Yosemite National Park United States

Half Dome

The bucket-list day hike: waterfalls, forest, and a final climb up steel cables on bare granite. Permit required.

  • 24 km
  • 10–12 hours
  • strenuous
  • Best Jun–Sep

Photo: Diliff · CC BY-SA 3.0

At a glance

Happy Isles to the summit of Half Dome

Distance
24 km · 15 mi
Elevation gain
1,463 m · 4,800 ft
Highest point
2,694 m · 8,839 ft
Time
10–12 hours
Difficulty
Strenuous
Route
Out and back

Plan your trip

Best months: Jun–Sep

Permits & fees
Permit required while the cables are up: preseason lottery on Recreation.gov (apply March 1–31) plus a daily lottery two days before.
Getting there
Free Valley shuttle to Happy Isles (stop #16); start before dawn.
Good to know
  • Never go up the cables when the rock is wet or storms are building.
  • Bring gloves with good grip for the cables.

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Sources

Official figures where published; other numbers are measured on the map and approximate. Conditions and rules change — confirm with the official source before you go.