![]() Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. If you have time, the loop is a great hike near the much too busy Glacier Point. For those with a fear of heights, Taft Point can still be enjoyed by staying away from the edge. Taft Point is the tip of this outcropping where a metal railing allows for you to reach the edge and really appreciate the views from this precipice.Īfter soaking in the views, I turned around and headed back, passing the junction to return to my car.īoth hikes lead to wonderful features with varying views. I passed The Fissures, massive gashes in the rock that knife down deep into the granite. On one patch, a black bear was sprawled out, probably cooling off in the coolness of the snow before sauntering off.Įventually I met up with the Taft Point trail where I followed it down to a wide open area that shoots out into the valley. I crossed the creek and continued on through more forests, past enormous boulders, and a few snow patches. Once I reached Sentinel Creek, precarious views were abundant where the creek fell as Sentinel Fall. Numerous spots provided views looking down into the valley. The trail lost a bit of elevation, then meandered through a variety of forest from fairly wet, dark forests to exposed sections. A great metal disc on top of the dome helped identify surrounding summits.Ī brief snack and I headed down and wrapped below the west face of the dome and continued south. Looking north, I could see Half Dome and the still snow covered peaks of the Cathedral Range towards Tuolumne Meadows. The previous winter (2016-2017) saw a high snowpack and some still clung here and needed to be navigated.Īt the top, I could see all three sections of Yosemite Falls as they dropped from Upper Yosemite Falls, down through the Middle Cascades, and the final drop of Lower Fall as the creek crashed into Yosemite Valley. I climbed the steep, moonscape north aspect with views expanding with every step. After a fairly level trail, I came to the junction with the trail that climbs up on to the granite dome. Its rounded southern exposure doesn’t provide an easy access thus the trail wraps around it to the north end. I moved through this forest admiring the large trees that eek out a living when Sentinel Dome came into view. The resulting forest is mostly open with hardy vegetation gradually colonizing the landscape. The terrain is primarily granite which doesn’t provide much for great soil or water retention. I had decided to visit Sentinel Dome first, then loop over to Taft Point, so I took a right and headed north. I parked at the Sentinel Dome/Taft Point trailhead and stepped out onto the trail. ![]() The snow was still melting in shaded spots along the Glacier Point Road in early June. ![]()
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