• View of Half Dome and Washington Column in Yosemite Valley

    Yosemite

    National Park California

Trail Descriptions

The Yosemite Wilderness has over 750 miles of trail. As part of the wilderness experience, a good planning process will enhance both your understanding of the park and your hike, while increasing your enjoyment and safety. Therefore, park rangers will not plan a wilderness trip for you, but will only provide general guidance; you must plan your own trip.

When you have thought about or decided what you want from your trip, you can start planning and researching your hike. A detailed topographic map is a must for any hike. In addition, a good guidebook can help you choose a trip that is right for you. For books and maps, please visit the non-profit Yosemite Conservancy's bookstore. Remember that visiting the Wilderness is an adventure: do not be afraid to explore a new area and discover what wonders it has to offer!

You can find brief descriptions and mileages for trails by downloading this PDF [400 kb]. The trailhead information page has more information about each trailhead.

Additionally, below are links to all of the US Geological Survey 7.5-minute topographic maps that cover Yosemite National Park. Please note that some of these maps are several years old and some information on them may be out of date. Each PDF file is about 10 MB.

 
Map of Yosemite showing topo map areas                                                                              

Did You Know?

Granite Peaks and Clear Lakes in Torres Del Paine NP

That Yosemite National Park has a sister park in Chile? Parque Nacional Torres del Paine is located among the breath taking scenery of Patagonian Chile. Both parks feature remarkable geology, hydrology, flora and fauna--together the staff of both parks work together to share best practices and care for these landscapes so generations of visitors can revel in their stunning beauty.