Parking
Use the signed Poopenaut Valley turnout on Hetch Hetchy Road, about four miles past the entrance station. Parking is very limited.
Overview
About Poopenaut Valley Trail
Why go
- Spring wildflowers can brighten the open start.
- The trail reaches a meadow beside the Tuolumne River.
Heads up
- The steep descent becomes an equally demanding return climb.
- Parking at the signed roadside turnout is very limited.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Yosemite map
Full mapElevation3,327–4,551 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
“Poopenaut Valley Trailhead is coming up, for a steep walk down to a meadow beside the Tuolumne River. Don't let the short distance fool you: allow three to four hours for about two and a half miles round trip.”
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 trailhead
Poopenaut Valley Trailhead0:00 / 0:21
“Poopenaut Valley Trailhead is coming up, for a steep walk down to a meadow beside the Tuolumne River. Don't let the short distance fool you: allow three to four hours for about two and a half miles round trip.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Yosemite Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Water That Works Twice
- The Naturalist Who Paid for the Survey
- Smith Peak from Smith Meadows Trailhead
- The Wasp's Underground Nursery
- 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 Poopenaut Valley Trail
A short walk with a long climb backPoopenaut Valley Trail is an out-and-back from the signed Hetch Hetchy Road turnout to the…
Poopenaut Valley Trail is an out-and-back from the signed Hetch Hetchy Road turnout to the Tuolumne River in Poopenaut Valley. Published totals range from about 2 to 2.5 miles round trip; the mapped tread is roughly a mile each way, so use 2.5 miles for conservative planning. Allow 3–4 hours and expect the effort to come on the steep climb back to the car.
Down to the riverThe path leaves an open roadside slope, where spring wildflowers can show, then turns into the…
The path leaves an open roadside slope, where spring wildflowers can show, then turns into the woods and drops sharply on narrow dirt. Gaps in the trees give occasional looks toward O’Shaughnessy Dam and the valley. Around 0.7 mile, the tread reaches a creek and follows a gully edge; near 0.9 mile it eases through meadow before ending at the river.
Make the return decision before you startThe river is the turnaround; retrace the same route uphill.
The river is the turnaround; retrace the same route uphill. Some pitches are reported above a 40 percent grade, so a short mileage count does not make this an easy hike. If the climb back is beyond anyone in your party, stay at the road. There is no alternate trail out.
At the valley floorThe meadow opens onto the Tuolumne River between granite slopes.
The meadow opens onto the Tuolumne River between granite slopes. This is the route’s payoff and a good photo stop; frame the river bend with meadow in the foreground to show the valley’s scale. Spring can add wildflowers near the open start.
Road access and rulesUse the signed turnout on Hetch Hetchy Road, about four miles past the entrance station;…
Use the signed turnout on Hetch Hetchy Road, about four miles past the entrance station; parking is very limited. The road is open from sunrise to sunset, and winter ice or snow can close it or require chains. Pets are prohibited on Yosemite hiking trails.
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.
