Sentinel Dome Trail
Yosemite National Park, California
Sentinel Dome, at a distance of only 1.1 miles (2.2 miles roundtrip), ranks as one of the most accessible Domes in Yosemite. You will gain 402 feet on this hike and once you reach the summit you will be at 8,122 feet, the second highest point in Yosemite Valley—topped only by Half Dome. Your reward for climbing the gradually steep trail is an amazing view of Half Dome in all its glory, along with the chance to see the lone Jeffrey Pine that graces the summit of Sentinel Dome. The tree died in 1984, but its stark skeleton still beckons hikers and photographers alike. You will find the trailhead for Sentinel Dome along Glacier Point Road, located at the same parking lot as Taft Point, so you can easily combine these two hikes for some of the best views in Yosemite.