Four Mile Trail
Yosemite National Park
| Address: | Four Mile Trail, California, USA |
| GPS: |
37°43'59.7"N 119°35'14.4"W Maps | Directions |
| State: | California |
| Trail Length: | 9.40 miles |
| Trail Type: | Out & Back |
| Hike Difficulty: | Advanced |
| Elevation Gain: | 3200 feet |
| Trails/Routes: | 4.6 mi |
Restrooms Lakes Rivers Waterfalls Streams Trails Rocks National Park
Hike
Four Mile Trail is a moderate hike that offers the best views of some of Yosemite's most famous landmarks, including Yosemite Falls, Half Dome, Clouds Rest, North Dome, El Capitan, and the Royal Arches. The hike connects Yosemite Valley and Glacier Point, making it one of the best ways to see the highlights of the park in just four miles.
There are several switchbacks, making it a little bit more difficult going up than it is going down. While the name of the hike is Four Mile Trail, it's actually 4.7 miles one way and 9.4 miles round trip and takes about 2-5 hours to complete. Just around a mile or so into the hike, you'll be able to see Yosemite Falls completely. This is the only place in the world where the view of this waterfall, the highest in North America, is not obstructed by rocks or trees. Because Yosemite Falls is such a big part of the Four Mile Trail, the best time to visit is in the spring, just after the snow melts, because that's when it's at its biggest.
At the top of the hike, there is a gift shop and cafeteria, allowing visitors some time to stay, rest, grab a bite, and enjoy the scenery.
More Information
Yosemite National Park Itinerary
This Yosemite National Park Itinerary will help you get started as you plan your vacation to Yosemite National Park.
https://www.justgotravelstudios.com/collections/national-park-itineraries/products/yosemite-national-park-itinerary?ref=9zpxis0diinFour Mile Trail - Yosemite National Park (U.S. National Park Service)
Views of Yosemite Falls and Yosemite Valley await hikers, topped off with a panorama of Half Dome and Sierra mountain peaks from Glacier Point.
https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/fourmiletrail.htmYosemite Hikes: The Four-Mile Trail
A hiker’s guide to Yosemite’s Four-Mile Trail
https://www.yosemitehikes.com/yosemite-valley/four-mile-trail/four-mile-trail.htmBe courteous, informed, and prepared. Read trailhead guidelines, stay on the trail, and don't feed the wildlife.
Read More
- Plan Ahead and Prepare
- Travel & camp on durable surfaces
- Dispose of waste properly
- Leave what you find
- Minimize campfire impacts
- Respect wildlife
- Be considerate of other visitors
Directions
From Yosemite National Park
- Head northeast on El Portal RdToll road(5.5 mi)
- El Portal Rd turns slightly right and becomes Southside DrToll road(4.7 mi)
There is a parking lot just outside the trailhead.
Other Hiking Trails Nearby
Glacier Point
Yosemite National Park
0.8 miles EPerched at 7,214 feet above Yosemite Valley, Glacier Point delivers bird's-eye views of Half Dome, El Capitan, and multiple waterfalls — accessible by car or a 4.7-mile hike.
Hike 0.7 mi
Cook's Meadow Loop
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
0.9 miles NA nearly 1-mile, nearly flat loop in Sentinel Meadow with close-up views of Yosemite Falls, Half Dome, Glacier Point, and Sentinel Rock — Yosemite's best easy walk.
Hike 0.8 mi
Lower Yosemite Falls
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
1.0 miles NWA short, flat walk to the base of a 3,967-foot waterfall — twice the height of the Empire State Building and one of North America's tallest, best visited in spring or early summer before it dries.
Hike 15.9 mi
Valley Loop Trail
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
1.2 miles WAn 11.5-mile loop trail through the heart of Yosemite Valley following the Merced River past wildflower meadows, the Three Brothers, El Capitan, and Bridalveil Falls — with nearly no elevation gain.
