4mile Trail Up From the Valley to Glacier Point and Then the Panorama Trail Back Down Again

Four Mile Trail Hike Guide

In This Guide	Deciding Which Way to Hike the Iv Mile Trail Video & Turn by Turn Directions For the Four Mile Trail 4 Mile Trail Logistics and Shuttles Everything Yous Need to Know To Set up for the Hike
Total Distance (?)	x miles (16.ane km)
Other Options	4.eight miles, 4-five hours uphill, 2-three hours downhill
Hike Fourth dimension	v-8 Hours (Full)
Difficulty (?)	Hard
Total Rising (?)	iv,570 feet (1393m)
Highest Elevation	seven,220 anxiety (2201m)
Fees & Permits	Park Entry Fee
Dogs Allowed	No
Alerts & Closures (?)	Yosemite National Park
Park Phone	209-372-0200
Weather & Forecast	Latest Conditions
Stay Rubber	Copy this webpage link to the clipobard and share with a friend before yous hike. Permit them know when to expect you lot back.
Follow HikingGuy	Monthly Newsletter YouTube Instagram More Options

The Four Mile Trail hike is like a "best of" Yosemite hike. Congenital in 1872 every bit a $ane cost road, the 4 Mile Trail connects the 2 most popular spots in the park, the Yosemite Valley and Glacier Point. Along the fashion upwardly the switchbacks of this applied science marvel, y'all are rewarded with plough afterward turn of breathtaking views of the Yosemite Valley. You'll see El Capitan, Yosemite Falls, One-half Dome, and everything in between. And if y'all hike up, y'all are rewarded with a rest at Glacier Point, probably the most stunning vista in the park.

There are a few ways that the hike can be done: upwardly and down, just upward, or simply downwards. I'll go over the pros and cons of each option in this guide and assistance you work out the logistics for your hike.

Planning Your Four Mile Trail Hike

Before you head out on the Four Mile Trail, consider that hike options so that you don't get stranded.

The Four Mile Trail starts on the south side of Yosemite Valley past the swinging bridge and climbs up to Glacier Point. You lot tin offset the hike from either terminate, but there are some logistics involved on a one-style hike.

The Four Mile Trail connects the Yosemite Valley with Glacier Point. The one-mode hike is about iv.8 miles. If you lot were to drive betwixt the valley and Glacier Indicate, information technology's more than like xxx miles and usually takes at to the lowest degree an hour.

• The easiest way to practise the hike is to start at the lesser in Yosemite Valley, hike to Glacier Betoken, and then hike dorsum downwardly. This is the full hike distance of ten miles outlined in the guide. If ten miles seems long, just call up that Glacier Point offers a snack bar and is a skillful place to rest at the halfway point, and the whole second one-half of the hike is downhill. You can park at the trailhead or take a free shuttle jitney at that place. It's a dandy adventure for the day.
• You can also hike one-way from the bottom upwardly to Glacier Point and then get a ride dorsum down. There are no free shuttle buses from Yosemite Valley to Glacier Point. Your options are to accommodate a automobile shuttle with family or friends, or to hop on a 1-fashion leg of a guided tour bus, which has limited departures and requires a reservation. Even if y'all're not used to hiking 10 miles, walking back downhill from the top is easier than the hassle of a shuttle motorbus in my opinion.
• You lot can take the guided bout coach to Glacier Bespeak (or get dropped off past friends or family), and then hike about 5 miles downhill. This choice makes the well-nigh sense for hikers who desire to feel the Four Mile Trail, merely perhaps don't take the fitness to effort the climb up from the bottom. Doing the hike this style offers a nice tour passenger vehicle ride to Glacier Bespeak and an easy downhill hike back into the Yosemite Valley.

I've included video and turn-past-turn guidance for both directions of the hike.

One thing NOT TO Do is showtime at Glacier Point, hike down, and so hike dorsum upward. The dynamic is like in the Yard Canyon. People hike down much farther than they should considering it'southward like shooting fish in a barrel to go downhill, and then have to plough around and practice a hard uphill to render to the start. Only attempt this if you know what you lot're getting yourself into.

Where Is The Four Mile Trail?

The Yosemite Valley Trailhead is located at:
Four Mile Trailhead, Southside Dr, Yosemite Village, CA 95389

There's parking along Southside Drive, but only in sections marked for the Four Mile Trail, and so please read the signs.

Don't park in the turnoff in front of the trailhead, it's the shuttle bus end.

You can accept the free El Capitan Shuttle Bus from the Yosemite Valley Company'southward Center to the trailhead. The stop is E6, Four Mile Trail.

The Glacier Signal trailhead is, well, located at Glacier Point:
Glacier Bespeak, Glacier Indicate Rd, Yosemite Valley, CA 95389

There's a lot going on at Glacier Point, and finding the trailhead tin can be confusing. The trailhead is on the left one time y'all pass the souvenir store on the fashion to the bodily Glacier Point viewpoint. I accept pictures in the directions below.

Gear for the Hike

This is a "hike hike," and I recommend proper hiking gear if you have information technology. In a pinch, you can go away with fitness clothing. I recommend bringing 2L of h2o for the way up and then refilling at water fountains at Glacier Point. There's also a (seasonal) gift shop at Glacier Bespeak that has all kinds of great bad good stuff like ice cream, snacks, and soda. It's ever been a tradition for me to practice the hike upward, consume some ice foam and enjoy the views, and and so hike dorsum downwardly. After hiking up, you've earned it.

