Hiking North Dome, Yosemite National Park

North Dome in Yosemite National Park is one of the most underrated views in all of Yosemite. The views of Half Dome smack hikers right in their face, the sheer cliffs and views into the valley are unmatched by nearly every other spot in the park, and the crowds are relatively small on this large dome viewpoint. Here’s everything you should know about this awesome hike.

 

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Difficulty – Intermediate
Distance –8.72 Miles Round Trip (14.03 km)
Height – 7,467 feet (2275.94 m)
Elevation gain –1,995 Feet (608.08 m)
Duration – 5-6 hours round trip
Hike Class: Class 2
Trailhead Location – Porcupine Creek Trailhead (8,117)
Dogs – Not allowed

 

Need To Know Information

• A permit is required to enter Yosemite at many parts of the year: https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/permitsandreservations.htmhttps://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/arp/recarea/?recid=8080
• Additional permits are not required to hike this trail unless hikers are spending the night at tent sites above, or are hiking to half dome.
• You can hike to North Dome year round, but there are road closures to take into account that would require hikers to hike from the Valley in winter, making this a long hike. Routes are described below. The road closure information can be found here.

Trail Map

Download GPX Here

 

Routes

The main route to North Dome is from Tioga Road, which is closed in winter often until late May or June. This route is significantly shorter than the alternative necessary when the road is closed.

 

North Dome From Tioga Road

Distance: 8.72 Miles Round Trip (14.03 km)
Elevation Gain: 1,995 Feet (608.08 m)

Starting at the Porcupine Creek Trailhead, hikers begin several hundred feet higher than North Dome, so they begin descending for about a mile before gradually ascending a little before a mile into the hike. Hikers turn left to head towards Indian Arch and Indian rock (a cool detour) but follow signs towards North Dome. Hikers will reach a trail junction above North Dome with the end of the hike in sight. From here they will drop a steep portion of trail down to the dome outcrop with incredible views. This drop is about 750 feet.

Hikers are rewarded with pretty incredible views just about the entire hike, but the majority of the elevation gain is on the way back to Tioga road. (About 640 feet of incline to North Dome total, and about 1,355 feet of total incline on the way back.)

 

North Dome From Yosemite Falls Trailhead

Distance: 14.88 Miles Round Trip (23.95 km)
Elevation Gain: 7,565 Feet (2305.81 m)

This is not the recommended route due to the very long hike required for a single day. That being said, it can be done, or this is an amazingly awesome starting point, or end point for an overnight trip (if you get wilderness permits).

This is probably the most efficient way to get to North Dome if Tioga Road is closed.

 

Hiking in Winter

Refer to trail closures and winter hiking info here.

 

Camping Information

Nearby lodging and campground information can be found here.

And getting backcountry/wilderness camping permit info can be found here.

 

Weather

Here is a detailed weather forecast for the area:

Yosemite Valley, CA

Tonight
Mostly clear. Low around 23, with temperatures rising to around 25 overnight. Wind chill values as low as 19. East northeast wind around 5 mph.

Friday
Sunny. High near 50, with temperatures falling to around 48 in the afternoon. Wind chill values as low as 18. South wind 0 to 5 mph.

Friday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 29. Wind chill values as low as 25. Northeast wind around 5 mph.

Saturday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 55. Northwest wind around 5 mph.

Saturday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 32. South wind around 5 mph.

Sunday
A chance of rain after 5pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 52. South southwest wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Sunday Night
A chance of rain before 11pm, then rain and snow likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 25. Southwest wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of 3 to 5 inches possible.

 

Directions

Directions to Mist Trail Trailhead:

Directions to Yosemite Falls Trailhead:

 

Additional Pictures