Clouds Rest Trail

Clouds Rest Trail is a long out-and-back from Sunrise Lakes Trailhead at Tenaya Lake to a granite summit at 9,926 feet. The posted distance is 14 miles round trip, with about 2,300 feet of climbing and an 8–10 hour estimate; other mapped versions range from roughly 12.5 to 14.5 miles. Budget for the longer day. The payoff is a 360-degree view over Tenaya Canyon and Yosemite Valley, with Half Dome below and the high Sierra beyond. This is a strong choice for a demanding high-country hike, not a quick viewpoint walk.

From the trailhead, cross the Tenaya Lake outlet and head south through a forested valley. The opening stretch is comparatively gentle, so the route doesn't begin with a steep pull. In spring runoff, the outlet can be high enough to wet your feet; later it may be a rock hop or dry. Then the trail climbs about 1,000 feet on rocky switchbacks toward a saddle. Some old stonework survives, though parts have crumbled. The tread is rough, and the downhill is tiring too. At the early junctions, follow the signs for Clouds Rest; branches toward Sunrise Lakes and Sunrise High Sierra Camp lead to other walks.

Past the saddle, the trail descends into a wooded meadow and passes a small pond. It is a welcome breather, but it isn't the summit yet: after a rolling stretch, the route climbs again toward the ridge, with another roughly 1,000-foot push. The back-and-forth shape matters on the return; you still need to climb out of the valley after spending most of the day on your feet. Follow the signed Clouds Rest route through the junctions rather than using the old metal mileage markers as a pace clock; those signs don't match newer route measurements.

The final half-mile crosses bare granite and follows a narrow spine with steep drops. This is the defining part of the hike and the part some people will want to skip. Don't go onto the ridge when it is wet or thunderstorms are nearby; if heights make you uneasy, turn around before the exposed section. Near the top, the crest broadens enough to pause, but there are no barriers. Stay off the summit and ridge in wet or stormy weather.

From 9,926 feet, look into Tenaya Canyon and Yosemite Valley, then pick out Half Dome and the high Sierra beyond. Tenaya Lake is back on the high-country side. The summit spine makes the scale of both views click: you're standing high above the canyon on a bare granite ridge. For a photo, keep a little summit rock in the foreground and frame Half Dome with the valley beyond; a tight crop of the dome loses the drop and the shape of the ridge.