Glacier Point is one of the most majestic overlooks in Yosemite National Park. It has stunning views of Half Dome, Yosemite Valley, waterfalls, and the spectacular High Sierra mountains. It’s the ultimate place to bask in the beauty of Yosemite and get stunning photos of the park.
While Glacier Point is accessible by car and bus, you can also reach it by hiking.
The Four Mile Trail is a trail that starts on the floor of Yosemite Valley and goes upward to Yosemite Point. It’s a strenuous four-mile climb to the top and four miles back down.
In total, the Four Mile trail is approximately 9.7 miles and 3,418 feet of elevation gain, making this a hard/strenuous hike.
This trail is not for the faint of heart or new hikers. However, it is a stunning trail, and the rewards at the top make the climb worthwhile.
I hiked this trail during my time working a travel healthcare assignment in nearby Fresno, CA. While the trail was challenging, it’s one of my favorites in Yosemite.
This is an all-day hike, and I highly recommend starting early, at 7 am or earlier, to avoid excessive heat.
Four Mile Trail – What Do You Need To Know?
The Four Mile Trail is located in the stunning Yosemite National Park. Yosemite has been running on a reservation system for the summer for the past couple of years. Make sure to review their website to determine if you need a reservation to enter the park, and ensure that you have one before attempting this hike.
As I mentioned above, the Four Mile trail is a strenuous hike. One way on the trail is 4.8 miles and will take you about 3-4 hours each way. The trail is primarily switchbacks and is easy to follow.
There are slippery parts of the trail with loose gravel, especially towards the top of the trail. It’s a lot harder to go down the slippery part than climb up it. This is a trail where you can bring your trekking poles and wear sturdy shoes.
The Four Mile trail is typically open sometime between May and November, although the seasonality will vary based on snow accumulation and the severity of the winter season.
What Should I Pack for The Four Mile Trail?
- WATER, WATER, WATER – Plan for 4 liters of water for a round-trip hike
- Money/cards, because there is a store at Glacier Point where you can purchase water/food/snacks
- Sturdy shoes with good traction
- Trekking poles
- Food for the trail
- First Aid kit. This trail is prone to sprained ankles. While I didn’t sprain my ankle on this trail, I did sprain it on Upper Yosemite Falls, which has similar terrain. I was glad to have a first aid kit and be able to wrap my ankle to stabilize it, which helped me make it down the mountain.
- Sun protection (hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, sun clothes)
- Bug repellent – there are massive amounts of biting insects on this trail
- Headlamp for hiking around dawn/dusk or nighttime
- Hiking Essentials Kit
- Phone/Camera
Is The Four Mile Trail Hard?
Yes, it’s hard. The combination of the elevation gain (over 3,000 feet), loose gravel, and sun exposure makes this trail very difficult.
In my opinion, the difficulty of the Four Mile Trail is similar to Upper Yosemite Falls. You can read more about Upper Yosemite Falls here.
Bring plenty of water and be prepared for an all-day adventure if you hike up and down the trail.
Also, bring bug repellent. The trail is filled with bugs, and I had to spray myself multiple times. At the summit, there were people covered with numerous bug bites who looked uncomfortable.
Where Is The Four-Mile Trail Head?
The trailhead is located in Yosemite Valley along Southside Drive. There is parking available along Southside Drive.
If that lot is complete and you find parking somewhere else in the valley, you can take the valley shuttle to the trailhead; it’s stop #11.
What’s The Trail Like?
Ascending the trail, you’ll have beautiful views of Yosemite Falls and Yosemite Valley.
The trail is primarily switchbacks. Do not cut the switchbacks, as this is not good for the health of the trail.
There is some loose gravel and rocks towards the top of the trail. Because of these uneven sections, my hiking group hiked with poles and found them to be beneficial.
It’s a busy trail and filled with people. As always, start early to avoid the largest crowds.
More Yosemite Hikes
What Else Do I Need To Know?
This is a hike that you want to start as early as possible. Not only is parking hard to find, but the trail gets crowded, and it gets hot in the summer.
Avoid the crowds and heat as much as possible by starting early.
Cell reception is spotty, if available, at Yosemite. I recommend downloading the trail map before entering the park. You can get the trail map from AllTrails+.
When you get to Glacier Point, there is a little store that is open during the day. This store has water, snacks, and novelty ice-cream bars. This is the only strenuous hike I’ve ever done where you could buy and eat ice cream at the summit. Literally my favorite part of the hike was eating an ice cream sandwich.
Is Four-Mile Trail Dog Friendly?
No, you cannot bring dogs on this trail.
Recap: Four-Mile Trail
The Four-Mile trail is a physically demanding hike with beautiful views and rewards in Yosemite Valley. Come prepared with water, food, sun-protection, bug-repellent, and a positive attitude to make your way to the top.