Taftastic Perspective

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 nearby lookouts.

From the Taft Point trailhead along Glacier Point Road, follow the flat singletrack trail through the forest still bordered with patches of snow at the start of the summer season. A mile in, the trail emerges from the trees and drops down to the edge of a massive granite shelf overlooking the valley. Taft Point, named after former U.S. President William Taft, marks the last of a series of giant granite cracks known as “The Fissures,” characterized by steep 1,000-foot drop-offs at their edges. It stands out prominently as the last and tallest of the fissures and is the only one with a guardrail, so watch your step as you wander beyond to take in the views of some of the valley’s most iconic highlights. Yosemite Falls thunders to the north and you also get a unique perspective looking down on El Capitan to the west.

Directions: From Yosemite Valley, take Wawona Rd. (Hwy. 41) to Chinquapin, then turn onto Glacier Point Rd. Follow Glacier Point Rd. for 13.4 miles until you reach the Taft Point/Sentinel Dome trailhead parking lot. Follow signs for Taft Point to the left via the Pohono Trail. No dogs!