Glacier Point Guide
Yosemite Valley is full of amazing views--it's no wonder why it's the busiest part of the entire national park. Of course it looks good from the valley floor, but if you actually want to take a glance into the valley from the top, then you're going to want to make your way to Glacier Point for some seriously jaw-dropping views.
When to Visit
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While possible to hike to Glacier Point no matter what time of the year, for those wanting to take the road, it's generally only open from May through October each year, closing in the winter due to heavy snow. For the status of the Glacier Point road, click here. *Note: the Glacier Point Road will be closed for the entire 2022 season due to road construction, and will only be accessible by hiking the Four Mile or Panorama Trails.
How to Get There
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Glacier Point is most easily reached by the aptly named Glacier Point Road, which turns off from Wawona Road, about 15 minutes away from Yosemite Valley. The road is 16 miles long, and takes about 30 minutes to drive to the end, where there's a large parking area. While regular Yosemite shuttles do not travel to Glacier Point, it's possible to purchase a tickets for a specialty shuttle from the valley up to the top here. For those not interested in driving or shuttling, the long and strenuous Four Mile or Panorama Trails both lead to Glacier Point.
Glacier Point
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Time: 45 - 60 minutes (if driving).
Distance: 16 miles via the Glacier Point Road/9.6 miles roundtrip via the Four Mile Trail/17 miles roundtrip via the Panorama Trail.
Start down the Glacier Point Road, which twists and turns through the forest as it makes it's way to the famous vista--it's about a 30 minute drive to the main view point. About one mile before that though, you'll want to pull off at the parking lot for Washburn Point, which provides one of the first great views from up here: Half Dome is a commanding presence on the left, and beneath it to the right both Vernal and Nevada Fall of the Mist Trail are easily visible.
Washburn Point with views of the waterfalls found along the Mist Trail.
Continue from Washburn point down the road for another mile, which descends and snakes it's way down to the parking lot for Glacier Point--it's a large lot, but if visiting in the summer, don't be surprised to find it nearly full. You'll find bathrooms here, as well as the seasonally-open Glacier Point gift shop too.
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From the gift shop, following the trail directly ahead and slightly uphill--it's a five minute or less walk, and then you're greeted with a spectacular, sweeping view rising over 3,200 feet above Yosemite Valley: Half Dome, the Mist Trail, Camp Curry, Yosemite Falls and a lot more are easily visible from up here. The longer you look, the more famous features of Yosemite Valley you'll be able to spot.
Take your time to walk along the short trail and take in the views--or stick around for sunset, there might not be a better place in the park to catch it. The sun actually sets opposite of Glacier Point, but the dramatic golden hour alpenglow on Half Dome is a sight like no other. For star gazers, stick around for after the sunset for some amazing night skies, and a chance to see the milky way during a new moon.
Once you're done taking in the views, it's probably time to check out the rest of Yosemite National Park (assuming this wasn't your last stop), and now that you've seen the valley from above, it's time to check it out from below--for things to do in Yosemite Valley and beyond, check out my complete guide to the park here. If Half Dome has caught your eye and you're curious how to get to the top of one of Yosemite's most famous features, click here for my guide on how to hike to the top.
Half Dome near the end of the Glacier Point Road.
Half Dome from Glacier Point (above) and Yosemite Falls (below).
Sun's last light on Half Dome from Glacier Point.
Yosemite Valley awaits.