With so many different trailheads, trip lengths, and sections of Yosemite to explore, it can be a little overwhelming to plan a backpacking trip. So here’s an example itinerary that one my friends (another wine hiker!) and I followed over 3 days.
This example itinerary is for one of the most popular backpacking routes: Sunrise Lakes to Yosemite Valley via Cloud’s Rest and Half Dome. This is a 2-night itinerary with a difficulty rating of difficult.
(Want to know the basics of backpacking in Yosemite? Check out Part 1 of my Guide to Backpacking in Yosemite National Park.)
Day 1: Sunrise Lakes TH to Cloud’s Rest shoulder (or further to Sunrise creek)
Distance: 8 – 10 miles
Elevation Gain: 2800 feet
Elevation Loss: 900-2500 feet
Start by taking the hikers bus from Yosemite Valley to Sunrise Lakes TH on Tioga Road. (Or you can shuttle your own cars if you have more than one.) The first mile of the trail is calm and meanders through the forest.
After about a mile, the trail will start switch backing up a steep hillside. You’ll briefly leave the trees to view some of the Tioga Road majesty you are leaving behind you. The trail will climb about 1000 feet over this mile until you reach the trail junction with Cloud’s Rest.
Here you can continue on to Sunrise Lakes and add an additional evening to your trip and camp near the lakes. Or you can continue on the route via Cloud’s Rest. (Camping at the lakes would require backtracking the next day.) The trail then goes downhill a couple hundred feet before leveling off again.
At the bottom, there is a beautiful pond that is the last good place to filter water until you reach Sunrise Creek near the Half Dome trail junction. For a shorter but harder day, filter water here and pack everything you need for the rest of the day/ night. I carried 4 liters of water from this point, which was just enough.
After the pond, the trail will start to climb again. It’s mellow at first but will really start to gain elevation after the next trail junction. It won’t be long, though, until you can see the high point of the day – Clouds Rest!
There’s one more flat section as you gain the saddle. I’d recommend fueling up here and maybe taking a little break before heading up to the summit.
Towards the top of Cloud’s Rest, there are definitive drop-offs on both sides of the trail. For people with vertigo, it can definitely be a little intimidating. There’s also minor scrambling, depending on the route you take. But even with heavy packs on, we were fine.
SUMMIT! Congrats! You made it to the top of an IMPRESSIVE summit. Spend some time here taking in the views.
Once you’re ready, head down the trail on the other side of the summit. It’s steep at first but quickly changes to nice switchbacks and gets less steep as it regains the tree cover. There’s a nice camping area about 1 mile down from Clouds Rest (1000 feet of loss), but there’s no water.
If you didn’t pack enough water, continue on the downhill trail another 2 miles with about 1700 more feet of elevation loss. Once the trail starts leveling off again, you should be able to hear the stream of lower Sunrise Creek where there are many great camping spots around. (You just have to look for them.)
Day 2: Summit Half Dome! Camp in LYV for the night.
(Stats are dependent on previous night’s camp.)
Distance: 6-8 miles
Elevation gain: 2000 feet (mostly without a pack, hiking Half Dome)
Elevation loss: 2500 – 4200 feet
Start your day filtering water for your Half Dome summit. The Sunrise Creek is the last solid water source until you reach the Merced River near LYV campground.
From the creek, it is an easy 1/2 mile stroll to the junction with the Half Dome trail. Find a good place here to stash your pack. (Remember to store every thing that’s scented–even medications–in the bear vault, separate from your pack.)
With a lighter load, head up the Half Dome trail. After a mile, you’ll be able to see your destination. Find a good spot here to fuel up; the sub-dome and then Half Dome cables await!
The steep climb of the sub-dome is tough (just about as challenging as the cables, in my opinion). The trail climbs about 500 feet here before cresting on the sub-dome where you’ll get a good look at the cables. Don your gloves, take a rest, and then make your way up.
If there are a lot of people going up and down, it will be slow going with frequent traffic jams. Be patient and enjoy the view. Make sure the person in front of you has moved PAST the wood plank before you start moving to it so you don’t get stuck waiting without somewhere to rest. In total, we didn’t have too much traffic, and it took us 20 minutes from the sub-dome to climb the cables (400 feet at a 45% incline).
Once you’ve descended all the way back to the trail junction and picked up your bags, make your way down the John Muir Trail about 1.3 miles (another 1000 feet of loss) to the Little Yosemite Valley backcountry camp.
You’ll see the nice 2nd-story composting toilets that marks the campground area. There is no solitude here. BUT, there are additional bear lockers for putting your things in, nice composting toilets, and . . . a fabulous beach! Claim your camp spot and head a little further past the campground on the trail until you find the beach where you can enjoy a much deserved dip in the Merced River.
Day 3: LYV camp to Yosemite Valley Happy Isles Trailhead
Distance: 3.5 -4.7 miles **
Elevation gain: 0- 300 feet **
Elevation loss: 2100- 2400 feet **
**This depends on if you take the Mist trail the whole way down vs this Mist trail to Clark Point connector and JMT combo.
The final day is pretty much all downhill starting with an easy 1-mile stroll from camp to the top of Nevada Falls. At this junction, I’d recommend taking the Mist trail for closer/ better views of Nevada Falls as you hike down.
Eventually you will reach another junction with a connecting trail that takes you past Clark Point and then down the John Muir Trail. Take this route for beautiful panoramic views of both Vernal Falls below and Nevada Falls above. (Just take a quick 10-minute side trip to the top of Vernal Falls as well.)
Note: This way does add 300 feet of elevation gain to your day, BUT the views were worth it, in my opinion. The descent of the JMT is also switchbacks and is more mellow, which is a welcome reprieve compared to hiking straight down the stairs on the Mist trail. Both are great options though.
Whether you take the Mist trail or the JMT, both will link up again at the Vernal Falls footbridge and then it’s just another 2 miles of a little up and down back to the parking lot. Celebrate with some of the best pizza (literally so good) from Curry Village and a glass of wine at the end!
And that’s it for the 3-day Cloud’s Rest to Half Dome backpacking itinerary. There are many amazing itineraries you can do in the park, though (definitely some easier ones as well). So check out what the park has to offer and start planning an amazing Yosemite NP trip!