Must do. Is it as scary as Half Dome? Clouds Rest is among the hardest of the classic Yosemite day-hikes. Make sure to take in the view as you gain elevation on your way up to Sunrise Lakes. Clouds Rest Hike. Clouds Rest hike of the Yosemite National Park is not as popular as the other hikes like the Half Dome. Higher than Half Dome, so you can see farther down the Valley and up into the high country. Clouds Rest sits just shy of 10,000 feet and offers incredible 360 views of Yosemite park and it's more well-known brother making it a worthy 6-mile hike. Hi there! It can be reached from either Tioga Rd (see below) or Yosemite Valley. Hike Summary: Take the Sunrise Lakes trail from Tenaya Lake. Hiking to Clouds Rest from Yosemite Valley may just be the most difficult day hike in the whole park. Although a popular destination, Clouds Rest is still far less sought after than Half Dome and the hike to its summit is quieter than the trails in Yosemite Valley. Camping Photography Backpacking Hiking Forest River Scenic Wildflowers Wildlife Swimming Hole Go Pro. At approximately 2.5 miles, the trail makes a steep climb up approximately 700 ft. to a trail junction - follow the marked trail to Clouds Rest. Worth the push. We begin our trek along the shores of beautiful Tenaya Lake at an already high elevation of 8149 feet. On the first day, we hiked the popular trail up to Clouds Rest. With no water source near the summit of Cloudâs Rest, we needed to bring enough water for our hike in, that eveningâs dinner, the next morningâs breakfast, and the next afternoonâs hike out. It's a tough uphill route, particularly between Tenaya Lake and the crossroads to Sunrise Lake, but absolutely worth the push. We get up for an early breakfast and prepare our day packs for the long guided hike ahead of us. Aug 23, 2014 Lisa Roach. Light smoke from the early days of the Rim Fire. It's a moderate hike if you start from Little Yosemite camping. save hide report. Yosemite Valley to Clouds Rest. Over the course of 10 miles, hikers gain nearly 5000 feet in elevation. Clouds Rest offers the best viewpoint in Yosemite National Park, and is reached by a 7 mile hike along the Sunrise and Forsyth Trails starting from the Tioga Road near Tuolumne Meadows Husband and 17 year old daughter were planned ng on Clouds Rest June 15- IF Tioga Rd is open, how snowy/icy does this hike get? Summit both Half Dome and Clouds Rest on this guided backpacking trip! It is 7.5 miles to the top of Clouds Rest. Round-trip day hike. 07/15/2021 - ⦠The summit can be reached by a 7.2-mile (11.6 km) trail hike from Tioga Pass Road or a 13-mile (21 km) trail hike from Happy Isles by way of Little Yosemite Valley.There are also several technical routes available. I will be hiking Clouds Rest next Monday with my boyfriend and friends. Geography. Backpack: Clouds Rest Through-Hike This challenging, three-day, 17-mile through-hike from Tenaya Lake to Yosemite Valley features jaw-dropping views, including from the summit of Clouds Rest. This was an out & back hike totaling 12.8 miles and 2,645 Ft of total ascent. One of the most stunning sights in California is a day hike away from the trailhead at Tioga Pass. The last bit is fun going across a narrow ridge. While it is possible to hike from Yosemite Valley up to the summit of Clouds Rest, the strenuousness of the 16-mile round trip with 6000' of elevation gain will discourage all but the strongest hikers. Clouds Rest via Tenaya Lake. These are two of the most spectacular and famous peaks in Yosemite National Park. If you are reading this page, chances are you are going to hike Clouds Rest and you have fear of heights. We have created a list below of some potential routes for your hike. Great 14 mile hike with fantastic views of the park. Itâs the worthwhile destination of this hike, but the entire day is spectacular. Strenuous hike, but amazing 15mi Jul 30, 2016 Ryan Stenson. A hike in from Tioga Road to the north makes for a more reasonable day hike ⦠Since the hike starts and ends at the serene Tenaya Lake, we recommend having a post-hike picnic and beer at the lakeside. Youâll start on Tioga Road at the west end of Tenaya Lake (Sunrise trailhead), and begin the hike with a view of the lake on the left. Clouds Rest (3025 m) has probably the best view of Yosemite Valley, and a view that includes Half Dome (unlike the ugly view from Half Dome that has the parking lot as its main feature). A fantastic, difficult, hike in Yosemite National Park, beginning in the Sunrise Parking Trailhead at Tenaya Lake and culminating in Clouds Rest peak with amazing view of Half Dome, the Yosemite Valley, and the wilderness all around us. Few peak-bagging efforts begin with a photographing frenzy, but this 6-mile hike to Clouds Rest starts right off with can't miss photo-ops. about 4 years ago. Our hike up to Clouds Rest will be approximately 12 miles roundtrip but we will drop our big packs at camp and only take day packs for this hike. TL;DR Clouds Rest is a wonderful day hike if youâre looking for something long (14.5mi) with rewarding views of the valley and Half Dome at 9,931 ft. Start early to beat the heat during the summer. That's a shame, as the views from Clouds Rest are arguably grander than those from its more famous neighbor. Very popular trail and destination. We hung out at the summit of Clouds Rest for an hour and a half before hiking back to Tenaya Lake and taking a refreshing swim. The hike up to Clouds Rest is a difficult yet rewarding one. View of the Clouds Rest peak as seen from Tuolumne Meadows (the peak on the left). Clouds Rest is a great hike if you are unable to secure a permit for Half Dome or if you are looking for a longer trail with more elevation gain. Its possible to do before Tioga Pass opens but youâll have to start from the valley in addition to dealing with icy condit He was super knowledgeable, and was continuously giving us little bits of information about the park or about what we were actually looking at when taking in the amazing views. Read More. 13.4mi â 6h 38m Jul 9, 2016 Kevin Webb. Clouds Rest is a great day hike for those looking to avoid the crowds of the busy Yosemite Valley and be rewarded with equally stunning â if not better views of Yosemite National Park. Clouds Rest hike? Full hike up to clouds rest. Clouds Rest features perhaps the most spectacular views of all of Yosemite and the Valley. Clouds Rest is an arête, a thin, almost knife-like, ridge of rock formed when glaciers eroded away solid rock to form Tenaya Canyon and Little Yosemite Valley. Our hike will take us most of the day and we will plan for lunch out on the trail. Clouds Rest is a large granite dome on the rim of Yosemite Valley, and its summit grants one of the best views in the entire park. And the water crossing? Fantastic hike! This trail remains popular as a day hike despite its difficulty and vertigo-inducing exposure on ⦠share. JRaphaelson - ⦠Hiked with Chelsea - spectacular views! It's truly a spectacular view worth the difficult hike! Clouds Rest is a towering summit ridge that looks down on Half Dome and the spectacular Yosemite Valley. Many famous Yosemite landmarks must be overcome in order to ascend Clouds Rest. The hike to Clouds Rest is around 12.4 miles and there are some options to choose from regarding your route. Hike Clouds Rest. Clouds Rest is a massive granite peak just northeast of Half Dome.The peak can be seen from Yosemite Valley, and at 9,930 ft. is about 1,080 ft. higher than the more famous Half Dome.The peak offers excellent views of Half Dome and the surrounding area. The panoramic view of snow covered mountains from the summit is impressive. âClouds Rest Day Hike â Met with our awesome guide Scott at 7am, and he was amped up to get us out on this hike. Clouds Rest is the largest exposed piece of granite on Earth. I have hiked a few quick day hikes, but was wondering how strenuous is Clouds Rest? To hike to Clouds Rest from Tenaya Lake, check out Hike Clouds Rest. This is a peak at ~9,930 feet elevation that provides great views of Half Dome and Yosemite Valley. It's amazing how accessible Cloud's Rest is. This hike is worth doing because if the views. Itâs a 14-mile round trip journey with endless ups and downs which even rivals itâs more famous neighbor Half Dome. Clouds Rest Map (pdf) Approximate elevation profile for the Clouds Rest hike. It is guarded by an arduous hike, but the rewards are certainly no secret. Be careful not to sprain your shutter finger at Tenaya Lake, a beautiful, crystal-blue tarn gouged by glaciers eons ago. The Clouds Rest hike in Yosemite is a favorite of the park rangers; you get incredible panoramic views from over 1,000 feet above Half Dome.And unlike Half Dome, for the Clouds Rest hike, no permit is needed, the distance and climbing is manageable, and you donât have to navigate anything like the anxiety-inducing cables section. You have probably seen a video like this: I am afraid of heights. Clouds Rest is a large granite peak within Yosemite National Park. Half Dome and Yosemite Valley from Clouds Rest Summit. Hike // Clouds Rest, Yosemite National Park. For an overnighter from Tenaya Lake, check out Backpack Sunrise Lakes to Clouds Rest. Clouds Rest: Yosemite National Park 14.5 mile round trip day hike with 1,775 feet elevation gain summit elevation: 9,926 feet Answer 1 of 8: Hi guys! If you do not have the Half Dome permit but you still want to witness the great views and in fact look down upon the Half Dome ð , Clouds Rest hike (from Yosemite Valley) is THE hike for you. However, Half Dome needs a permit which has to be obtained via a lottery. Day 3. Clouds Rest Elevation: 9,926 feet (3,025 meters) Elevation Gain: 1,775 feet (540 meters) The red line marks the Clouds Rest trail, and the blue line marks the fork that leads you to the Sunrise Lakes (and just beyond them, though it's not shown, the Sunrise High Sierra Camp). Despite an elevation change of 2,700 feet, the biggest challenge on the hike was the extra weight in water we had to carry. 6 comments. 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