Eagle Peak Trail

This is a 12.6-mile out-and-back from the Yosemite Falls Trailhead at Camp 4, climbing the Yosemite Falls Trail before turning west toward Eagle Peak. It gains 3,770 feet, and a typical round trip takes about 8.5 hours. Published totals run from roughly 12 to 13 miles, so give yourself a full day and daylight for the return. Choose it for the long climb and the wide view from Yosemite Valley’s north rim; it is much more than a waterfall walk.

Behind Camp 4, the trail starts climbing through oak woodland. After about a mile and 1,000 feet of ascent, Columbia Rock opens a view over the Valley toward Half Dome and Sentinel Rock. Another half mile, some of it downhill, brings you to a close view of Upper Yosemite Fall. In spring, spray can reach the trail; by late summer the waterfall may be down to a trickle.

The upper half of the Yosemite Falls Trail is steep and rocky. The route crosses exposed plateaus, and steep drops sit beside the maintained path. Loose sand mixed with rock makes footing slippery, so stay on the tread rather than cutting switchbacks or edging toward the creek. At the top, Yosemite Creek looks surprisingly small beside the brink; never wade there.

From the top of the falls, follow the signs toward El Capitan, then continue to Eagle Peak and turn back the same way. The Eagle Peak extension is about 5.8 miles round trip from the top of the Yosemite Falls Trail. Stop at Eagle Peak rather than continuing to El Capitan, which is a longer route. Eagle Peak is the highest of the Three Brothers and a high point on the north rim. Its open view takes in Yosemite Valley and the high country. At the summit, include a little granite foreground with the distant cliffs to give the panorama depth.

The Yosemite Falls Trail was built from 1873 to 1877, making it one of Yosemite’s oldest historic routes. It climbs beside a waterfall that drops 2,425 feet above the Valley floor. The water is strongest in spring; later in summer, the flow can shrink to a thin ribbon, but the summit and Valley views remain the payoff.

Camp 4 parking is for campers. Day hikers can use the Yosemite Falls parking area across the road, just beyond the campground entrance, or take the Valleywide Shuttle to stop 7. Restrooms and a drinking fountain are near the trailhead; there is no drinking water or restroom along the route. The park recommends four liters for the shorter hike to the top of Yosemite Falls, and Eagle Peak adds several miles. Dogs are not allowed.

Columbia Rock is about a mile up and 1,000 feet above the start, making it a roughly two-mile round trip with a strong Valley view. Going all the way to the top of Yosemite Falls is another option: about 7.2 miles round trip with 2,700 feet of gain. Both let you experience the lower trail without adding the Eagle Peak extension.