The Trailhead The closest parking lot is the Yosemite Valley Trailhead Parking, located just after the Half Dome Village. From this parking lot, walk half a mile along a service road to the Happy Isles Bridge and the start of the walk. You should consider starting the hike as soon as possible, at dawn or even earlier. If you plan to walk through Half Dome, you must have a permit. For day hikers, permits are available by lottery in March, with a limited number available two days in advance.
Backpackers, including those who want to camp in Little Yosemite Valley, must apply for a Half Dome permit along with their wildlife permit. The Half Dome parking area closest to this trail start is actually called “The Trailhead” and is close to Curry Village. This parking lot fills up very quickly, as practically all Half Dome hikers try to park here and many of them start VERY early in the morning. In this post, I'll talk about the different options between day hiking or backpacking in Half Dome, but let me start by telling you a quick story, because the Half Dome walk literally changed my life.
Everyone seemed excited about the idea and I literally had never heard of it before (seriously, I had to Google “what is Half Dome” when I got home) and discovered that it's one of the most iconic attractions in California. The Half Dome is a gigantic and imposing granite rock shaped like, well, half a dome that has become an iconic symbol of Yosemite National Park. The Half Dome cables are only open from the Friday before Memorial Day (late May, if conditions permit) to Hispanic Heritage Day (early October), so if you want to reach the top of the Half Dome, you have to do so during that period (unless you're an experienced climber, which is beyond the scope of this trail guide).The Half Dome Trail in Yosemite National Park is one of the most iconic hikes in California, famous for its breathtaking views and challenging climb. The easiest way to design a training plan is to base it on the Half Dome walk and use the accumulated mileage and slope of the Half Dome trail itself: approximately 14 to 16 miles and 5000 feet of unevenness.
