If you’re looking for a trail that will give you classic Yosemite views, and take you to many of the classic Yosemite spots, the Panorama Trail might be for you.  Hiking in Yosemite is always great, but this trail has consistently epic views, takes you past multiple awesome waterfalls, and passes through a few of Yosemite’s iconic viewpoints.

This trail is a challenge, and can be done in a number of ways, but none of them are easy!  We all know Yosemite gets really crowded, so if you’re looking for a trail to get away from the crowds that lives up to the quality of the park’s legendary trails, the Panorama Trail is a great option!

Miles/Elevation:

11 miles (round trip)

2,900 feet vertical gain (round trip)

About Yosemite:

Located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, Yosemite National Park is one of the largest and most popular parks in the entire National Park System.  

Steeped in history, Yosemite has played a major role in the development of environmentalism and conservation in the United States since the late 1800’s.  In 1864, President Lincoln created the Yosemite Grant, which did not make Yosemite a national park, but did set the precedent that would lead to the creation of Yellowstone National Park.

Yosemite was ceded to the State of California and ran by the state for much of the late 1800’s.  Eventually, in 1890, Yosemite National Park was created, and stronger protections were put in place to preserve the park.

Beyond the National Park Service, the legendary naturalist John Muir is perhaps best known for his advocacy in favor of preserving Yosemite National Park.  A giant in the history of conservation, Muir, who fell in love with the mountains after a serious industrial accident, became arguably the most influential figure in preserving the natural landscapes of the west.  His relationship with President Theodore Roosevelt and the expansion of federally protected lands may be the greatest achievement of this era of conservation!

Getting To Yosemite:

Located in Central California, Yosemite is fairly remote, but can be reached from a number of major cities.  The closest large city is Fresno, and Fresno’s airport is the best choice if you are flying in.  Other cities located within a three hour or so drive with major airports include Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, and Sacramento.

From these cities or any others, you’ll then likely need to drive to the park.  There is a regional public transit system called YARTS (Yosemite Area Regional Transit System), and can be useful if you are trying to get to Yosemite Valley.  However, I generally advocate having your own car when exploring the mountains.  It just makes it easier to explore and get around.

Once you’re in Yosemite, there is a transit system that can get you around the park, however it is not running in 2021.  Go to the Yosemite NPS website for more information on public transit in Yosemite.  When it is running, the public transit can get you to many of the major trailheads in the park. 

See The Rest Of Yosemite’s Best Moderate Hikes!

Getting To The Trailhead:

The main trailhead for the Panorama Trail is at Glacier Point.  From Yosemite Valley, head south on Wawona Road past tunnel view and through the tunnel.  Continue on until you reach the intersection with Glacier Point Road, and then turn left onto Glacier Point Road.  The trailhead is a large parking lot on the left side of the road thirteen miles from the intersection.

Parking can be a challenge, and on busy days you will likely see dozens of cars parked on the side of the road.  Get there early if you want to ensure you get a parking spot.

If you plan on hiking from Yosemite Valley up to Glacier Point view the Panorama Trail and the Mist Trail or the John Muir Trail, you will start at Happy Isles in the valley.  If you hike one way from the valley to Glacier Point, you will need to arrange for a ride back down, or hike back.

There is an entry fee for entering Yosemite.  As of 2021, it is $35 per vehicle for a week’s pass.

Panorama Trail:

How To Hike:

The Panorama Trail is a trail that can be done a number of different ways.  The most straightforward way to hike it is a simple out and back.  This works fine, and would be a good hike itself, but I actually think the best way to hike it is as a part of a longer day.

A one way trip from Glacier Point down to Yosemite Valley, or from Yosemite Valley up to Glacier Point is an awesome day out.  It should be noted that hiking from the valley up to Glacier Point is a really tough hike, and you’ll be looking at close to 4,000 feet of climbing, but if you can do it and figure out transportation, it’s a great option.

I actually think the best way to hike the Panorama Trail is as a part of a big loop from Yosemite Valley, up to Glacier Point, and then back down.  Commonly known as the Yosemite Grand Tour, this mega-hike will be a real challenge even for seasoned hikers, but if you can manage the 19 mile loop, it’s truly a world class day!

I hiked this trail as a part of the Yosemite Grand Tour, so I will describe it as I hiked one way from Glacier Point to Nevada Falls.

Another Great Hike Up By Glacier Point Is The Sentinel Dome And Taft Point Loop

To Illilouette Falls:

Starting at Glacier Point, the first major milestone of the trail is Illilouette Falls.  To reach the falls, you first have a two mile plus descent.  The trail leaves Glacier Point and almost immediately begins descending through sparsely wooded forest.  The trail isn’t too steep to the point it seriously hurts your knees, but it is definitely a solid downhill grade!

Consider purchasing the America the Beautiful Pass if you’re visiting Yosemite!

Before long, the trail emerges from the trees into an environment I would describe as chaparral: lots of bushes but not much for tree cover.  I was lucky that I did this hike on an abnormally cool day (it was like 65 degrees in June, amazing), but normally this is going to be a very hot section of trail.  Going uphill here would be absolutely brutal, and dangerous on hot days if you are not properly hydrated.

Always be sure to follow the 7 Leave No Trace Principles when in the outdoors!

The descent continues, and at around two miles into the hike you will probably start hearing the falls before you see it.  The trail reenters forest as you reach the bottom of the valley.  Look carefully to the left side of the trail; you will likely see the falls off to the left before the trail actually crosses the stream.  

Once you notice the falls, there is a turn off that takes you to an overlook at the falls.  This is a great place to take a break to get some food and rehydrate.  There are some nice spots to sit in the shade, and a great view in front of you!

