Mono Meadow

Mono Meadow is one of Yosemite's great contrarian hikes — it starts with a steep downhill through a quiet red fir forest, which means you're earning your suffering on the way back instead of the way in. The trail drops roughly the height of a 90-story building through soft duff and loose granite before flattening out into the meadow itself, a peaceful expanse ringed by lodgepole pines where you might have the whole place to yourself. The meadow is pleasant enough, but the real move is to keep walking about a half-mile past it to a granite overlook with knockout views of the Clark Range, Mount Starr King's perfect dome, and Half Dome from an angle most visitors never see. This is a trail for hikers who want Yosemite's iconic scenery without Yosemite's iconic crowds.