Sentinel Dome/Taft Point – Yosemite NP - Member Hike
| Hike Name: | Sentinel Dome/Taft Point – Yosemite NP |
|---|---|
| Country: | United States |
| State: | California |
| Nearby Town: | Yosemite, CA |
| Rating: |  |
| Directions: | From the El Portal Entrance, follow hwy 140 to a junction with hwy 41 in Yosemite Valley. Follow 41 south about 8 miles to a left onto Glacier Point Rd. then about 15 miles to the Sentinel Dome/Taft Point trailhead parking area. The only permit required is the one (for $20) to get into the park. |
| Total Hike Distance: | 5.00 miles |
| Hike Difficulty: | Easy to Moderate |
| Permit Required: | Yes |
| Hike Type: | In & Out, Backtrack Hike |
| Hike Starts/Ends: | Trailhead Parking area – Glacier Point Rd. |
| Trails Used: | Sentinel Dome/Taft Point Trails (alternate = Pohono trail) |
| Backcountry Campsites: | No |
| Backcountry Water Sources: | Streams |
| Management: | National Park Service |
| Contact Information: | Yosemite National Park POB 577 Yosemite, CA 95389-0577 Website = http://www.nps.gov/yose/index.htm |
| Best Season: | Spring, Summer, Fall |
| Users: | Hikers |
| Road Conditions: | Primary Paved Roads, Secondary Paved Roads |
| Hike Summary: | These two trails start from the same trail head located on the Glacier Point road about 6 miles East of Bridalveil Creek Campground. Both relatively level and fairly easy – We did Sentinel Dome first – views from the dome were spectacular, of the valley and Half Dome. On top of Sentinel Dome is where a gnarled old pine tree stood that was made famous in one of Ansel Adams’ photographs. It is alive in his photo and, though dead, was still there when we visited in September of 2004. I believe it has since toppled and is now gone. To get to Taft Point you can either backtrack to the parking area and take the 2.2 mile Taft Point Trail from there. It is possible to continue down the hill from the dome, bearing left and hike about 3.5 miles along the Pohono trail, crossing the Sentinel Falls creek and on to Taft Point, returning to the parking lot on the Taft Point trail, thus making this a loop hike, which I think would then make the rating of the hike 'moderate to difficult'. Views of the valley from Taft Point are breathtaking plus there are several interesting deep cracks, or fissures, that extend hundreds of feet downwards near the point. |
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