8/13/2023 0 Comments Little kelly desert adventureHiker at the trailhead to Sentinel Dome, Taft Point. It’s less crowded than Glacier Point, too. The hike itself is moderate, with the only steep section coming as you approach the summit of Sentinel. From the vertigo-inducing Taft Point, you’ll see El Capitan and Yosemite Falls. The summit on Sentinel Dome has 360-degree views of the entire park, including west where Half Dome and a large chunk of Yosemite Valley are displayed in all their glory. I had the opportunity to include a piece of this hike during a multi-day backpacking trip through Yosemite and was awestruck. So, ixnay.įinally, I settled on the Sentinel Dome and Taft Point Loop because it offers two grand but distinct views of Yosemite Valley on the same hike. But you know what you can’t see from the top of Half Dome? Half Dome itself. Half Dome is arguably the most coveted (and badass) hike and leads to banger views of Yosemite Valley. Tunnel View is probably the best-known vista, but it’s just a roadside overlook, so I nixed it. In theory, all of the best options look at the same stuff-Yosemite Valley and its granite towers-so I picked the hike with my favorite angle of that view. But choosing which ridiculously scenic hike to feature was agonizing. I knew Yosemite National Park was gonna make this list because of the 1,200-square-mile park’s abundance of fertile valleys, dramatic waterfalls, and really big rocks. Sentinel Dome and Taft Point Loop, Yosemite National Park, California Distance: 5.1-mile loop Taft Point, a vertiginous overlook, with Yosemite Valley, El Capitan, and the Merced River visible Yosemite National Park, California (Photo: Sundry Photography/Getty) The rest of the trails haunt my bucket list for when the opportunities arise. I am Outside’s national parks columnist, fortunate enough to have hiked a number of these trails myself, and have dragged my kids to many. Same with difficulty-you’ll find short half-mile loops and full-day efforts. This list is about grand beauty-heart-stopping vistas and otherworldly landscapes that would make even the most jaded screen-ages look up from their phones and say, “Cool.” I also considered geography diversity and a range of landscapes to highlight something for everyone. Lenticular over Great Sand Dunes National Park, in the San Luis Valley, Colorado (Photo: Patrick Myers/NPS) With that sense of scientific objectivity in mind, I’ve developed a list of the 11 most beautiful hikes in our national parks. I don’t think anyone has stood on the lip of the Grand Canyon, peering down 5,000 feet, and thought, Meh. Outdoor beauty, though, as found in nature, is far less subjective. They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
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