Parking
Use the pullout opposite the trailhead just beyond the Hetch Hetchy entrance station. It is small, and no overflow lot was confirmed.
Overview
About Lookout Point Trail
Why go
- A rocky outcrop with views of the reservoir, dam, and Wapama Falls.
Heads up
- The first third runs close to the road, and the main landmarks stay distant.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Yosemite map
Full mapElevation4,826–5,256 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
4 active Yosemite alerts
- ClosureDome Fire closes Glacier Point Road and trailsGlacier Point Road is temporarily closed because Dome Fire smoke reduces visibility and to allow firefighting operations; some trails south of the road are also closed.Official details
- CautionMist Trail access limited during October repairsThe Mist Trail between its John Muir Trail junction above the Vernal Fall footbridge and the top of Vernal Fall has limited access through October for repair work.Official details
“A large orange-and-black wasp carrying a grasshopper may be a great golden digger wasp. Look for golden hairs on its head and chest. Females dig burrows in bare soil and stock underground chambers with prey.”
Yosemite Tour Guide
Yosemite, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Yosemite National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Yosemite audio tourRecorded for this area
The Wasp's Underground Nursery0:00 / 0:31
“A large orange-and-black wasp carrying a grasshopper may be a great golden digger wasp. Look for golden hairs on its head and chest. Females dig burrows in bare soil and stock underground chambers with prey.”
Plays on the road 0.4 mi from the trailhead in the Parkwolf Yosemite Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- The Naturalist Who Paid for the Survey
- Water That Works Twice
- Manzanita's Summer Slowdown
- Poopenaut Valley Trailhead
- 125 audio storiesacross Yosemite’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Black Bear, Peregrine Falcon, Mule Deer, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 141 trails, 99 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“We just drove through Yosemite and it made our trip listening to this app as we drove through. Like having a tour guide in the car with you.”
Trail guide
Hiking Lookout Point Trail
A short Hetch Hetchy overlook hikeLookout Point Trail is about a 2.
Lookout Point Trail is about a 2.8-mile out-and-back from the Hetch Hetchy entrance station to a rocky outcrop overlooking the valley. The mapped route runs about 1.4 miles each way; allow 1–2 hours for the walk and time at the end. The National Park Service lists 2 miles round trip and 680 feet of gain; the longer mapped corridor agrees with Yosemite Hikes’ 2.8-mile description. Expect a steady moderate climb. This is a handy short outing if you’re already at Hetch Hetchy. From the outcrop, the reservoir, O’Shaughnessy Dam, and Wapama Falls sit far across the valley.
Follow the left forksThe first third stays close to the entrance road before the path heads away.
The first third stays close to the entrance road before the path heads away. At trail forks, take the left branch. You’ll pass through two narrow V-shaped gates; a bulky pack can catch at the second. One short stretch is lined with poison oak. Early in the season, small streams may cross marshy ground, where mosquitoes can be bothersome.
Access and hazardsStart just beyond the Hetch Hetchy entrance station; the parking pullout is across the road…
Start just beyond the Hetch Hetchy entrance station; the parking pullout is across the road from the trailhead. No overflow lot was confirmed, so don’t count on another space if the pullout is full. The access road is open only from sunrise to sunset and can close or require chains in winter. Pets aren’t allowed on Yosemite hiking trails. Watch for rattlesnakes and poison oak.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Yosemite
732 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
1,747 sightingsMule DeerMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
332 sightingsCoyoteMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
11 sightingsPeregrine FalconMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
276 sightingsPikaMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
677 sightingsYellow-bellied MarmotMost seen around 8 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Yosemite. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
