Hiking in Yosemite is always a treat, and the best hikes in Yosemite stack up against the best hikes anywhere else in the world.  Stunning views, massive canyons, and near mile high rock walls make Yosemite a truly incredible place!

While having so much natural beauty in a place is a blessing, it can make it hard to choose where to go, what to see, and which trails to do!  This is certainly a good problem to have, but still, it can be hard to figure out where to go and what to do!  That is the basis for the creation of this list.

We are not going to argue that these are exclusively the ten best hikes in Yosemite, or even that they are inarguably the ten best difficult hikes.  What this list is is a starting point.  We hope after you read this article, you’ll be inspired to travel to Yosemite, and when you get there you’ll have a list of trails you want to hike!

All of the trails on this list are tough hikes.  These are not easy hikes.  You will definitely sweat on all of these, and if you are not in very good shape, you may not be able to do them all.  For people in great shape, these are the best, most rewarding, most exciting trails there are to do in Yosemite National Park!

1. Half Dome Trail

16.3 miles

5,318 feet vertical gain

Forget Yosemite, I would make the argument that this is the best hike in North America!  The summit of Half Dome is Yosemite’s iconic image, and it makes for one of the absolute best days on trail in the world!

Starting from Yosemite Valley, this trail gains about 5,000 vertical feet on its way up to the summit!  It makes for a very long day, but this trail is no slog through the woods.  Most start their day with an ascent of the Mist Trail, an iconic Yosemite trail in its own right!  After hiking past two amazing waterfalls, you’ll head into Little Yosemite Valley, a picturesque backcountry valley, before finally making your way up to Half Dome.

The real wow moment of this hike is the legendary Half Dome Cables.  Somewhere between a hike and an idiotic sort of rock climb, the route to the summit goes straight up the smooth granite slopes of the dome!  Because it’s so steep, you cannot simply walk up the side.  Rather, steel cables are drilled into the rock for you to hold onto as you pull yourself up towards the summit!

This is certainly not for the faint of heart, and there is real danger here as fatalities are not unheard of.  If you’re unsure, it’s ok to turn around, but the payoff at the summit is amazing!  This is definitely the best hike in Yosemite, and arguably the best in North America!

2. The Yosemite Grand Tour 

19 miles

4,629 feet vertical gain

You won’t see a trail anywhere in Yosemite called The Yosemite Grand Tour, but this route stitches together a huge loop starting and ending in Yosemite Valley using a few trails iconic in their own right.

Starting in Yosemite Valley, you will climb up to Glacier Point and then all the way back down.  Being a loop hike, there are two different directions you can go, but you’ll use the same set of trails either way: The 4 Mile Trail from Yosemite Valley to Glacier Point, The Panorama Trail from Glacier Point to Nevada Falls, and either the John Muir Trail or Mist Trail between Nevada Falls and Yosemite Valley.

A few of these constituent trails make this list on their own, so you can imagine how epic this whole combo is!  I put this hike just behind Half Dome because the cables on Half Dome really are next level.  If what you want is views, and don’t feel adventurous enough for the cables, this hike is a worthy replacement!

3. The Mist Trail

7.2 miles

2,217 feet vertical gain

A part of the Yosemite Grand Tour, The Mist Trail is a legendary hike in it’s own right.  This hike is significantly shorter than the previous two, but don’t worry, it’s plenty steep!

Starting in Yosemite Valley, The Mist Trail ascents over 2,200 feet up past a pair of waterfalls: Vernal Falls and Nevada Falls.  The name “Mist Trail” comes from the soaking mist that gets thrown by Vernal Falls, especially early in the year.  Some people even hike with a rain jacket even on sunny days!

The Mist Trail may seem easy for this list, but I can assure it is by no means easy!  The climb up to Vernal Falls ends with a brutal section of granite stairs carved into the valley, and the switchbacks up to Nevada Falls aren’t much easier!  I highly recommend making a loop out of this hike as descending the Mist Trail would be uncomfortable, bordering on dangerous.  A much wider, gentler option is the John Muir Trail!

4. Clouds Rest

13.4 miles

3,166 feet vertical gain

Tons of people have seen Clouds Rest, but very few actually know what it is!  Clouds Rest is the fin of granite that rises behind or next to Half Dome depending on how you look at it!  This mountain peak provides a better view than even Half Dome, and still has some seriously exposed hiking!

The trail up to the base of Clouds Rest isn’t anything too special by Yosemite Standards, but the final destination is absolutely amazing.  Clouds Rest is higher than anything else around Yosemite Valley, so you will have insane views looking down at the valley.  