Hike 2.9 mi
Upper Yosemite Falls
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
1.5 miles NThe tallest waterfall in North America at 2,425 feet — a 7.2-mile, 2,600-ft-gain hike to the top of Upper Yosemite Falls with stunning valley views along the way.
Hike 1.9-2.9 mi
Mist Trail
Yosemite National Park
1.6 miles EA steep, mist-soaked Yosemite staircase hike climbing 639 stone steps past Vernal and Nevada Falls — with Half Dome, Whitecap, and Mt. Broderick views from the switchbacks above.
Backpack, Hike 1.2 mi
Taft Point
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
1.7 miles SWA 5-mile Yosemite loop pairing Sentinel Dome with Taft Point, offering El Capitan views, dramatic cliff fissures, and 3,000-foot valley vistas — no guard rails, so watch your footing.
Hike 0.4-2.1 mi
Illilouette Falls
Yosemite West, Yosemite National Park
2.0 miles SEA 4-mile hike starting downhill from Glacier Point to a footbridge view of Illilouette Falls — with a side trip on the quieter Panorama Trail adding Half Dome and Nevada Falls views.
Hike 4.1 mi
North Dome
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
2.2 miles NEA strenuous 10.4-mile hike through Yosemite forest to North Dome, rewarding hikers with the best straight-on view of Half Dome from 7,450 feet — plus a 0.6-mile detour to a 15-foot granite arch.
Backpack, Hike
Horsetail Falls
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
2.3 miles WFor a few weeks in mid-to-late February, Horsetail Falls glows orange with reflected sunset light — a rare 'firefall' phenomenon requiring clear skies and a parking permit.
Hike
Mirror Lake
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
2.3 miles NEA paved, car-free trail winds to this seasonal lake at the base of Half Dome, offering a still mirror reflection and a popular summer swimming hole.
Backpack, Hike, Swim 0.2 mi
Ribbon Falls
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
3.0 miles WThe longest single-drop waterfall in North America at 1,612 feet — seasonal and best seen in late morning when the sun hits it directly, visible from El Capitan Road as you enter Yosemite Valley.
Hike 0.2 mi
Bridalveil Falls
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
3.4 miles WA 620-foot waterfall that flows year-round and soaks onlookers with mist — Bridalveil Falls is just a quick half-mile paved walk from the trailhead, wheelchair accessible and pet friendly.
Hike 2.1 mi
Snow Creek Falls
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
3.6 miles NEA 2,140-foot, seven-drop cascade tucked deep in Tenaya Canyon — best spotted from the Mirror Lake Loop, where you can also take a swim before hunting for the falls from the Snow Creek Trail junction.
Backpack, Hike 1.9 mi
Half Dome
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
4.2 miles EA grueling 14-mile round-trip hike with 4,800 feet of gain to the summit of Half Dome, including a cable section in the final 400 feet — a permit is required and a sunrise start is essential.
Hike 1.7 mi
Mono Meadow
Yosemite West, Yosemite National Park
4.3 miles SA short, lightly trafficked 3-mile round-trip hike through a wildflower meadow recovering from wildfire, offering simultaneous views of Mt. Starr King, Clarke Range, and Half Dome.
Hike 0.5 mi
McGurk Meadow
Yosemite National Park
4.9 miles SWA flat, 0.8-mile walk through one of Yosemite's most secluded wildflower meadows, complete with a brook and a historic 1800s cabin — few visitors, pure charm.
Hike 5.5 mi
Ostrander Lake
Wawona, California
7.8 miles SAn 11.4-mile Yosemite hike to a semi-secluded swim lake surrounded by granite mountains — wildflowers, streams, and meadows in summer; open for cross-country skiing in winter via Ostrander Lodge.
Hike, Swim 0.7 mi
Lukens Lake
Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park
8.2 miles NA short 1.6-mile forest walk to a secluded lake famous for the luminescent shooting stars visible while you swim, plus a wildflower meadow that peaks in July.
