Wilderness permits are required in winter—but reservations aren't needed from November through April. Start out at the Tenaya Lake Trailhead, where you can head directly onto the trail for Clouds Rest or you can branch off after 2.7 miles to Sunrise Lakes. Today’s Mileage: 7.3 mi / +800′, -2,800′ Since there are only a few designated campgrounds, you can camp anywhere you like, provided you follow all the regulations. The Outbound works best with JavaScript enabled. Total 360. Like virtual reality, but without the virtual part. Therefore, as part of the wilderness experience, park rangers can provide general guidance but will not plan a wilderness trip for you; you must plan your own trip. Wilderness permit reservations are processed by lottery 24 weeks (168 days) in advance of the hiking start date from mid-November through October. Additionally, the ascent up Clouds Rest is very challenging and is weather permitting. If there is, I’m really not sure what it is. Priority for permits for a particular trailhead is given to the closest permit issuing station. But as you'll be in the backcountry, you can't use a day hike permit. Submit your application as early as possible: popular trailheads fill up on the first day reservations are available and many other trailheads fill up almost as quickly. Yep, us too. 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. So, practically, it's not possible to get permits for popular trailheads except at the priority permit station. It’s really a beautiful hike. Had to fight with the Half Dome day hikers some of the way. 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. Andrew Johnson Some especially popular areas have additional application procedures: Once you know where you want to begin your hike from, use the trailheads map [1.5 MB PDF] to determine the name of your trailhead. Nobody else continued on to Clouds Rest. There is a lottery system for day hikers, but it’s also possible to secure a permit when reserving the backpacking permit. + Save to a List. You must pick up a wilderness permit at the permit station closest to your starting point (when these permit stations are closed for the season, permits are available on a self-registration basis). Check out our Yosemite - Two Summits guided backpacking adventure for details! Tried summiting Half Dome but the closed down the cables right as we got to them because of a lightning storm rolling in. For Clouds Rest, you need a permit for Sunrise Lakes, and we highly recommend reserving this one, as it’s a … 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. The back end of Cloud's Rest appears to the west. So until I workshop a better solution to pitch the National Park Service, I’m with it! Exiting the wilderness at any time during a wilderness itinerary invalidates the wilderness permit. This allows you to break up the hike, spend a night relaxing and help you have an early start back on the trail. Distance: 14.5 miles (23.3 km) round trip Trailhead Elevation: 8,150 feet (2,450 meters) Elevation Gain: 1,775 feet (540 meters) Summit both Half Dome and Clouds Rest on this guided backpacking trip! We scouted some turf, pitched our tents, and dropped our packs at the end of the tree line, just before the naked shoulder begins to emerge and crest into its exposed peak, hiking the final ~1.5 mile stretch with a couple of day packs and summit essentials. Once all permits are secured, it’s a good idea to reserve bus tickets from Yosemite Valley to Tuolumne Meadows. These are two of the most spectacular and famous peaks in Yosemite National Park. Only one permit is required. From Clouds Rest's airy and cozy summit, the most undeniable natural feature is the Northwest Face, a stunning 5000-foot drop into Tenaya Canyon. After the first night, you may camp wherever you can hike to within the wilderness. For this reason alone, Clouds Rest should join your permit application lineup. North and south-facing views provide viewsheds into the northern and southern expanses of the park (particularly views to the south). If you missed out on snagging a Half Dome permit and are looking for a great alternative hike, then the Clouds Rest trail is a great choice. This final ascent climbs steadily to a challenging elevation, but isn't as steep as the climb you conquered to reach the Sunrise Lakes fork. Day 4: After a hearty breakfast hike approximately 3.5 miles to the summit of Clouds Rest at 9,926′. Right >>> Clouds Rest/Tenaya Lake/Tuolumne Meadows. Hiking Half Dome is an unforgettable experience, but I’d choose Clouds Rest any day of the week, if only for the solitude. Clouds Rest Trail via Tenaya Lake is a 13 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Yosemite Valley, California that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as difficult. This process is subject to change based on COVID-19 situation in 2021. An advantage of choosing the Clouds Rest hike is that it is not an overnight trip, so you do not need to obtain a permit, which can be a long process. Make sure to take in the view as you gain elevation on your way up to Sunrise Lakes. Permits go … Wilderness permits are available during business hours at any permit issuing station beginning at 11 am the day before the beginning of your wilderness trip. Of each daily quota for a trailhead, 60 percent can be reserved ahead of time. Yeah, neither do we, but it keeps the lights on. That's why we send you the best local adventures, stories, and expert advice, right to your inbox. Although the Half Dome hike typically gets all the attention, hiking Clouds Rest actually takes you to a higher summit that offers a panoramic vista which includes an unbeatable view of Half Dome itself. Once you make the pivot, you might be about halfway through your one-way to the top (if you begin from the valley floor, as opposed to camping at the backpackers camp near Vernal Falls or coming in from the east side). Once in Yosemite Park, you can jump the shuttle (it runs from 7 AM to 10 PM), which will drop you off at the trailhead (Stop 16) for the Happy Isles/Mist Trail, which goes to Vernal Falls, Half Dome, Clouds Rest, and beyond. You can take a day hike to Clouds Rest without a permit, or obtain a first-come, first-served backpacking permit at the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center. Though popular trailheads may fill up, there is always space available on other trailheads in the park. The remaining 40 percent are available on a first-come, first-served basis no earlier than 11 am the day before your hike begins as long as permits are available. You can add another person to your wilderness permit reservation for an additional fee as long as space is still available for that trailhead. If the date or trailhead isn't listed, space is available for at least one person (but not necessarily for your entire group). Sunrise Lakes –> Clouds Rest –> Little Yosemite Valley –> Happy Isles; After faxing in my reservation request (if you’re not familiar with the permit requirements, visit here, we were lucky to get permits starting at May Lake, but without Half-Dome permits. Wilderness permit holders may spend one night prior to, and one night after, a backpacking trip in a backpackers' campground (summer only). As soon as the crowd starts to thin (depending on what time you start), the first push is an even, quality burn, and I’d recommend taking the John Muir Trial the first few miles up to Vernal Falls. Any travel through Yosemite Valley invalidates the permit. Following a brief descent, you'll get a couple miles of mostly flat hiking before starting up the slopes of Clouds Rest itself. For this reason alone, Clouds Rest should join your permit application lineup. Facing east (depicted in the cover shot), you can see Tenaya Lake, Tuolumne Meadows, the Sierra Nevadas and, if you strain your eyes, parts of northern Wisconsin. You’ll 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. Despite an elevation change of 2,700 feet, the biggest challenge on the hike was the extra weight in water we had to carry. A wilderness permit is not required for day hikes (unless hiking to Half Dome) or for staying in lodging facilities and frontcountry campgrounds. Please explore responsibly! If you are starting at a trailhead in Yosemite and wish to camp outside of Yosemite during your Wilderness trip, you will only need to get a single wilderness permit from Yosemite. Now if we could just brainstorm a better way to provide egalitarian access to the summit…. 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