Pohono Trail to Sentinel Dome Loop

Route Description for Pohono Trail to Sentinel Dome Loop

The Pohono Trail to Sentinel Dome Loop is not for the faint of heart, as it reveals the vertigo-inducing sight of Yosemite Valley while you wander along the rim. Revel in the grandeur of the Half Dome, El Capitan, and Yosemite Falls as you hike this epic trail. Be mindful that stretches of terrain here are rough and uneven—a pair of sturdy footwear is a life saver! Mind your footing, and stay on the marked path, especially as you near the edge of the valley cliffs. Note: Yosemite National Park charges an entrance fee, check out the NPS website for more information. Additionally, this trek is only accessible when Glacier Point Road is open.

Your trek along the Pohono Trail to Sentinel Dome Loop begins from the Taft Point Trailhead off Glacier Point Road. From here, take the leftmost trail tracking west over Sentinel Creek and through mixed woodlands. Soon after your departure from the trailhead you will reach an intersection, keep right here. Now heading north through the mixed pines, you will approach the rim of Yosemite Valley which boasts breathtaking views of El Capitan and Yosemite Falls. Crossing over Sentinel Creek again, you will take the rightmost trail at the next junction.

Follow this route all the way up to Sentinel Dome, which boasts epic panoramas of the Half Dome and North Dome. Revel in the grandeur of the landscape then track the Sentinel Dome Trail south, all the way back to the trailhead, completing your circuit hike.