Glacier Point Trailhead — Attraction in Oakhurst

Glacier Point is a viewpoint above Yosemite Valley in the U.S. state of California. It is located on the south wall of Yosemite Valley at an elevation of 7,214 feet (2,199 m), 3,200 feet (980 m) above Curry Village. The point offers a superb view of several of Yosemite National Park's well-known landmarks, including Yosemite Valley, Yosemite Falls, Half Dome, Vernal Fall, Nevada Fall, and Clouds Rest. Between 1872 and 1968, it was the site of the Yosemite Firefall. The extreme point of the promontory of Glacier Point is wholly bare, but on the slopes below, in the hollow to the west, and on the wooded slope above, glacial material is abundant. Its glacial origin is definitely proved by the presence in it of rocks derived from Little Yosemite Valley and the Sierra Nevada.

There are three types of glacially-deposited rock at Glacier Point:

Most plentiful are rounded boulders and cobbles and angular fragments, all deeply weathered, of Half Dome quartz monzonite, the light-colored granite of which not only Half Dome, but all of the Little Yosemite and its surrounding heights are composed.[1] There are also a few boulders of a coarse-grained, highly siliceous granite, light buff in general tone when fresh but vivid rose when weathered. There is only one place in the High Sierra above the Yosemite from which they can be derived: Mount Clark, the sharp-profiled peak which stands on the east side of the Illilouette Basin, 8 miles (13 km) from Glacier Point.[1] Finally, there are fragments of yellowish quartzite and gray schist whose places of origin have been located on the long northern spur of...

Best kept secret for a Glacier Point starting point day hike! I don't know why more people don't take this right, it's longer for sure, but once passed Rosevelt Point the crowds are scare on the trail heading west (primarily downhill). This area of the south rim is incredible with views you will never forget and show everyone your pictures. Here's the route if you have the time and more energy than a 3-4 mile hike. Start in Glacier Point parking (do NOT start on Glacier Point Rd). Take Sentinel Dome trail to the top of Sentinel Dome. From Glacier Point it should take longer than around an hour to summit. From there you see more than I can mention here, Know this, the views here are all iconic. Including Nevada Fall, Half Dome and Yosemite Fall to name a few. Spend the time you need to satisfy your sudden photo taking addiction. Next, head down the .3 miles to the junction you just came up and head west again. Next stop Roosevelt Point (closest route to the south rim), further down is Taft Point and the Fissures (all in same area). Each stop is stunning and will get the butterflies in your belly going the closer you get to each destination. The hike is moderate on the way down and moderate to strenuous on the way back up. I would estimate the round trip at approximately 7.9...

On Labor Day 2025, hiked from Glacier Point to Taft Point and bagged Sentinel Dome on the way back. Easy to find parking when we got to the trailhead at around 3:45pm. Total hike was around 9 miles with 2200 feet elevation gain, and took us a little less than 4 hours. We were able to get back in time to catch sunset at Glacier Point, and then drive out to Curry Village to stay the night there. The trail is well-maintained and easy to follow throughout. Plenty of opportunities to peek into the valley and get lots of nice photos. Taft Point is a bit lower than the rest of the trail, so you have to ascend a bit to come back from it, but nothing strenuous. Sentinel Dome has vast open space on top, so even with large crowds, it's easy to spread out and move around. Great views of Half Dome from both Sentinel Dome and Glacier Point. We got to the Yosemite entrance just after 2pm, so didn't need a timed entry permit, although we had booked one...