Four Mile Trail Trail Maps

When the Four Mile Trail was start built in 1872, it was a toll route ($1!), so the gradient is consistent, but tough. The trail was modified in the early 1920s to ease the form, and in the process it was extended to 4.8 miles. Add on the stretch of trail to Glacier Point and information technology'southward more like 5 miles ane-manner. Set your expectations accordingly.

Explore Map on CalTopoView a Printable PDF Hike MapDownload the Hike GPX File

The original Four Mile Trail was built by the man the John Muir dubbed "Yosemite's main trail builder," John Conway. Conway surveyed the entire trail route using only a ship'south protractor.

Elevation Profile

Information technology'southward pretty much all uphill from the valley to Glacier Point. Ignore the dip in the eye, it's an anomaly of the topo map.

3D Map

In this 3D view you can encounter how the Four Mile Trail climbs the southern wall of the Yosemite Valley.

Iv Mile Trail Hike Directions

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Video Directions

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Yosemite Valley to Glacier Point

The trail starts right in front end of the shuttle passenger vehicle end, and is well marked.

Continue straight on the path along the valley floor.

Cantankerous over the Valley Loop Trail and go directly.

The trail winds effectually to the right and you're greeted with this very cool 4 Mile Trail sign. From here on out, you're going uphill along the base of Scout Dome (also a great hike).

The lower slopes of the trail are paved.

Go pass the wilderness sign that on this twenty-four hours was vandalized by some filthy animals. You'll run into a few warning signs. Information technology's important to stay on the trail at all times; straying off for that perfect photograph could hateful falling to your decease.

Go through the gates. In the winter the Four Mile Trail is closed.

Afterwards about thirty minutes you'll kickoff getting expansive views west into the Yosemite Valley. This is known equally the "reverse tunnel view" to the west. The regular tunnel view is best seen from Artist Betoken.

The trail continues up through the oak forest. You'll see lots of oak, pine, and cedar on the hike.

The trail winds around to the due north and Upper Yosemite Falls comes into view. The Four Mile Trail has some of the all-time views of the falls in the park.

At about 2 miles in you'll exist able to look downwards and meet all the switchbacks that you've conquered. You can as well encounter the Merced River winding through the valley.

Continue climbing up the switchbacks. Y'all'll laissez passer through some other winter closure gate.

As the trail winds around to the northeast, you'll start getting glimpses of Half Dome.

Just after iii miles you'll come to the junction for Union Indicate. It'south only a few minutes to bank check information technology out.

The trail to Union Point goes through some depression scrub.

And then arrives at the Union Bespeak overlook. More than great views.

Let's go along back on the main Four Mile Trail.

As you laissez passer Spousal relationship Point yous'll get some stunning views of Spotter Stone, a popular climbing spot and subject of a famous Ansel Adams photo.

Proceed going up the concluding few sections of switchbacks as they hug the cliff wall. The trail is e'er wide enough for at least two people to walk past; y'all don't have to squeak by on whatever narrow ledges.

At present that the trail has come around to the northeast side of the valley wall, the views of Half Dome are impressive.

Finally the switchbacks finish and you just have a evidently old uphill department through the forest. The slope here in the concluding mile is non every bit tough as the first four miles of the hike.

One last little uphill department to Glacier Point. At the top of the loma, brand the hard left.

And in an instant you're plunged into a earth of tour double-decker mobs. It'southward always a fleck of a shock to come off the trail into this crowd. But focus on the views…

Once you lot come off the Four Mile Trail, there's a gift shop to your right. If you desire whatsoever snacks, bathrooms, or water, that's the place to get them.

Go along (left from the Four Mile Trail) towards Glacier Bespeak, downwardly the paved trails.

And here you are, Glacier Signal!

Glacier Point to Yosemite Valley

Bank check out the earlier map to pinpoint the trailhead.

Look for the 4 Mile Trail heading downward from the stairs.

Y'all'll see a sign for the Four Mile Trail as you head into the woods to the left.

Here'due south another trail sign. You have 4.4 miles of sugariness downhill in front of you.

Keep hiking by the trail rules sign.

The trail winds its way through the copse.

And soon you lot come out to the side of the ledge and unobstructed views of Half Dome and the Tenaya Valley.

The trail continues to current of air around the ledges.

And every bit you continue you'll get views of Upper Yosemite Falls.

Head down the dozens of switchbacks.

At Wedlock Point, go along downhill to the right. If you lot want to visit Union Indicate, see the earlier directions.

The trail winds its fashion down along the cliff. Although the trail is steep, there are no narrow edges.

You'll see the trail unfold beneath y'all.

Pass through the winter gate.

And y'all'll have more nifty views of Yosemite Falls.

And as yous descend you'll come across El Capitan and the western Yosemite Valley.

Soon the trail goes into the oak forest and the views give way to peaceful greenery.

As you come out of the forest on the valley floor, pass the big trail sign and bear to the left.

Hike straight through at the junction with the Valley Loop Trail.

And here you lot are, the finish of the hike!

This guide last updated on September 18, 2020. Did something change on this hike? If so, please contact me and allow me know. I'll update the guide.

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