The Ultimate Guide To Half Dome

Why are there permits at all?

The Half Dome trail became so popular that concerns of traffic, a positive “wilderness” experience, and environmental degradation necessitated the Half Dome Plan. The Plan cuts traffic from 1000+ hikers to 300 hikers per day allowed up the cabled stretch to the summit of Half Dome.

• 225 permits go to day trippers (via the lotteries)
• 50 go to advanced wilderness permit applicants
• 25 go to first come first serve wilderness permit applicants

Note that permits are only required for the summer season, some time from May to October (depending on conditions). During the off-season months, the cables are down (meaning the poles that hole them up to waist height are down, the cables themselves lie flat on the granite) and it is not officially recommended to hike the trail, though it can be done, and you will not need any permits.

Step-by-step instructions for permits

Editorial comments:

We live in an increasingly spontaneous world. The entire reason the in-season daily lotteries exist is because after the 225 pre-season lottery permits are distributed, people inevitably cancel, such that ~50 permits are available per day in the in-season lottery. Given that, I think the best strategy is the in-season lottery.

On another note, if you're looking for less scrupulous methods of getting a permit, check out Craigslist or Meetup groups, folks often will post extra openings in their group (you'll have to meetup with their trip leader at the permit checkpoint). Or, if you're really feeling lucky, just hike up to sub dome (end of Segment I on the map above) and wait. The view will be nice regardless. On my last trip, all 6 people (3 groups of 2) I passed looking for extra permits at sub dome got up to the summit.

Literally each & every segment of the route options leading up to Half Dome are diagrammed on the map above, and also in the chart below (for easier side-by-side comparison). Note that when folks (including us) say take the Mist Trail up, they mean take Segments B, C, G up. When people say take the John Muir Trail up, they mean Segments B, D, F up.

Our recommended route

The route is essentially the same for both day-trippers and backpackers: going up the John Muir Trail for sunrise or sunset views of the mountains, and then coming down the Mist Trail for a shorter (albeit steeper) finish when you’re tired. Our recommendation allows you to see all the major sights along both trails. Unique advantages for backpackers:

1. Watch sunrise at the Half Dome summit
2. Very limited crowds (you will be at the summit for sunrise, and do most of your hiking in the late afternoon or early morning)
3. The option to shave off Segment A entirely and take the free Valley shuttle to and from the Happy Isles trailhead at shuttle stop 16 (shuttle starts at 7am)

The major potential downside to our recommended route, depending on your preference, is that the descent includes the steep steps of the Mist Trail. Though by going down the populated Mist Trail in the afternoon, you'll meet many other hikers who may be friendly & willing to help if you need more supplies.

Other notes on Route Planning:

• If you are backpacking, there are multiple routes to get to Half Dome (e.g., from Tuolumne Meadows or from Glacier Point) with multiple other scenic vistas and time frames (e.g., you can spend a night at Cloud’s Rest and watch sunrise over Half Dome before summiting it). Here we focus on the popular path from Happy Isles.
• These routes are focused on the summer season. In the winter, hiking Half Dome is not officially recommended, as the cables will be down. If you go in the winter, Segments C & F are closed.
• We have rated difficulty based on generally fit & healthy people who walk a few miles as a regular part of their daily routine, but may not exercise much on top of that.
• There are various differences across guides on exact lengths and elevation due to hiking technique, different points of measuring (e.g., to the top of the waterfall vs. to the next trail junction), etc.

Physical fitness

When doing any long and strenuous day hike, the most important thing is to be aware of your personal fitness, capabilities, and limits. We believe that even if you don’t follow an exercise regime, as long as you walk as part of your routine (e.g., to and from work), and are a generally healthy person, you should be fine to do the Half Dome trail in its entirety (you just might be more sore than someone who exercises regularly or has trained for the hike). And even if you are an extremely slow hiker (as I personally am) with an average 1-mile per hour speed, you can finish in a day with an early enough start. As a reference point, I have seen people do the entire trail both as a day-tripper and a backpacker with literally no experience; and people who have trained for months.

Key questions to as yourself:

• How fast do you want to go and finish?
• Do you want to really work out your muscles or just enjoy the scenery?
• How much weight will you be carrying?
• How sore do you want to be at the end?

If you’d like to train, do a couple 10+ mile day hikes at other parks with elevation gain, interspersed with regular walking (a mile or so a day). For where to go, check out our protip on great places to backpack in the Bay Area. Beginners to backpacking may want to train with weight the pack will add 10-20 pounds to your back. Again I can’t emphasize this enough: being self-aware is the most important thing.

Suggested gear list

Obviously backpackers will need to bring other supplies for camp (e.g., bear can for food, tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, etc.). Remember that Last Minute Gear rents all the backpacking gear you will need, and we're the only shop that rents ultralight camping equipment!

Hazards

Hazards exist but can be easily avoided with advanced preparation (hence our gear list above!):

• Bring enough sustenance for the entire trip
• Avoid doing the Half Dome trail (and even the Mist Trail) when there’s a high chance of rain or wet conditions
• Avoid the cables when there’s a risk of lightning or when the cables are down in the off season
• Spend an additional day in the Valley before driving home
• If you have the potential for altitude sickness, spend a day in the Valley (or in Little Yosemite Valley) in advance to acclimate yourself, walk slowly, and bring extra water (most people are fine with the altitude gain)
• Remember bear safety

Of course we have to talk about hiking the cabled portion, which gets most people most nervous. Have there been fatalities? Yes, but only 6 since the cables were erected in 1919 (the last in 2011). Hike carefully, don’t horseplay, respect others’ right of way, go at your own pace (however slow it might be, no one is rushing you!), and you’ll be fine.