We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Your trips are legit! Experience one of the best view points in Yosemite National Park on a guided backpacking tour to the summit of Clouds Rest with Discovery Treks.Towering over competing peaks in the area at a stellar 9,930 ft of elevation, Clouds Rest offers the best 360 degree panorama views of Yosemite National Park that you will likely ever see. The main advantage of Clouds Rest is its proximity to the valley and great 360-degree views of the park. dang. We spent most of the afternoon lazing by the river, washing our laundry, making some lunches, and falling into food coma. from Tuolumne seems like an easier trek. Thankfully, the neighbors weren’t of the raucous, party-till-the-wee-hours type; being backpackers, most of the campground was snoring by 10 pm and off on their all-day hikes by 8 am. Clouds Rest is a great hike if you are unable to secure a permit for Half Dome or if you are looking for a longer trail with more elevation gain. We ended up waking up at 1:30 am to start the hike up to Half Dome from Little Yosemite Valley. Once I was on the JMT, I … This wasn’t too big a deal since we had decided to go with day packs allowing us to travel at a much quicker pace. Created / Published New York : Underwood & Underwood, publishers, c1902. We actually prefer the view with Clouds Rest in front and Half Dome beside. Enjoy spectacular panoramic views including Yosemite Valley and Little Yosemite Valley from Clouds Rest. From Little Yosemite Valley, the trail to Clouds Rest ascends over 4,500 feet of elevation in just under 5 miles. Distinct Landmarks, like Cathedral Peak, Tenaya Lake, Sentinel Dome and Mt. LYV campground is at about 6000 feet level. From this point, you will be under constant tree coverage until you break treeline around nine thousand feet several miles up the trail. Learn how your comment data is processed. i think we’ll do it — curious, roughly how long did the end to end take you (minus nap time ). Little Yosemite Valley to Clouds Rest (Saturday, March 24) We got on the trail a little after 7:30AM, a tad later than planned. Many famous Yosemite landmarks must be overcome in order to ascend Clouds Rest. First day hiking will be Happy Isles to Little Yosemite Valley with a side trip to Half Dome. Adventure Details. Clouds Rest is a mountain located in Yosemite National Park, northeast of Yosemite Village. The back end of Cloud's Rest appears to the west. Download file: Clouds_Rest.gpx The Trail-Happy Isles to Little Yosemite Valley The Lip of Nevada Falls. On another weekend, in another summer, backpacking from Tenaya to The Valley would be a fun path to travel. The Valley provides access to nearby destinations such as the back side of Half Dome, Clouds Rest and the High Sierra Camp at Merced Lake. From this point, you will be under constant tree coverage until you break treeline around nine thousand feet several miles up the trail. In some ways, Clouds Rest is more like the final boss of Yosemite Valley Day Hikes. It’s like the Emperor to Half Dome’s Darth Vader. Early on in the hike, there are some watery obstacles. After our “rest” break, we packed up and descended through the burned out and gross upper reaches of Little Yosemite Valley. But the real amenity of Little Yosemite Valley was a short stroll down a dirt path, past the campground, past the restrooms, and into the crystal clear waters of the Merced River. Garden Betty independently selects products to feature on this site. I’ve hiked nearly every trail in the park, and I know what gear is needed, and what you can leave behind. The New York Public Library Digital Collections. It can be reached from either Tioga Rd (see below) or Yosemite Valley. I'm going to yosemite for 5-6 nights in August. Yosemite Valley, Tuolumne and the High Sierra was in view. Approximate elevation profile for the Clouds Rest hike. Sunrise Lakes –> Clouds Rest –> Little Yosemite Valley –> Happy Isles; After faxing in my reservation request (if you’re not familiar with the permit requirements, visit here, we were lucky to get permits starting at May Lake, but without Half-Dome permits. Cloud’s Rest is a fitting name for a such a high point. I remember seeing a lot of people coming down from Half Dome and I wondered how they were going to make it back to Yosemite Valley in time. The Clouds Rest Trail winds its way through wildflower-covered meadows, forests and rocks before it starts the steep switchbacking (at times stair step) climb. It makes for a tough hike up, but an even more brutal trek back down the same route. From LYV the next day go to Clouds Rest Little Yosemite Valley to Clouds Rest and the Middle of Somewhere. . Clouds Rest hike Clouds Rest hike stats. I’d take heed, if I were you. I'm going to yosemite for 5-6 nights in August. After our “rest” break, we packed up and descended through the burned out and gross upper reaches of Little Yosemite Valley. Clark (11,250 ft.), Sierra Nevada Mountains, Cal. The only way to properly prepare for such a varied trail is to ensure that you have all the gear you need before you begin your hike. Like the Mist Trail, Half Dome, and the entirety of the John Muir Trail, the hike to Clouds Rest has humble beginnings at Happy