(11.7 miles--5 hours. Round trip from Yosemite, 24 miles--13 hours)
This is one of the most beautiful Yosemite trails. With very little
climbing the trail parallels the south rim thru delightfully
attractive forests and wild-flower gardens, emerging from time to time
to reveal vast views across and into the valley. The round trip from
Yosemite to Glacier Point and thence to Fort Monroe via the Pohono
Trail, returning to the valley via the Wawona Road is too long a trip
to be attempted by the average walker in one day. It is best to stay
over night at the Glacier Point Hotel, starting early the next
morning.
Leaving the ~Glacier Point Hotel~ we follow the road southwestward
about two miles, turning to the right at the ~Pohono Trail~ sign. We
now follow thru a dense fir forest for one mile, emerging at the
canyon rim at ~The Fissures~. These are great cracks only a few feet
wide and hundreds of feet deep. Just beyond is ~Taft Point~ (Alt.
7503). From here is a wonderful view, especially of the sheer
3500-foot precipices of ~El Capitan~ and ~Three Brothers~ rising as
massive buttresses of the great north wall.
Swinging south along the rim for a short distance, the trail again
turns westward thru the fir forests passing beautiful small meadows
and wild-flower gardens and descending to ~Bridalveil Creek~. The
bridge has been destroyed but a foot-log is in place. There is fair
fishing in this stream but the fish are small. Bearing west and north
and climbing slightly, the trail emerges at ~Dewey Point~ (Alt. 7316),
another of the promontories of the south rim. From here the ~Cathedral
Rocks~ and ~Leaning Tower~ are viewed from an unusual angle, and ~El
Capitan~ and ~Ribbon Falls~ dominate the opposite wall. Following the
rim westward about half a mile we reach ~Crocker Point~ (Alt. 7090),
from which is obtained another vast outlook. Descending 430 feet thru
the forest we cross a small stream and emerge at ~Stanford Point~
(Alt. 6659), another prominent lookout on the southern ramparts. About
half a mile westward one sees ~Old Inspiration Point~, from which
Yosemite was first seen by white men on March 21, 1851. Retracing our
path a short distance, we turn to the right and cross ~Meadow Brook~,
which flows over ~Widow's Tears~ a quarter mile below. The vicinity is
a Mecca for flower lovers. The trail continues westward, dropping 1400
feet in the next one and a half miles to ~Fort Monroe~ (Alt. 5540), an
old stage relay station on the ~Wawona Road~. Yosemite is eight miles
eastward by this road.