Glacier Point, above the Valley rim, commands a magnificent view of the
High Sierra. Spread before one in panorama are the domes, the pinnacles,
the waterfalls, and dominating all, Half Dome, a mythical Indian turned
to stone. A few steps from the hotel one looks down into Yosemite
Valley, 3,254 feet below, where automobiles are but moving specks, tents
white dots, and the Merced River a silver tracery on green velvet. From
the little stone lookout, perched on the very rim of the gorge, by means
of high-powered binoculars installed for that purpose one may study the
detail of the High Sierra and its flanking ranges, miles distant,
through a sweep of 180°, as though they were at his very feet. A
ranger-naturalist is here in summer to assist visitors and to discuss
the geology, trees, birds, and wildlife of Yosemite.
[Illustration: Yosemite Fall in spring.]
No visitor should leave Yosemite without seeing Glacier Point. It is the
climax of all Yosemite views. It is reached by an excellent paved road
which leaves the Valley just west of Bridalveil Fall, and then through
the 4,233-foot tunnel to Chinquapin, from which point a good oiled
mountain road leads through forests of fir and lodgepole pine to Glacier
Point. The total distance is 28 miles, or about 1½ hours drive each way.
The fire fall is a nightly feature and takes on an entirely different
aspect from the top of the cliff. A short drive of a half mile from the
main road above Glacier Point brings one to Sentinel Dome, 8,117 feet in
elevation, where an unobstructed panorama of the southern half of the
park may be had, from the coast range on the west to the snow-capped
ridge of the Sierra on the east. A hotel, cafeteria, and Government camp
ground are available at Glacier Point.