Glacier Point

In the hierarchy of Yosemite vista points, Glacier Point is second only to Tunnel View in popularity. Here you can stand at the railing and peer straight down into a miniaturized Yosemite Valley, 3,000 vertical feet below, gaze across Yosemite Valley to take in the entire plunge of Yosemite Falls, or pivot north for an eye-to-eye view of Half Dome. Wander the east rim a bit for views that include Vernal and Nevada Falls.

From widest wide to longest telephoto, there's something for every lens at Glacier Point. This is a great place for sunrise or sunset, though sunrise photos of Half Dome can be quite tricky because you're shooting toward the sun. Sunset, on the other hand, is great here because the sun at your back illuminates Half Dome's face until almost everything else in the scene is in shadow. Hang around for twenty or thirty minutes after sunset for the possible chance to photograph the pink and blue pastels of the twilight wedge behind Half Dome. The above image was captured about twenty minutes after sunset, long after the tourists had returned to their cars for the one hour drive back to Yosemite Valley. Those are Vernal (lower) and Nevada (upper) falls in the distance.

Like Highway 120 through Tuolumne Meadows and Tioga Pass, Glacier Point Road isn't plowed in winter, so you can count on it being closed from November through May, give or take a couple of weeks (though it often opens a week or two ahead of Highway 120).

How to get there

Leaving Yosemite Valley on Highway 41 (Fresno or Wawona Road), about 7 miles after exiting the tunnel, take the left onto Glacier Point Road. Glacier Point is at the end of the road, a couple of miles beyond the Sentinel Dome parking area and slightly less than one hour from Yosemite Valley. The Glacier Point snack bar and gift shop are open durning the busy summer months.