Sierra Point

Sierra Point is a granite perch above Happy Isles that delivers a view no maintained trail in Yosemite Valley can match: four of the park's five major waterfalls — Vernal, Nevada, Illilouette, and Yosemite Falls — visible at once from a single spot. The catch is that Sierra Point isn't a maintained trail anymore. A trail crew once kept it up, but it was abandoned and left to erode decades ago, and today the National Park Service does not recommend the route.

What the Route Involves

The old trail starts near Happy Isles on the north side of the Merced River and climbs roughly 800 feet in under a mile — short, but steep. Long stretches of tread have washed out or gone loose, and one section requires low class-3 scrambling where some hikers use an old fixed rope as a handhold. Finding where the trail actually goes is often the hardest part; once you're on it, following it is more straightforward.

Who This Is For

This is a route for experienced, sure-footed hikers comfortable with exposure, loose rock, and off-trail route-finding — not a casual add-on to a Valley visit. Trip reports consistently note the descent is harder than the climb, since loose gravel and stones make footing unreliable heading down.

Before You Go

• There's no official trailhead, signage, or maintenance — you're route-finding on unmarked, eroded ground the entire way.
• Yosemite Valley's granite is notoriously slick, and a fall from this terrain is unforgiving, so treat it with the same caution as any off-trail scramble in the park.
• Go with someone who's done it before if you can, tell someone your plan, and be ready to turn back if the route gets sketchier than expected.