The Pinnacles

The Pinnacles are a cluster of granite spires rising to about 9,495 feet in the high country south of Tuolumne Meadows, part of the same un-glaciated Cathedral Range skyline that includes Cathedral Peak and Unicorn Peak. There's no trailhead sign pointing hikers to its summit — this is a landmark you pass on the way to somewhere else, not a destination you check off, glimpsed from the long backcountry routes that thread through Yosemite's high Sierra.

Where Hikers See It

The Pinnacles come into view along the multi-day John Muir Trail corridor connecting Clouds Rest, Sunrise Lakes, and Cathedral Lake — a demanding loop that starts at Happy Isles and covers roughly 36 miles with nearly 8,900 feet of elevation gain over multiple days. Along the way, hikers pass beneath granite domes and spires, with Half Dome and Cathedral Peak visible in the distance.

A Shorter Taste of the Same Country

If a multi-day traverse isn't practical, the Cathedral Lakes Trail reaches the same glacially sculpted high country in a single day — about 8 miles round trip with roughly 1,000 feet of gain over the first 3.5 miles from Tioga Road. It won't put you at the base of The Pinnacles specifically, but it delivers the same spire-studded alpine scenery in a far more manageable outing.

Good to Know

• No maintained trail leads to the summit — this is a backcountry landmark, not a signed day-hike.
• Any overnight stay in this stretch of Yosemite's wilderness requires a wilderness permit.
• Cell service is nonexistent in this high country — plan routes and check conditions before setting out.