Sep 10, 2024 · Rising nearly 5,000 feet above Yosemite Valley and 8,800 feet above sea level, Half Dome is a Yosemite icon and a great challenge to many hikers.

Half Dome is a quartz monzonite batholith at the eastern end of Yosemite Valley in Yosemite National Park, California. It is a well-known rock formation in the park, named for its distinct shape. One side is a sheer face while the other three sides are smooth and round, making it appear like a dome cut in half.

Jan 16, 2025 · In this guide, I will cover everything you need to know in a simple and step-by-step way. I'll help you prepare, conquer your fears, bag the summit, and have a great time in the process. How long is the Half Dome hike? The most popular route to Half Dome and back is 17 miles, and typically takes between 9 and 12 hours.

It's 16 miles round trip with a fair amount of elevation gain. You need to be in pretty good shape to do this and unafraid of heights - but the views are worth it! A pair of cables ascends the eastern side of Half Dome attached to steel poles inserted into the rock every 10 feet.

Yosemite’s Half Dome hike combines its most iconic attraction and most prestigious hike. Half Dome’s uniquely identifiable face stands proudly over the eastern end of Yosemite Valley. The trail to Half Dome from Yosemite Valley is an extremely steep and …

Half Dome is considered one of the best hikes in Yosemite National Park. It also ranks among the most famous trails in the US. Etched into the stunning canvas of California’s Sierra Nevada mountains, Half Dome is recognized for its sheer granite face and the iconic (and nerve-wracking) steel cables you must climb to reach the summit.

Half Dome is one of the most well-known rocks in Yosemite, perhaps even in the entire United States. Its sheer face gives it the appearance of being a large rock that’s been cut in half – hence the name Half Dome.

Once deemed “perfectly inaccessible” by California state geologist Josiah Whitney in 1869, Half Dome is now a highly sought-after destination—so much so that the National Park Service limits access to 300 hikers per day. If you’re eager to join their ranks, this guide will help you prepare for an enriching, safe, and successful journey.

The most well-known rock formation in Yosemite National Park (perhaps even the United States), Half Dome is one of the most sought after climbs for hikers and rock climbers alike. Half Dome rises 4,737 feet above Yosemite Valley at an elevation of 8,844 feet above sea level. We’ve got some tips for how to get there via our Half Dome Hike page.

Mar 6, 2024 · The Half Dome hike is the single most epic hike in California’s Yosemite National Park, with a thrilling and scary cables section at the end of the trail that leads you to panoramic views of the entire Yosemite valley!