Yosemite National Park

Pohono Trail

strenuous Experienced HikersPhotographersSolitude Seekers
12.5 mi Distance
Varies Estimated Time
one_way Trail Type

What to Expect

The Pohono Trail is Yosemite's south rim masterpiece — a point-to-point traverse that strings together virtually every iconic Valley overlook like pearls on a cord. Starting from Glacier Point, you'll work westward through dense forest punctuated by jaw-dropping viewpoints: Sentinel Dome's granite crown, Taft Point's vertigo-inducing fissures, Dewey Point's head-on view of El Capitan, and finally the classic Tunnel View panorama. The trail rolls through mixed conifer forest with sustained ups and downs that add up to a serious day despite no single brutal climb. Long stretches between viewpoints feel remote and quiet, a sharp contrast to the circus at Glacier Point. The final descent to Tunnel View drops steeply through oak woodland. This trail rewards hikers who want to earn every single postcard view Yosemite offers in a single ambitious push — and who have the logistics sorted for a one-way shuttle.
Experienced HikersPhotographersSolitude SeekersViewpoint CollectorsPoint-to-Point Trekkers

Safety Advisory

Several viewpoints, especially Taft Point, have unfenced cliff edges with thousand-foot drops — keep well back from edges, particularly in windy conditions or when granite is wet and slick.

This is a one-way trail with no bailout points once you pass Sentinel Dome — if weather turns or you bonk, your only options are to push through or retrace your steps, so commit to this hike only if you're confident in your fitness for a full day.

Trail Details

Distance 12.5 miles round-trip
Difficulty strenuous
Estimated Time Varies
Trail Type one_way
Pets Not allowed
Season Year-round
Trailhead Pohono Trail

Pro Tips

Trail Tip

Hike west to east (Tunnel View to Glacier Point) if you want the grand finale at Glacier Point and a downhill finish, but hike east to west (Glacier Point to Tunnel View) if you want to start high and save the steepest descent for fresh legs — most experienced hikers prefer the classic east-to-west direction.

Trail Tip

Cache water at Sentinel Dome or carry at least three liters — there are no reliable water sources along the ridgeline in late summer, and the exposed viewpoint detours add distance and sweat.

Trail Tip

Budget extra time for the short spur trails to Taft Point and Sentinel Dome — they add maybe a mile total but deliver two of the most dramatic vantage points in all of Yosemite, and skipping them would be like visiting Paris and not looking up at the Eiffel Tower.

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Explore Yosemite National Park

15 campgrounds, 800 trails, 4.1M annual visitors

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