four mile trail

Due to the Yosemite Fires we were not allowed to walk the Panorama Trail. Therefore we choose to make the Four Mile Trail. You take the 1½u shuttle bus ($25pp) from the valley to Glacier Point and have a nice bus ride. The driver will tell you lot about the park. On top enjoy the magestic view it is really breath taking. The four mile is actually 5.25 mile because they added a little to make it less steep. We walked all the way down. It took us 3 hours to 'conquer' all the hairpins. The walk back to the shuttle stop was the easiest. All in all a very nice walk.For the people who want to go up and down, this is also possible. We met people who wanted to go up and down on their way up while it was getting dark. We adviced them to take the bus down. So start early and do not wear flip flops, bring enough food and water.

A visit to Glacier Point , even in November, means crowds and some annoyance as everyone volleys for the best pictures and views. There is precious little space nor time to really let the beauty sink in to you. The Four Mile Trail offers you a small respite from the crowds and an opportunity to become present with this magnificent park, while still being firmly "on the beaten path" which makes one feel slightly more at ease, at least in autumn.

If your visiting in cold months when snow is likely bring yak traks or something similar in case there is snow. It slowed us down considerably because of snow/icy conditions. Highly recommend this trail to anyone who would like to experience Yosemite at its fullest. Views are spectacular around every corner.

Gets your heart going, uphill from the valley, with great places to stop alone the way and enjoy amazing views of Yosemite Valley and Half Dome

My spouse and I did this hike in October of this year and it was fantastic. We did it the easy way by taking the bus from Yosemite Lodge up to Glacier Point and then hiking down to the valley. The views along the way are just breathtaking. At first, there are wonderful views across to Half Dome and then the trail turns to offer spectacular vistas of El Capitan and the rest of Yosemite Valley. We packed a lunch and drinks which we enjoyed along the way. The trail is steep in places and hiking poles are definitely recommended. The only disappointment was that because of the drought in California, the waterfalls were all dry. We took a leisurely pace and got down to the valley in just about three hours. We highly recommend this hike.

These four miles are a series of switch backs that wind there way up and out of the Yosemite Valley leading you eventually to the amazing views from Glacier Point above. A healthy but steep hike. You may want to do some conditioning first as four miles has never felt so far. Great hike with classic views of the Yosemite Valley on your way up.

Enjoyable nearly year-round except when snow covers the trail in winter. The trail is exposed so it can be nice to hike in fall when it is cooler and you have it more to yourself. There is also some nice fall color. In spring/early summer you get incredible views looking across the Valley at Yosemite Falls. This is a strenuous hike so be prepared for many switchbacks. But it's nice as long as you take your time, bring plenty of water and sun protection. You can also hike down the Four Mile Trail from Glacier Point which is much easier, if you can arrange a ride to the top or take the shuttle. $$

Wow, what a fun hike. Every turn has a view that never gets old. We started from the valley floor. We rode out bikes from Housekeeping Campground and locked them up at the trailhead. We just brought a few snacks and two bottles of water which was plenty, we picked up one more bottle for the return trip at Glacier Point. The nonstop valley views were amazing, the hike is not as grueling as upper Yosemite hike and has much better views.

Yup, you might change your mind after 4 yards. This is one of the most beautiful trails I have ever taken, but it is NOT for anyone out of shape. Even the young people get out of breathe. It is steep and whether you are going up the trail or down, it can stress your physical ability. Going up will get you out of breathe easily, but you can always stop and enjoy the views which are fabulous. If you are already at the top and plan to hick down, then you better think about if you need to come back up to the top or not. You might find that you walk down too far and then have trouble getting back to the top. Going down the trail might sound easy, but you can slip easily, especially if the ground is not dry. Falling in this location would be a bad thing indeed ! If you are an avid hiker then you are probably used to a serene quiet hike, but likely not on this trail. It is one of the most popular because of the views. Don't be surprised to run into a foot traffic jam on the weekend. Try a weekday instead. The good news is that if you have any trouble, then you won't be waiting long before help comes along.And surprisingly enough, at and near the top of Glacier Point, there is actually cell phone coverage. I uploaded some photos from the trail to friends while hiking.Of course, be sure to take plenty of water with you. This hike could take hours if you plan on taking the whole trip.

