,400–3,700 feet of elevation gain depending on whether you add the Sentinel Dome spur.
• Shorter options: most day hikers turn back after one or two viewpoints rather than doing the full rim.
• Permits: no permit is needed for a day hike; an overnight wilderness permit, reserved in advance, is required if you're camping along the route.
• Parking: the pullout at Tunnel View is small and fills early on spring and summer days.