Rockslides Trail

Rockslides Trail is not an NPS-built path — it's an unofficial, unmaintained route that experienced backcountry hikers use to reach Yosemite Valley's North Rim straight from the Valley floor. It leaves from a roadside marker known locally as "V7," then climbs an enormous talus field left by rockfall off the Valley's north wall before meeting the North Rim Trail near Eagle Peak. Most hikers loop back down via the Yosemite Falls Trail, for a round trip of roughly 16 miles and about 5,600 feet of elevation gain.

Not a Casual Day Hike

There's no built tread through most of the talus — you're routefinding across boulder fields, and losing the line is common. Rockfall is a real, ongoing hazard on this slope, and the exposure only gets more serious the higher you climb. This is a route for hikers with genuine cross-country navigation skills and scrambling experience, not a first Yosemite outing.

Good to Know

• Trailhead: the V7 roadside marker along Yosemite Valley's north side road
• Typical loop: up the talus via Rockslides Trail, over to Eagle Peak, down the Yosemite Falls Trail
• A gentler approach to the North Rim starts from Tamarack Flat, skipping the talus field entirely
• Conditions on rockslide terrain change — check current park advisories before you go