Porcupine Creek Trailhead

Porcupine Creek Trailhead sits high along Tioga Road, and it's the starting point for one of Yosemite's best payoff-to-effort day hikes: the 10.4-mile round-trip to North Dome. The trail crosses Porcupine Creek within the first mile, then rolls through mixed-conifer forest before opening onto granite with a straight-on view of Half Dome across Tenaya Canyon.

What to expect

The National Park Service lists round-trip elevation gain at just 580 feet, concentrated on the return leg — this hike feels more like a long walk out and a climb back than a steady grind either way. Plan on 5 to 7 hours. About two-thirds of the way in, a steep 0.3-mile spur breaks off to Indian Rock, Yosemite's only natural granite arch, if you want to add it on.

Getting there and planning

• The trailhead is only reachable by car when Tioga Road is open — typically late May or early June through October or November, depending on snow.
• Parking is limited; arrive early in summer.
• A vault toilet and animal-safe food storage lockers are on site. Pets and bicycles are not allowed on the trail.
• Overnight parking here ends October 15 each year.

Experienced hikers sometimes continue past North Dome and down through the Yosemite Falls Trail into the Valley, turning the day into a point-to-point route instead of an out-and-back — but that adds serious mileage and a long elevation loss, so you'll need a shuttle or a second car waiting at the other end.