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Aug 06, 2024 — Clouds Rest offers a gorgeous viewpoint within Yosemite National Park, overlooking Half Dome and Yosemite Valley. While it's often reached from Yosemite Valley, I approached from Tuolumne Meadows, starting at the Sunrise Lakes Parking Lot near Tenaya Lake. I set out from the trailhead for what was initially a mostly forested and fairly flat hike. After some walking, the trees parted briefly, and I caught my first glimpse of Clouds Rest, which didn’t look like much yet from this vantage point.
I reached the first notable uphill section, where the trail quickly gains elevation through tight switchbacks. The trail was well-constructed, with occasional built-in stairs. On the way up, the views back toward the domes within Tuolumne Meadows and Tuolumne Peak/Mount Hoffman were stunning. At the top of the first uphill, the trail met a junction with the Sunrise Lakes Trail, but I continued south. The trail dipped briefly, descending past a cute pond and down to a creek crossing. From there, I continued uphill again to another trail junction and went straight.
The forest began to clear, offering views of the peaks to the south and a glimpse of Clouds Rest ahead. The trail ascended out of the trees and followed the exposed granite ridgeline along the northeast side of Clouds Rest. The ridge is quite narrow for an official NPS trail, with a sheer drop to the north, but no scrambling was required. Those unaccustomed to this kind of exposure might find this section a bit nerve-wracking, which I gathered from a conversation I overheard at the summit. Apparently, you can bypass the northeast ridge via a wrap-around trail to the south, though the main ridge trail is perfectly safe and has amazing views. The overlook into Yosemite Valley and of the iconic Half Dome are unmatched from the summit.
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Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I'm not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!