Hike, Swim 1.3-1.6 mi
May Lake
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
9.4 miles NEA 2.5-mile roundtrip hike to a scenic 9,270-foot lake at the base of Mt. Hoffmann — with views of Clouds Rest, Half Dome, and Teyana Lake, plus the option to summit the peak for even grander panoramas.
Hike, SwimNearby Campsites
Merced River
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
0.6 miles NThe Merced River circles Yosemite Valley with whitewater, swimming holes, gold-panning spots, and unbeatable views of Yosemite Falls and Glacier Point at every bend.
Camp, Swim, Whitewater
Crane Flat
Big Oak Flat, Yosemite National Park
11.6 miles WFramed between two giant sequoia groves, Crane Flat meadow is a quiet Yosemite base camp for birding, stargazing, and seasonal hikes to Lukens and Harden Lake.
Backpack, Camp, Hike, Snowshoe 5.7 mi
Ten Lakes
Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park
12.2 miles NA 6.4-mile hike from Yosemite Creek to three of the Ten Lakes Basin's seven lakes, through wildflower meadows, forests, and past the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne, gaining 2,200 feet.
Backpack, Camp, Hike 6.1 mi
Glen Aulin
Wawona, California
15.2 miles NEAn 11-mile hike along the Tuolumne River to Glen Aulin with 800 feet of gain, passing Tuolumne Falls, Soda Springs, wildflower meadows, and the stunning White Cascade.
Backpack, Camp, Hike
Glen Aulin
Glen Aulin, California
15.2 miles NEA popular introductory Yosemite High Country backcountry hike following the Tuolumne River to a High Sierra Camp beside the White Cascade waterfall, with further options to Waterwheel Falls.
Backpack, Camp, Hike, Swim
Tuolumne Meadows
Tuolumne County, California
16.5 miles NEA stunning alpine meadow in the high Sierra with granite domes and mountain views, the meandering Tuolumne River, and access to Yosemite backcountry — open summer only when the park road is clear.
Camp, Hike 4.0 mi
Saddlebag Lake
Lee Vining, California
23.6 miles NEAt 10,008 ft, this Eastern Sierra alpine lake offers exceptional trout fishing, a scenic four-mile loop, and a water taxi into the heart of the Twenty Lakes Basin.
Camp, Canoe, Hike
Briceburg Recreation Area
Midpines, California
23.7 miles SWBriceburg is where State Route 140 drops out of the Sierra foothills and meets the Wild and Scenic Merced River, twelve miles east of Mariposa on the road to Yosemite, and it's one of the best public...
Camp, Kayak, Swim
Crystal Lake
Mammoth Lakes, California
32.8 miles EA 3.2-mile roundtrip Sierra day hike past Lake George, Lake Marie, and Lake Mamie, ending at Crystal Lake beneath the monolith Crystal Crag — shaded trail with room to swim, fish, or picnic lakeside.
Camp, Hike
Standish Hickey Area
Lakeshore, California
42.1 miles SEA two-mile stretch of the south fork of the Eel River inside a redwood canyon 180 miles from San Francisco — swim, kayak, fish, or hike, then camp near the 1,200-year-old Captain Miles Standish Tree.
Backpack, Camp, Hike, Kayak, Swim
Wild Willy's Hot Spring
Mammoth Lakes, California
45.0 miles EA soaking hot spring in Long Valley's open sagebrush plain — pools range from 95°F to 105°F, with a larger deeper pool and smaller, hotter pools, reached by a 0.2-mile wooden boardwalk from the parking area.
Camp, Hot Springs
Crowley Lake Campground
Crowley Lake, California
46.2 miles ENestled in the stunning Eastern Sierra near Crowley Lake, this BLM campground offers first-come, first-served sites for tents, RVs, and trailers with breathtaking high-desert views.
Camp
