Rockslides Trailhead

Rockslides Trailhead isn't marked by any sign — it's an unofficial pullout on the Valley Loop Road west of Yosemite Village, at roughly milepost 9, beside a metal gate. From here you're not stepping onto a maintained trail but onto the old, abandoned roadbed of the Old Big Oak Flat Road, the route stagecoaches and early motorists once used to drop into the Valley before the current Big Oak Flat Road opened in 1940.

What the Route Looks Like

The first stretch follows the graded roadbed with early views of El Capitan's granite face rising overhead. About a mile and a half in, a massive 1943 rockslide still buries the old road under truck-sized boulders — hikers pick up a cairned route, scrambling over and around the debris field before rejoining intact sections of roadbed beyond. Continue far enough and the route connects into the North Rim Trail, with access toward Eagle Peak and Yosemite Falls.

Know Before You Go

• Unsigned and unmaintained — there's no trailhead marker, no blazes, and no park maintenance beyond the historic roadbed itself.
• Route-finding required — losing the trail at the rockslide crossing is common; solid navigation skills matter more here than on any signed Valley trail.
• Rockfall risk — the slide zone is active terrain. Avoid the route after rain, when loose rock is more likely to move.

This is a trail for hikers who already know Yosemite Valley's signed routes and want a quieter, more demanding way onto the rim — not a casual afternoon walk.