The Half Dome Hike is the most epic hike in Yosemite National Park in California, with an exciting and scary cable section at the end of the trail that takes you to a panoramic view of the entire Yosemite Valley!
Half Dome is usually accessible via the popular Mist Trail, where you can see two large waterfalls, giant sequoias and other landscapes along the Merced River. This is a very difficult and exhausting day hike, so it’s not for everyone, but standing on the Half Dome is a great feat if you can do it.
The Half Dome cable section at the end of the hike is particularly difficult and can be peril if you are not careful. The cable section has required permits since 2010 to keep the track safer and less congested, and these are awarded by lottery.
In this Half Dome hiking guide, you’ll learn how to climb it safely, where to find the Yosemite trailhead, how to get Half Dome permits, and everything else you need to know before you go!
What and where is the Half Dome?
Half Dome is a granite summit located in Yosemite National Park, in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California.
Yosemite Park is located near the center of the state of California, so Fresno, Sacramento, San Francisco and other major cities in the United States, including Las Vegas, Nevada, can be reached by car.
The park is about a 2.5 hour drive from Fresno, 4 hours from San Francisco or 7 hours from Las Vegas.
Half Dome Hike: what to expect
A typical Half Dome hike begins with a very early awakening and a long mountain hike on the Mist Trail, another of Yosemite’s most popular trails.
At the end you will arrive at the Half Dome Cables section, where you will have to climb a steep mountain slope supported by a series of metal cables. This exciting ascent is what puts the Half Dome on many people’s wish list.
The Half Dome cable section should not be underestimated. It’s really scary, and people fell on the cables and died. It’s a safe climb if you’re careful, but I wouldn’t recommend it to everyone.
The following details explain each part of the Half Dome Trail and what to expect. The whole hike is fantastic from start to finish!
Fog Trail vs. John Muir Trail (JMT)
The first decision you need to make is whether you want to hike the Half Dome from the Mist Trail or the John Muir Trail (JMT).
Both use the same starting point in Yosemite and are practically identical in terms of difficulty, although the landscape is slightly different. The Mist Trail is a little shorter than the John Muir Trail, but a little steeper. The two trails merge at the top of the Nevada Falls, then there is only one path to the Half Dome.
Both routes are beautiful. The main considerations are crowds, security and the landscape. I think it’s best to do the foggy trail first on the way up (if it’s not already crowded), then walk down the less crowded and less slippery John Muir Trail on the way back.
It’s safer and more efficient and also gives you a good mix of views and photo shoots.
Of course, you can also walk the Half Dome via the Mist Trail in both directions or the JMT in both directions. In total, this means that there are 4 possible combinations for this section of the hike, each of which works perfectly.
The images in this guide were taken during the day, but keep in mind that things will be a little different if you start the hike early in the morning.
If you have time on another day, I recommend doing a training run from the trail to Nevada Falls to familiarize yourself with the route and terrain before doing it for the Half Dome hike.
