Panorama Trail

Panorama Trail is a point-to-point hike from Glacier Point to Happy Isles in Yosemite Valley. The park lists 8.2 miles one way; the mapped route to Happy Isles measures about 8.5 miles, so there is a small distance difference between sources. Allow 6 to 8 hours. You lose about 3,200 feet overall, but you still climb roughly 800 feet after Illilouette Creek before the long descent. This is the big south-rim-to-Valley crossing: do it for the changing views and waterfall sequence, and only after sorting out how you’ll get between the endpoints.

The trail drops from Glacier Point toward Illilouette Fall, a 370-foot waterfall tucked into a granite gorge. The Panorama Trail gives the best view; you can’t see it from the road. The waterfall flows year-round and is strongest around late May, when the river is high. The route crosses Illilouette Creek, then makes a real climb. Don’t let the early downhill convince you the hard work is over.

After the creek crossing, the path climbs about 700 to 800 feet over roughly a mile and a half, then turns down toward the Valley. Panorama Point is a short, unsigned spur off the main route. It opens a wide view toward Glacier Point, Royal Arches, North Dome and the back of Half Dome. Part of the rocky point fell toward the Valley in a 1977 rockfall, and the trail was rerouted away from the edge. The old point is worth the brief detour, but stay on the established path. For a photo, include some foreground rock with the skyline so the cliffs don’t flatten into one big wall.

This mapped version follows the Mist Trail below Nevada Fall to Happy Isles, passing close to Nevada and Vernal Falls. The stone steps are steep, and spray can leave the rocks slick even when they look dry. The John Muir Trail is the park’s alternate lower route if you’d rather avoid the Mist Trail stairs or it is restricted. Both falls are most powerful in late spring and early summer, when wet rock deserves extra respect.

Start at the Panorama and Pohono trailheads by the Glacier Point parking area. Glacier Point Road is usually open from May to November, depending on conditions. There’s no regular shuttle between Yosemite Valley and Glacier Point. A limited Glacier Point Tour runs in summer with reservations, so arrange a pickup or your return uphill before you set off. Water at Glacier Point is seasonal; the park recommends carrying enough for the whole hike.