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DIRECTIONS:
From the Arch Road entrance station at Yosemite National Park, drive
east into the park for 4.5 miles to the turnoff for Tioga Road/Highway
120, which is Big Oak Flat Road. Turn left and drive 9.3 miles to
Crane Flat, then turn right on Tioga Road/Highway 120 and drive
30.3 miles to the Sunrise Lakes Trailhead on the south side of Tioga
Road, just west of Tenaya Lake. The hike to Clouds Rest is a high-country trip with spectacular views that rival those atop half-dome, but is less strenuous and much less crowded. Most hikers who get an early start on this 14 mile trail will reach the summit by noon and have the afternoon to hike back down. The
trail begins on the paved, gated road on the southeast side of the
parking lot. Turn onto a dirt trail signed for Sunrise High Sierra
Camp (HSC) and continue to follow the signs for Sunrise HSC. The
most demanding section of the hike is the over near mile 2.8 where
it tops out and you begin to follow the signs to Clouds Rest instead
of Sunrise HSC. The trail continues through a few more steep sections,
over granite slabs, around alpine lakes, and back into the forest
until the trees thin and the landscape becomes more bald and barren.
The final ascent up Clouds Rest’s ridge is frightening, if
not terrifying, for those who are afraid of heights. It requires
careful footing on a stair-step walk up staked granite slabs with
near vertical drop-offs on both sides. The view from the top of
Clouds Rest is breathtaking as it overlooks Tenaya Canyon, North
Dome, Yosemite Valley, Tenaya Lake to the northeast, the Clark Range
to the south, and various peaks and ridges. Many hikers consider
Clouds Rest to have the best view of the park and are surprised
to be at a vantage point looking down on the profile of Half Dome. Reference: |
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Tioga Road Area, Yosemite National Park CLOUD'S REST DISTANCE: 14.0 miles round-trip; 8 hours ELEVATION: Start at 8,150 feet; total change 2,300 feet BEST SEASON: July to October LEVEL: Strenuous CROWDS: Moderate RATING: Five Stars |