Not really 4 miles, and it is a hike up and pressure on your knees going down, but the views while hiking, and when you get to Glacier Point are worth the effort. Can take the Glacier Point bus, but hear that is easier if you take it there and hike down than the other way.

We only had a day to spend in Yosemite and this was my top priority since it has so many great views. We stayed in a hard-sided cabin in curry village (separate review there) and had a huge breakfast before hitting the trail head. We drove to Yosemite lodge and walked to the trail head because we originally planned to bus down from glacier point and the bus returns to here. Here are my suggestions if these plans are similar to yours:You can't buy a bus ticket down in advance. You have to just hope there is space on the ride back down and pay the driver cash. You can check with them the day of to see how full the tours are to weigh your odds and see what times are best (call main lodge number and pick the tours option or just go to their desk at the main lodge). We did this, and had planned to catch one back down, but it was an hour behind once we got up to glacier point and we were ready to head back down and do other things. So...we hitchhiked! It's a community that is very open to this and several people stopped before we found one going our way. We also talked to other people on the trail doing the same thing, which is how we got the idea once we realized the tour bus was late. Regarding the hike and trail themselves: the trail head is across and slightly up the road from the swinging bridge picnic area. It's marked just inside the road and isn't well-marked if you're walking over from the lodge so this is helpful information. The hike is strenuous. I'm in decent shape, and 5.5 months pregnant, and we made it in 3 hours. Others were taking it faster, some slower and several different age ranges/fitness levels seemed to be making it at their own pace. There are several places (rocks) where you can rest. Lots of switchbacks and very steep. But it gets a little easier as you get close to the end. There is only one marker to let you know how far you've gone and none of the views are marked (to let you know what you're seeing) so be somewhat familiar with what they look like before you start so you recognize the "monuments" when you see them. Have lunch at the top and take in the views you've earned!!! It is such a rewarding hike and looking down from glacier point to where you started is rewarding in itself! Expect it to be busy at the top.

Four Mile Trail is not easy, but definitely worth the effort. You can go as far as you want and turn around. We hiked about halfway up to Glacier Point. Parts can be strenuous. Many switchbacks, but easy footing. Expansive views around every bend (once close to the halfway point) are spectacular as are the views of trees (alive and fallen), foliage, and wildlife. Halfway up and down took about 3 hours. Next time we'll make it all the way to the top.

The "4 mile trail" is assessable from Yosemite Valley. It is a challenging 4.8 mile hike with a 3000 foot altitude gain. Along the way you get some great views of the valley and ultimately of Half Dome. The summit, however, was a bit of a disappointment. There was a congestion at the Point that really deflected from the serenity. Don't get me wrong, I am really glad that this location is available to everyone via shuttle or car, and as a vehicle destination this may be a 5. But, after a grueling uphill hike, the lack of relative solitude was a letdown.

This is a spectacular trail with so many breathtaking lookouts it could easily take you 5 hours to walk one way (or around 3 hours with no stopping). We hiked up from the valley floor and were joking about the "lazy people" who planned to take the bus back down, but by the end I decided that those people knew what they were doing!! On the way up, the scenery just gets better and better until you finally reach Glacier Point and you get an amazing 360 view. Then, on the way down, it's so steep and slippery, walking on marbles, and the views only get more and more obscured. Definitely not as fun as hiking up. If you plan on hiking down, I recommend bringing hiking poles because the trail is very steep and you will save your toenails a lot of stress!

This is an amazing hike if you have the time (to walk up & back) or have organized the logistics (you need to book a return bus ride if you are only going one way). But if you have left it to late and are short of time then start at the top from glacier point and just walk down to where the switchbacks start - this wi take 15-20 mins depending on how many photos you take and the walk back (up hill) which will take 20-25 mins. You'll still have a special experience even if you can't brag that you hiked the '4 mile trail'!