The Four-Mile Trail window.onload=new function(){wgUserName='';sTrailName='The Four-Mile Trail';bTrailFinished='';} [?]

The Four-Mile Trail
Photo: Thomas Kriese
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Difficulty	Moderate
Distance	4.7 miles (7.6 kilometers)
Time Required	2-4 hours
Trail Use
Trail Type	One Way
Elevation Gain	3200 feet (980 meters)
High Point	7200 feet (2200 meters)
Low Point	4000 feet (1220 meters)
Best Months	May - August
Nearest City	Mariposa, CA

Overview

A rare one-way trail in Yosemite National Park connecting Yosemite Valley and Glacier Point, this pleasant downward hike affords spectacular views of much of the best of what Yosemite has to offer.

Directions To Trailhead

Like the Panorama Trail, this is a fairly unique style hike in that it can be done in a single direction. If you're going downhill, as most people choose to do it, you will be starting at Glacier Point.

To start, get to Yosemite Valley and park either in the Curry Village or Yosemite Village parking lots. Then take the free shuttle bus (or walk) to Yosemite Lodge, where the bus leaves for Glacier Point. One way bus tickets from Yosemite Valley to Glacier Point cost $25 for adults and $15 for kids over age 5. You can buy tickets in the Lodge and the buses leave at 8:30am, 10:00am, and 1:30pm. You can also book tickets ahead of time by calling 1-209-372-1240.

Alternatively, you can drive yourself to Glacier Point and arrange transportation back to your car from the valley. To get to Glacier Point, take Highway 41 from the valley to Glacier Point Road (about 9 miles).

If you want to do the hike in reverse, from Yosemite Valley up to Glacier Point you can park your car at Glacier Point, try to take one of the buses back down to the valley (which leave at 10:30am, 12:00pm, and 3:30pm) and then do the hike back to your car.

It's worth considering that starting from the bottom and going up will be more difficult, but the scenery will also improve as you go up, making the trail in some ways more enjoyable than an anti-climactic ending to a top to bottom route.

Trail Description

Starting from the top trailhead at Glacier Point, the scenery will be spectacular and you will have full on views of the entirety of Yosemite Falls. Most of the trail is wide and not as steep as the Upper Yosemite Falls trek, another valley-to-top trail.

As you descend you will eventually reach the trail gate, which closes in winter. From these vantage points you can see Yosemite in all its splendor, with many angles and views that you can't get anywhere else. You should be able to see Tenaya Canyon over to Half Dome, North Dome, and Clouds Rest.

Continuing along you will pass almost right underneath Sentinel Dome. The last couple miles of the trail will show Cathedral Rocks and El Capitan framed in unique and memorable ways.

Conditions And Hazards

This is deservedly one of the more popular moderate hikes in Yosemite, so you will not be alone for very long along the way.

Fees, Permits, And Restrictions

The trail gate is closed during the winter when Glacier Point is also closed.

The entrance fee for Yosemite National Park is $20 for private vehicles.

Amenities

For bathrooms, you can find some at Swinging Bridge in Yosemite Valley about a couple minutes east of the trailhead. At Glacier Point, there are some at the parking lot.

Snacks and food will be found at Glacier Point or Yosemite Village.

Miscellaneous

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Photo Gallery

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Map

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Trailhead (37.7279, -119.5742)

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