Hike Stats
Trail type: Point to Point
Length: ~ 12 miles
Elevation: 8,500’ - 4,098’ over 2 days
Trail Signs: Easy to navigate with plenty of trail signs
Level: Easy (entirely downhill)
Tips & Reminders
Bring plenty of water! The hike itself wasn’t very challenging, but the switchbacks on our second day were fully exposed to the grueling sun. Sunscreen, bug spray, and hydration are essentials on this stretch of the hike.
Hiking poles are recommended! Poles were very helpful to help keep our balance, as several areas were slippery with gravel like grounding. I caught myself from slipping a couple times while descending the switchbacks.
Watch out for bears! Before collecting our wilderness permits, the rangers told us to look out for one particularly notorious bear that takes bear canisters, throws them off a cliff to break them open! Clever right?
The Trip
We stayed at the backpackers camp in Yosemite Valley, behind the North Pines campground on our first night. The next morning we packed up our tents and backpacks and drove out to the May Lake Snow Creek Trailhead, where we parked our cars and began our descent into the Valley via the Snow Creek Trail. On our first day of hiking, we trekked downhill for about 5 miles, descending until we reached the Snow Creek footbridge. This segment was very straightforward and presented no challenges besides the unrelenting mosquitoes and insects that attacked us despite the insect repellent we sprayed! We set up camp near the footbridge and spent the rest of the day relaxing at the creek, enjoying the shade and beautiful views. Later we walked to the nearby vista point that offered surreal views of the face of Half Dome, accompanied by the Snow Creek Falls. This spot offered views of the Snow Creek Falls, which is one of the most elusive waterfalls and is mostly hidden. Based on some internet searches, it can only be seen from the top of Half Dome and certain points on the Snow Creek Trail! After a successful day, we had dinner, played a competitive game of Uno, and called it a night. We were lucky that the area we camped had fire pits, as the nights and mornings were extremely cold. On my backpacking trip last September, we struggled to keep warm without a fire, and even resorted to heating water just to warm our hands. Having a fire going was quite a luxury!
The next morning we had breakfast, packed up our camp, and hiked down switchbacks to make our way to the Valley. This trail also overlooked the Valley floor and Half Dome. As we descended further, Half Dome loomed over us, flaunting its full granite form. The views were immaculate! As always, Yosemite never fails to impress. Then we hiked to Mirror Lake, enjoyed the views, and cooled down by the water.
This hike can be done in the reverse direction, which is notorious for its steep switchbacks! In fact, it's one of the most grueling hikes Yosemite has to offer, as it climbs 2,600 feet in a short 1.7 miles. I know, crazy. We opted for the easier option, the downhill route and were met with incredible views of Half Dome, waterfalls, and the Valley. Great for rookie backpackers or groups with younger kids, which was our case!
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