The other awesome thing about this trail is the actual route to the summit.  Clouds Rest has a long narrow spine, and the route up follows that spine!  You’ll have massive drop offs of thousands of feet on either side of you!  The views plus the awesome summit ridge make this a classic Yosemite hike!

5. The Young Lakes Loop 

15.9 miles

2,589 feet vertical gain

The first trail on this list not in or around Yosemite Valley, The Young Lakes Loop takes you away from the busy Yosemite Valley to the more remote Tuolumne Meadows area of the park.  This high elevation region of the park has way fewer visitors, but still boasts incredible views!

This loop trail takes you to four alpine lakes, all of which have great views of the Yosemite high country.  The namesake trio of Young Lakes all offer awesome views in a remote backcountry setting.  You’ll likely see as many deer on this trail as people!

There isn’t as much scrambling or exposed hiking here as there is with Half Dome and Clouds Rest, but there is a scramble up along a waterfall to reach the final lake.  It’s nothing crazy, but it’s a nice little climb to finish the hike off!  

6. Eagle Peak

12 miles

3,840 feet vertical gain

The Yosemite Grand Tour takes you up and down the south side of Yosemite Valley, and this trail takes you up the north side of the valley.  Most people who ascend this side of the valley will stop at Upper Yosemite Falls, which is a great hike in it’s own right, but for an even better experience, continue on to the summit of Eagle Peak.

You have a few different options if you are hiking this trail.  Feeling tired after the big climb?  Just stop at the falls.  Really want a big challenge?  Continue on to the top of El Capitan.  Looking for a more moderate hike?  Stop at Columbia Rock.  

Be ready for a super steep climb up rocky and sandy trail.  The climb out of the valley is really brutal, and definitely is not as nice as the 4 Mile Trail or the John Muir Trail.  Also be ready for sunshine and heat, it can get brutal!

7. Upper Yosemite Falls

7.6 miles

3,218 miles vertical gain

While Eagle Peak is probably the best location on the north rim of the valley, the hike just to the top of Upper Yosemite Falls is a great hike itself.  Believe me, it’s not only eight miles but it definitely deserves to be on this list.  It’s hard, but the views from the top make it worth it!

8. 4 Mile Trail

9.2 miles

3,612 feet vertical gain

This trail from Yosemite Valley to Glacier Point takes you from Yosemite’s Premier destination to Yosemite’s premier viewpoint!  While you could just drive the 45 minutes or so from the valley to Glacier Point, what’s the fun in that when you could punish yourself with a 3,000 foot plus climb!

This is a beautifully made trail, and it’s extremely well graded, so it honestly doesn’t feel quite as steep as it actually is.  Make no mistake, this is a tough hike, but I would argue it’s a bit easier than the climb to Upper Yosemite Falls, even if the elevation gain is a few hundred feet more.

9. Mount Dana Summit Trail 

7 miles

3,103 feet vertical gain

Want to climb a legitimately massive mountain but don’t have mountaineering or rock climbing experience?  This might be the hike for you.

The 13,061 foot Mt Dana is a tough day hike, but definitely doable in a day without any technical climbing experience.  The hike isn’t easy; climbing over 3,000 feet in about 3.5 miles is a lot, but if your legs can keep you moving, anyone should be able to make the summit.

This trail starts right at the Tioga Pass entrance to the park, which lies far to the north and east of Yosemite Valley on Tioga Road.  It’s a long drive to make it here, but the terrain in this part of the park is incredible.  I’m partial to the high Sierra I’ll admit, but the Sierra Nevada above 10,000 feet really is magical.

10. Ten Lakes Trail

11.8 miles

2,959 feet vertical gain

You’ll probably see more backpackers than day hikers on this trail, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a good day hike!  The first part of this trail heads up the side of a valley with big views looking out.  However, the big highlights of this trail lie near the end.  

You’ll reach an overlook before heading down to the lakes.  You could choose to turn around at the lakes because the descent and ensuing climb back will add about 600 feet of climbing, but the lakes themselves would make a great place to relax!

You’re in bear country, so be sure to always be bear safe!

Yosemite is one of the highlights of the National Park System, and the best hikes here compare with the best hikes anywhere in North America, and potentially beyond.  

Did we leave some incredible hikes off of this list?  Definitely.  Could we argue about the order of this list all day?  Also definitely.  But I think that shows the true quality of Yosemite.  Not only are there ten plus great difficult hikes, but there are also at least ten great moderate and easy hikes.  Many national parks barely have ten good hikes total!

If you haven’t been to Yosemite, go.  There are literally dozens of amazing hikes, not to mention the rock climbing, the rafting, the swimming, or whatever else you find to do!  We hope this list helped as a starting point for your trip, and if you have anything you think we missed out on, definitely let us know!