Route conditions & updates
Several sections of the Pfiffner Traverse were significantly impacted by wildfires and storms in fall 2020, including both on- and off-trail portions, and both the Primary Route and Section Hikes. These events caused an official area closure by the National Park Service and de facto closures on NPS and US Forest Service lands because of…
Quickstart guide: Laugavegur & Fimmvörðuháls
Gear List: Early-summer
Quick start guide: Hayduke Trail
Read more about and by Sam at Engineered for Adventure. For years I have wanted to explore the American Southwest, with its iconic walls, rock formations, and mesas. But as a college student I’ve always struggled to get out there, due to the summertime heat and aridity. This year, however, record snowpack in the Four…
Trail & Route Comparisons
If you have undertaken a thru- or section-hike of another high route — such as the Sierra High Route, Kings Canyon High Basin Route, Pfiffner Traverse, or Wind River High Route — then the Yosemite High Route will feel familiar. These routes all involve extensive off-trail travel, substantial vertical change, prolonged exposure, and high altitudes. The most…
Link-ups for JMT, PCT, & SHR
The Yosemite High Route intersects with three other popular long-distance trails in the High Sierra: John Muir Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and Sierra High Route. Thru- and section-hikers on these other routes can easily link up with the Yosemite High Route to extend an itinerary, change course, or inject more adventure and challenge. There are…
Thru- and Section-Hike Itineraries
For the fullest experience, the Yosemite High Route is best completed as an end-to-end thru-hike. For most backpackers, however, it will be more practical to undertake the route in more bite-sized pieces. These section-hikes are: More compatible with family and work commitments; Loops, and therefore logistically simpler than point-to-point itineraries; and, Less physically difficult, due to…
Route Overview
This page provides a broad tour of the Yosemite High Route, so that interested hikers can get a better sense for its basic line, terrain, and highlights. For a step-by-step description that is suitable for field use, consult the Yosemite High Route Guide. For an approximate topographic reference, use this map. The heart of the Yosemite…
History
For a brief natural and human history of Yosemite National Park, read: National Park Service: History & Culture; National Park Service: Nature & Science; Wikipedia: Yosemite National Park; and/or, Smithsonian Magazine: John Muir’s Yosemite. For more in-depth reading, consider: Historic Yosemite National Park: The Stories Behind One of America’s Great Treasures, by Tracy Salcedo; and/or Geological…
Approaches to the Core Route
The “best stuff” on the Yosemite High Route spans 94 miles between: Grace Meadow, near the northern park boundary; and the, Base of Quartzite Peak, at the Merced River. Between these two points, expect world-class scenery, engaging navigation, notable (but not contrived) physical challenge, and untrammeled wilderness. Before and after, expect something less, at least…