Washington Column

Washington Column rises about 1,800 feet above the floor of Yosemite Valley, its summit topping out at 6,347 feet. It sits east of the Royal Arches, directly behind the Ahwahnee, and its blocky profile — said to resemble the Washington Monument from certain angles — makes it one of the Valley's easiest formations to pick out once you know where to look.

A Climbing Landmark, Not a Trail

There's no hiking trail to the top of Washington Column. It's reached only by technical rock climbing, and it's one of the most storied walls in Yosemite for that reason — sometimes nicknamed the Valley's "Little Big Wall." The South Face (rated roughly 5.7-5.8, with some aid climbing) is a common first big-wall route for climbers stepping up from single-pitch cragging, usually done as an overnight. The East Face holds Astroman, a free climb considered one of the finest and most demanding in the world. If you're not climbing, the appeal here is watching, not summiting.

Where to See It

• The Mirror Lake Trail offers some of the best Valley-floor views of Washington Column, along with Half Dome, Tenaya Canyon, and Mount Watkins.
• You can also spot it from the Ahwahnee grounds and several other points along the Valley loop roads.

Go in spring or early summer if you want Mirror Lake itself to hold water for reflections of the formation — and bring binoculars, since that's also when climbing teams are most active on the walls above.