Taft Point
What to Expect
Safety Advisory
There are zero guardrails at Taft Point and at the Fissures. The drop is roughly 3,000 feet and the granite can be slippery when wet or sandy. Keep a firm grip on children and stay well back from edges in windy conditions.
The Fissures along the trail are narrow cracks that drop into darkness — some are partially hidden by vegetation. Watch your footing and don't step over cracks you can't see the bottom of.
Trail Details
- 1
Pair this with Sentinel Dome — they share the same trailhead and together make a satisfying half-day outing of about 4.5 miles total with two completely different payoffs.
- 2
Arrive before 9 AM or after 4 PM in summer to snag parking at the small trailhead lot; it fills fast and there's no overflow option nearby on Glacier Point Road.
- 3
The best photo angle of El Capitan is from the rocks just to the left of the main overlook point — you get the full monolith framed against the valley without other hikers in your shot.
