Yosemite High Points

Ready to take Yosemite to a whole other level? We’ve rounded up three of the best viewpoints you can hike to in the entire park! Now that’s what’s up!

Week: 07.07.2016
Regions: Northern & Southern CA

Taftastic Perspective

Taft Point in Yosemite

Not many hikes offer mile-high views in just a mile of hiking. But point your boots towards Yosemite's Taft Point: While the 1.1-mile hike from the trailhead is moderate, the views at the end are anything but. Another distinction is that Taft Point tends to get fewer crowds than
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Water You Up to this Summer?

Redding Summer Water Adventures

Ready to give summer a big, wet kiss? Pucker up! Redding is your summer sweetheart! It’s not just about going to the lake here: It’s about multiple lakes, rivers, and waterfalls, all within 20 minutes of Redding. Thanks to a wet winter, Whiskeytown Lake is filled to the brim and
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On Cloud 9

Clouds Rest Hike in Yosemite

With a name like Clouds Rest you expect this hike to rise pretty darn high. And boy does it deliver! Yosemite's Clouds Rest sits at 9,926 feet, 1,000 feet higher than Half Dome’s top and offers a bigger panorama. You don’t need a permit, either—just fill up your day-pack and go.
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Welcome to the Master Dome

Hike Half Dome in Yosemite

Those with a fear of heights need not apply for one of the coveted permits to summit Yosemite's iconic Half Dome, topping out at 8,836 feet with grand and uninhibited views across Yosemite Valley. This popular 16-mile round-trip hike lives up to the hype with its 4,800 feet of el
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Trending Stories NorCal

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  1. Sequoia Re-opens Crystal Cave

    Step inside Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park's hidden world by visiting the newly re-opened Crystal Cave—the only cave in the parks open to the public. Closed for four years, this rare marble karst cavern is welcoming visitors once again, but only through the summer season!

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  2. Afternoon on the Island

    What is it about tiny islands in the middle of lakes? There’s something that just draws you in. It’s even more fun when getting there is half the adventure because you have to reach it by canoe, kayak, paddleboat, or a ranger-guided boat tour!

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  3. Easiest Best Hike in the World

    Choose the easiest and most view-rewarding hike in Yosemite. Okay, we’ll go first: the combination of hiking to Sentinel Dome and Taft Point. Both of these lookouts are within a couple miles of each other on Glacier Point Road

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  4. Hiker in the forest at Mount Sutro in San Francisco

    San Francisco's Middle Earth

    No need to travel to New Zealand to visit Middle Earth. San Francisco’s Mount Sutro Open Space is practically Hobbiton—a hidden “shire” in the middle of the city. Okay, maybe not quite as magical, but still an incredible place to take a hike in city limits.

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Trending Stories SoCal

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  1. Locals' Feature: Jim Litchfield, Owner of Reno Fly Shop

    If there's a river, you're likely to find Jim Litchfield there. As the owner of Reno Fly Shop, Nevada's premier fly fishing outfitter and shop, Jim's passion for rivers knows no bounds: he's fished in places near and far, including Alaska, Bolivia and Christmas Island. But home is beautiful Reno, where he has been running Reno Fly Shop and leading tailored river float and fly fishing adventures (including beginner-friendly options) for over a decade.

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  2. Can't Top This

    San Francisco’s Presidio was already a fantastic place to hang out for the afternoon, a beautiful site within the largest urban national park in the United States (the Golden Gate National Recreation Area). And Presidio Tunnel Tops is like a cherry on top. Make that two cherries on top, with the newly opened (July 2025) Outpost Meadow, a 1.5-acre green space located at Old Mason Street across from the Crissy Field Marsh in the Presidio.

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  3. Volcanic Activity

    Northern California is home to one of the most unique ecosystems in the country: Lassen Volcanic National Park. The region features geothermal areas, including the largest dome volcano in the world, Lassen Peak. Hike to the top of this active volcano on a 5-mile out-and-back.  

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  4. Oh Ryan

    Sure, it’s those whimsical trees that give Joshua Tree National Park its marquee billing; but this beautiful landscape also has surrounding mountains and its night sky—one of the darkest in Southern California and designated an International Dark Sky Park. Joshua Tree has four allowable stargazing parking lots, and a newly opened haven for spending the night nearby...

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