To Nevada Falls:

The next section of trail takes you from Illilouette Falls to Nevada Falls.  Leaving Illilouette, the trail continues descending for another hundred feet or so until you eventually reach Illilouette Creek.  This is not a good place to swim, as there are signs warning of danger.  People die swimming above Yosemite waterfalls, so don’t do anything stupid.

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

From here, the trail heads back uphill, and you’ll spend the next portion of hiking dealing with a 700 foot ascent.  It’s really not that bad, and if it’s not too hot out this really isn’t a bad climb, but even on my 65 degree hiking day, I was sweating really hard on this climb!  Push through, and you’ll be rewarded with some awesome views!

The views are good throughout the climb, and once you have made it to the top the views are outstanding and look out all the way across Yosemite Valley.  You will even be able to see Yosemite Falls off in the distance!  This spot gives you one of Yosemite’s classic views, and the great thing is you likely won’t be sharing it with anyone else!

Always follow basic trail etiquette when on trail!

From the summit of the climb, it’s now all downhill to Nevada Falls.  The trail eventually reenters the forest, and as you descend you will lose most of the views you were just treated to.  It’s about 700 feet of descending down to Nevada Falls, so nothing crazy but enough to potentially make your knees sore!

Be Sure To Check Out Our Full 7 Day Yosemite Itinerary Too!

About ¼ mile from Nevada Falls you will reach an intersection with the John Muir Trail.  Turn right here to access Nevada Falls.  From the intersection it’s a quick five minute walk to the falls with maybe 50-100 feet of descending.  Soon enough you’ll be standing at the top of Nevada Falls looking out over Yosemite with views back to Glacier Point and beyond!

Where Next:

From Nevada Falls, where you go will depend on how you want to do this hike.  The most obvious option is to return the way you came and head back to Glacier Point.  I honestly don’t recommend doing this because you’ll have the same views that you’ve already seen, and you’ll be treated to around 2000 feet of climbing on the return journey, probably in the afternoon heat.  Not fun!

The easiest way out from here is down to Happy Isles in Yosemite Valley.  You can’t really do this if you parked at Glacier Point, but it’s definitely preferable to hiking back up!  There are two trails from Nevada Falls that go down to the valley: the Mist Trail and the John Muir Trail.  

Want More Of A Challenge?  Continue On And Do The Yosemite Grand Tour!

The Mist Trail is incredible, but I highly recommend the John Muir Trail for descending.  The Mist Trail is extremely steep and very narrow in spots, and just isn’t a good trail to go down.  The John Muir Trail will be easier on your knees, provide more epic views, and isn’t nearly as crowded!

The best way to do the Panorama Trail is as a part of the Yosemite Grand Tour, which is how I decided to do it.  The required hiking up to Glacier Point via the 4 Mile Trail, and then taking the Panorama Trail to Nevada Falls, followed by a descent down the John Muir Trail.  It’s long and hard at over 19 miles and 4,600 feet of climbing, but it’s honestly an epic day of hiking! 

Topdown Lifestyle Rating: 8/10

When you just look at the Panorama Trail from Glacier Point to Nevada Falls, it’s an 8/10.  When combined with other trails like the John Muir Trail, the Mist Trail, or the 4 Mile Trail, you can definitely have a 9/10 or 10/10 hike, but just doing the Panorama isn’t quite on that level.

The views are excellent, but they aren’t the best views in Yosemite.  The trail is generally very good, but there’s a lot of exposed hiking that gets a ton of sun and a ton of heat.  This is a very good hike that is worth doing in Yosemite, and that’s saying something, but it’s not quite world class, and if you have limited time, there are better options around Yosemite to do first.

Pros:

• Great views
• Very nice trail
• Waterfalls

Cons:

• Lots of sun
• Trail ends with a steep climb to Glacier Point

Alternative Hikes:

The 4 Mile Trail

The Mist Trail

The Sentinel Dome and Taft Point Loop

When To Visit Yosemite:

Read Our Complete Guide To All Things Yosemite!

Hiking in Yosemite is a three season activity.  Winter usually brings quite a bit of snow, and the entire park is liable to experience winter storms.  While lower elevation areas of the park may be hikable in winter, I really wouldn’t say Yosemite is a four season hiking destination.

Purely in terms of weather, fall and spring are the best times of year to hike in Yosemite.  Summer can get extremely hot, and hiking in 95 degree heat isn’t fun for most people!  The one issue with fall is that fire season can either close down areas of the park, or more likely will blanket the park with smoke.  In good years, it’s hardly an issue, but some years it’s harmful to even be outside.

It is also worth considering when Yosemite is busiest.  This is one of the busiest parks in the country, so be ready for crowds if you visit in peak season, namely summer.  Some people are really turned off by the crowds, and I agree if you only visit the valley, but there are always places to get away from the big crowds.  This can cause issues with finding campsites in the park though.

Overall, I would say that late spring is probably the best time of year to visit Yosemite.  The temperatures are comfortable, rain is rare, and the crowds are lighter than summer.  Late autumn is also a great time to visit as spring may still have snow lingering on the trails.

The last thing to consider when planning your visit is that the high elevation roads through the park close for snow.  Tioga Pass and Glacier Point Road both close from winter to whenever the snow melts (usually May or June but it varies).  Spring will limit where you can go in the park, so if you really want to explore the high country, wait at least until late June!

Links For Further Reading:

Best trails in Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park (US National Park Service)

Yosemite National Park | Lodging & Year Round Activities | TravelYosemite.com

Yosemite National Park | Lodging, Camping, Attractions | Yosemite.com