Yosemite: Panorama Trail

 
Yosemite is the king of panoramas. Once you’re in the valley region, every direction offers outstanding views of massive cliffs and astounding waterfalls… and of course, tourists. If you want to get away from the valley traffic jams and the hustle bustle of the people, go on a hike! Even better, go on a longer hike. Panorama trail, staying true to its name, offers just that! With nearly 9 miles of descent from the glacier point to the valley floor, you’re sure to find sweeping views of large granite cliffs, half dome, waterfalls and national park land as far as your eyes can see.

Start the trail by booking a bus tour to the top of the glacier point. You can also choose to shuttle yourself if you have two cars in your group. The bus drivers offer a wealth of knowledge on the bus and it’s actually quite insightful and entertaining! We even saw a video about bears in the US! After your car/ bus gets to glacier point, spend some time actually walking to the Glacier point before starting the Panorama trail.

Fun fact: When President Obama visited Yosemite, he went up to Glacier point with this family and took the four mile trail down. So if you do this hike, you’ll literally be walking in the footsteps of a US president.
The Panorama trail begins just by the gift shop at Glacier point. It first descends for 3 miles at a steady pace. After this, the trail starts rising in elevation for nearly 700 feet for another mile. This was hard for us as the day was really warm and the sun was quite bright. We marched on and took a nice break near Nevada falls. After this, we quickly descended towards vernal falls and then to the valley floor. The Vernal falls descent, while scenic, is quite steep. A great alternative to the Vernal falls trail is the john Muir trail which is three quarters of a mile longer but far less steeper, and therefore, much nicer on your knees. While Justin and I went down the Vernal falls route, Justin’s parents offered to take the less steep John Muir option.

The views along the trail were stunning as we were able to see the Half Dome from several angles. There weren’t too many hikers along the way and for the most part we were by ourselves on the trail. While long, the trail wasn’t as physically demanding as a regular 9 mile hike due to a mostly descending route. I highly recommend this to people with moderate to high fitness levels who want to spend a nice day outside in Yosemite. Bring on the Calf aches!

Length – 9.5 miles
Duration – 4-7 hours
Level – Moderate
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Equipment:

1. Hiking boots: Well cushioned ankle supporting
2. Hiking socks: Fitted hiking socks that don’t cause blisters
3. Comfortable hiking clothes: shorts, t-shirt/ tank top
4. Hat: Baseball or hiking hat
5. Sun screen: Bring sunscreen with you if it’s a warm day
6. Water: At least 2 liters of water
7. Granola bars and snacks: Depending on your pace, bring snacks/ lunch. Keep energy levels up.
8. Hiking poles (optional): If you have knee troubles or if you’re not sure footed, please bring some hiking poles