(11.7 miles--5 hours. Round trip from Yosemite, 24 miles--13 hours)
The ~Pohono Trail~ trip is one of the most beautiful of Yosemite
excursions. Striking eastward from Fort Monroe on the Wawona Road, it
traverses a delightful wooded country in which are some of the finest
wild-flower gardens of the park. From time to time it emerges at the
rugged ramparts of the south wall and affords many vast panoramas. The
round trip from Yosemite to Fort Monroe via Pohono Trail and return to
the valley via the Short Trail is too long to be attempted by the
average walker in one day. Even the trip to Glacier Point by this
route is a long one, and it is suggested that the itinerary outlined
in Trail Trip 17 be followed in preference. At Fort Monroe, an old
stage relay station on the Wawona Road, is a fairly good auto camp.
From here one may visit all the lookout points on the south rim by an
easy one-day walk, or may continue to the Glacier Point Hotel (11.7
miles), returning the next day.
The ~Pohono Trail~ turns eastward from the Wawona Road at ~Fort
Monroe~, eight miles distant from Yosemite. In the long steady climb
of 1400 feet in the first two miles we cross two small mountain
streams and near the top of the ascent pass about a quarter mile south
of ~Old Inspiration Point~ (Alt. 6603), from which Yosemite was first
seen by white men on March 21, 1851. The gently sloping trail now
winds beneath the firs thru most luxurious gardens of wild-flowers.
Shortly we cross ~Meadow Brook~ which, a quarter mile below, plunges
over ~Widow's Tears~. Trending northward about half a mile we now
emerge at ~Stanford Point~ (Alt. 6659), one of the promontories of the
south rim. From here, as from all other lookouts along the top of the
great south wall, is a vast panorama. Retracing our path a short
distance we turn to the left, cross another small brook, and climb 350
feet in the next half mile to ~Crocker Point~ (Alt. 7090). Closely
paralleling the rim for another half mile we halt at ~Dewey Point~
(Alt. 7316), the imposing apex of one of the great granite buttresses.
~Cathedral Rocks~ and the ~Leaning Tower~ are here viewed from an
unusual angle. To the northward ~El Capitan~ dominates the north wall
and ~Ribbon Falls~ is most advantageously seen.
A long detour to the southeast now takes us into the ~Bridalveil Creek
Basin~. The trail bridge has been destroyed, but a foot-log is in
place. Fishing is fair, but the trout are small. Turning again
eastward we continue thru the fir forests, passing beautiful small
meadows and wild-flower gardens until we again approach the canyon
rim, which we follow northward for a short distance to ~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 wonderfully
vast view, especially of the sheer 3500-foot precipices of ~El
Capitan~ and ~Three Brothers~ on the north wall. Following eastward
along ~Profile Cliff~, our trail again enters the fir and lodgepole
pine forest and leads across the gently sloping plateau about one mile
to the ~Glacier Point Road~. We here turn left and an easy walk of two
miles takes us to the ~Glacier Point Hotel~, where excellent
accommodations will be found. The lookout point and overhanging rock
are about 200 yards northward. For trail trips from Glacier Point
consult Trail Trips 16 to 23.