Theodore Solomons Trail (Yosemite Section)

The Yosemite section of Theodore Solomons Trail is a 20.1-mile, one-way backpacking route from Glacier Point to the park’s southern boundary near Fernandez Pass. It links existing Panorama, Buena Vista and Merced Pass trails rather than following one continuously built TST tread. This is a point-to-point route, not a loop or a stand-alone day hike; it continues beyond Yosemite, so plan the next leg and an exit before starting.

Allow multiple days for the distance, remote terrain and roughly 4,650 feet of cumulative climbing shown by a coarse elevation profile. The route drops sharply from Glacier Point, then climbs through the high country to a sampled high point near 10,270 feet. Overnight wilderness travel requires a permit and a bear-resistant food canister; dogs are not allowed on trails or in wilderness. There is no regular shuttle to Glacier Point and no road pickup where this section leaves the park.

The route starts on Panorama Trail, with a steep descent toward Illilouette Creek and wide views of Half Dome and the waterfalls. The first 2.5 miles lose nearly 1,000 feet. At the Illilouette Falls junction, the TST leaves the main Panorama descent and continues toward the creek; on this line, expect a creek ford. Park signs give about 3.5 miles to the creek while a recorded GPS track measures 4.5, so treat that first-stage turnaround as roughly four miles one way, not as the distance of this Yosemite section.

After Illilouette Creek, the mapped corridor follows existing routes toward Buena Vista and Merced Pass, then continues south to the boundary near Fernandez Pass. The grade rises again after the creek and the sampled profile reaches above 10,000 feet. The trail is a composite route, so carry reliable navigation and check the current route and water crossings before leaving the developed Glacier Point area.

Theodore Solomons proposed the route in 1974 as a lower-elevation alternative to the John Muir Trail. It connects existing trails across the Sierra rather than forming one separately maintained tread. That distinction matters here: the Yosemite line is a defined section of a much longer through-route, and the boundary is only a map endpoint, not a trailhead or vehicle-access point.