Isles. The eye is drawn downstream- through the U-shaped valley. Such low traffic is likely due to the relative obscurity, and difficulty of the hike, but I found it surprising nevertheless. Instead of taking a rest day between hiking, climbing, and housekeeping (like I should have) I pushed myself to get up to Cloud’s Rest. Click the Banner Below to see our Highest Rated Hiking Gear! The route has a peak elevation of 9,900 feet (atop Clouds Rest) and you climb roughly 9,000 vertical feet over the course of the ~40 mile trek. Summit both Half Dome and Clouds Rest on this guided backpacking trip! Summary Three people lounging on rocks overlooking valley. Let me tell you, I couldn’t my drop my backpack and strip to my skivvies fast enough! I was really taking my sweet time. This is definitely the way to do Half Dome! Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Not for the inexperienced, the frail, or the faint of heart. Throughout it’s length and climb, hikers will encounter just about every type of terrain that Yosemite has to offer-from the tourist choked valley floor, to High Sierra Alpine conditions. It ends in Yosemite Valley. After a kneecap-busting, ball-of-the-foot-breaking descent of nearly 4,000 feet, the Merced looked like Shangri-La. After all, the secret to a good life is... Read more ». flower. Clouds Rest is the largest exposed piece of granite on Earth. Like the Mist Trail, Half Dome, and the entirety of the John Muir Trail, the hike to Clouds Rest has humble beginnings at Happy Isles. This warning goes doubly for Clouds Rest hikers, where the elevation gain, difficulty, and exposure is more intense than the Half Dome Cables Route. It’s mind-boggling to picture myself as an even tinier dot traversing those ridges just a few days ago. My whole day was spent on the trail, and I counted only one other hiker heading up to Clouds Rest. Yosemite > Forum > . Dana. The Vernal Falls Bridge, Merced River in Little Yosemite Valley, and a spring along the trail. We descended easily on a series of gradual switchbacks until we were halfway down, deep in the woods, when whoever had built the trail seemed to just dig in his shovel and say, Screw it, let’s get this over with and make the trail go straight down. Distinct Landmarks, like Cathedral Peak, Tenaya Lake, At the top, it is 4,000 vertical feet to the bottom of Tenaya Canyon (in case you’re interested, yes there are indeed, that ascend the northern face of Clouds Rest). I was high enough to. (Look closely and you’ll spot him behind the tree.). After a mile, the JMT split off from the more popular Mist Trail that went down to Vernal Fall. West of Cloud’s Rest, the trail was wide open, lightly traveled, and had views of Half Dome at every turn. We got a bit spread out at this part, with Miles and Max trudging ahead quickly, me getting distracted by photographing every. Experience one of the best view points in Yosemite National Park on a guided backpacking tour to the summit of Clouds Rest with Discovery Treks.Towering over competing peaks in the area at a stellar 9,930 ft of elevation, Clouds Rest offers the best 360 degree panorama views of Yosemite National Park that you will likely ever see. Looks like it was a great time. It was 7 miles … Finding God and Going Off-Grid: Salvation Mountain and Slab City, Epic Yosemite: Sunrise Lakes to Cloud's Rest. The Clouds Rest Hike marks my first foray into vlogging. My initial plan had me following the Mist Trail into Little Yosemite Valley, past Half Dome, and over the summit of Clouds Rest, all one day one. These cookies do not store any personal information. Far fewer people on the trail to Clouds Rest-great for Introverts! These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Including water breaks, photo opportunities, and rest stops, it took me about 5 hours to reach the summit. Oh, and if you happened to not score a Half Dome Permit from the pre-season lottery, there are still other ways to get yourself to the top of Half Dome. Hiking JMT in August and really want to get to Clouds Rest but hate backtracking. Yosemite > Forum > . Once past Nevada Falls, take the John Muir Trail into Little Yosemite Valley. Extreme! Sunrise Lakes –> Clouds Rest –> Little Yosemite Valley –> Happy Isles; After faxing in my reservation request (if you’re not familiar with the permit requirements, visit here, we were lucky to get permits starting at May Lake, but without Half-Dome permits. Many of these parties were packing overnight gear-opting to spend a night between Tuolumne and Yosemite Valley. Whitney. Start out at the Tenaya Lake Trailhead , where you can head directly onto the trail for Clouds Rest or … History Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. We also got Half Dome permits because we want to take 3 kids up the cables. The Valley provides access to nearby destinations such as the back side of Half Dome, Clouds Rest and the High Sierra Camp at Merced Lake. Hiking Half Dome is an unforgettable experience, but I’d choose Clouds Rest any day of the week, if only for the solitude. The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Photography Collection, The New York Public Library. In fact, I paused many, many times on this hike. Would I miss much on the JMT by taking the Clouds Rest trail to Sunrise Lakes then onto Cathedral lakes? I want to stop at Clouds rest on the way. To help you decide on which hike is best for your Yosemite trip, I’ll lay out the advantages and disadvantages of each trail. CalHotels.US Lowest Hotel Rates Guaranteed. The view was almost heavenly. over little Yosemite Valley to Mt. A hike in from Tioga Road to the north makes for a more reasonable day … The northwest face, mostly solid granite, rises 5,000 feet (1,520 m) above Tenaya Creek. Geographically, Clouds Rest lies in the center of nearly every interesting feature in Yosemite. Just to be safe, I recommend filling up here. CalHotels.US Lowest Hotel Rates Guaranteed. The jaunt from Cloud’s Rest to Little Yosemite Valley isn’t particularly difficult; and in fact for the first mile or two, we skipped happily down the trail, our backpacks several pounds lighter, eager to hit the campsite early and float in the river all day. Let it be known that Clouds Rest might have the best napping spots. Alternatively, you can use a 9.4-mile hike by way of the Happy Isles trail out of Little Yosemite Valley. My time in the park was drawing to a close, and I really wanted to bag this peak-both for myself, and for the readers of, I awoke some minutes later, better rested, to find that I was on top of the world. The last mile zigzagged up Cloud’s Rest and offered expansive views over the valley. Both are excellent hikes, each presenting their own unique challenges. Before I knew it, I was asleep. In fact, I paused many, many times on this hike. Although there are many peaks in the park having far greater elevation, Clouds Rest's proximity to the valley gives it a very high degree of visual prominence. El Parque Nacional de Yosemite está abierto para aquellos con reservas que comienzan el jueves 11 de junio. Having just gotten back from making partial loop of the, my hiking muscles were still recovering. Clouds Rest is more commonly approached from Tenaya Lake (you can read more about that hike here). All the glacier-carved wonder of Little Yosemite Valley and the surrounding peaks unfolds at the top of Clouds Rest (9,926 ft.). Clouds Rest is a massive granite peak just northeast of Half Dome.The peak can be seen from Yosemite Valley, and at 9,930 ft. is about 1,080 ft. higher than the more famous Half Dome.The peak offers excellent views of Half Dome and the surrounding area. Instead of taking a rest day between hiking, climbing, and housekeeping (like I should have) I pushed myself to get up to Cloud’s Rest. Epic Yosemite: Cloud’s Rest to Little Yosemite Valley http://t.co/4IgpR2HUU2 < TY for RT @OrganicLawnDIY, RT @theGardenBetty: Day 5 of our backcountry journey. as a Fun Way to Scratch His Creative Itch. Over the course of 10 miles, hikers gain nearly 5000 feet in elevation. Many who head to Little Yosemite Valley are thru-hikers, intent on making the full 211-mile trip to Mt. There were lots of people already out hiking although it was only a little after 7 in the morning. Timothy started Hike The Planet! This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. We got a bit spread out at this part, with Miles and Max trudging ahead quickly, me getting distracted by photographing every. Answer 1 of 3: Heading out on Wednesday night to stay at LYV Campground for 2 or 3 nights. For casual visitors, it ranks with Half Dome and North Dome as one of the most recommended hikes in the valley and for viewing the valley. The view from the top is among the best in the park-better than from Yosemite Falls, or even Half Dome. My time in the park was drawing to a close, and I really wanted to bag this peak-both for myself, and for the readers of Hike The Planet! The Clouds Rest hike is one of the hardest in Yosemite for a few reasons. Click Here For Yours! The back end of Cloud's Rest appears to the west. And I do mean every turn. Clouds Rest has a thin peak formed as the result of erosion with the height of 9,926 feet (3,025 m). In a perfect world, hiking both would be the ideal option. Over the course of 10 miles, hikers gain nearly 5000 feet in elevation. Contributor Names Underwood & Underwood. All around me was the splendor of Yosemite. https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/clouds-rest-trail-via-tenaya-lake Next segment: Little Yosemite Valley to Half Dome, I'm a plant lover, passionate road-tripper, and cookbook author whose expert advice and bestselling books have been featured in TIME, Outside, HGTV, and Food & Wine. Final Ascent to Clouds Rest - Yosemite National Park 9.24.2011 - Duration: 5:34. "From Clouds' Rest (S.E.,) over Little Yosemite Valley to Mt. South and east, the trail be under constant tree coverage until you break treeline around nine feet! Hiking JMT in August down the same route found at Happy Isles trailhead you will be stored in your only. Around nine thousand feet several miles up the line drawn downstream- through the burned out and gross upper reaches Little! Scenic stay Sunrise Lakes then onto Cathedral Lakes up at 1:30 am start! For their lives, clinging to the trailhead by the River, our... 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The peak on the JMT split off from the trailhead by the rangers, even stopped by for a stroll!