Hike to Half Dome Cables at Yosemite!

From May through October, Yosemite National Park installs the cables on the infamous Half Dome, giving you the chance to take on a hike of a lifetime!

Standing at roughly 8,800 feet above sea level, Half Dome puts you right in the middle of the High Sierra. Once you reach the top, you’re rewarded with breathtaking 360-degree views of Yosemite and the surrounding Sierra Nevada Mountains.

In March, you can enter the lottery for a permit to hike the Half Dome cables during the upcoming season. In April, you find out your results!

If you missed the March lottery like me, don’t worry! There is also a two-day lottery. I entered on a Thursday hoping to hike Half Dome that Saturday—and somehow, I got it! I found out around 2 PM on Thursday, planned everything on Friday, and made a day trip out of it on Saturday.

MISTAKE #1: Making This a Day Trip

This was roughhhhh. I left Sacramento at 5 AM, hiked from approximately 9:30 AM to 8 PM, and didn’t make it home until midnight.

Would I do it again? Maybe.

Would I recommend making Half Dome a day trip? Absolutely not.

Give yourself time to relax and let your body recover afterward. Half Dome is no joke, and your legs are going to deserve a little love after this one!

DIFFICULTY: HARD

DISTANCE: 17-MILE OUT-AND-BACK TRAIL

ELEVATION GAIN: 4,800 FT

And remember—you’re reaching an elevation of 8,800 feet above sea level at the top! ⛰️

MY FIRST SOLO HIKE IN CALIFORNIA!

PRESS PLAY & HIKE HALF DOME WITH ME!

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The plan was to start at the trailhead by 8 a.m. I started at 9:30 a.m.

Mistake #2: Start the trail as early as possible! You don’t want to feel like you’re racing against the sunlight. This is not the hike you want to use. Give yourself plenty of time to enjoy the trail, take in the views, and actually soak it all in.

You’ll want to set your GPS for Curry Village. This is the closest parking area to the Half Dome trailhead, making it a great place to start your hike!

MISTAKE #3: PARKING TOO FAR AWAY

I had to learn this one the hard way and ended up parking 2 miles away. Half Dome is already a LONG hike, so those extra, completely unnecessary miles really started to take a toll on my spirit.

Trust me—save those legs for Half Dome!

ADVICE: BRING YOUR BIKE!

If you’re staying in Yosemite, bring your bike! It’s one of the fastest and easiest ways to get around the park, especially when parking is limited and crowded.

ADVICE: PLAN FOR NO SERVICE

Don’t count on having cell service once you’re in the park. Download your directions offline on Google Maps before you go! It’s one less thing to worry about when you’re trying to navigate your way around Yosemite.

About a mile into the hike, you’ll reach a point where you can choose between two routes: the Mist Trail or the John Muir Trail.

The Mist Trail takes you up past Vernal Falls and is the shorter route, while the John Muir Trail is about a mile longer but has a more gradual climb and is easier on your legs.

A friend of mine (hey, Maryhelen!) had given me some great advice: take the John Muir Trail up and the Mist Trail down.

MISTAKE #4: NOT LISTENING TO MARYHELEN

Since I started later than I wanted, I decided to take the shorter but steeper Mist Trail up to Half Dome.

BIG MISTAKE.

Those steep climbs wore my legs out much earlier than I expected. Looking back, I would absolutely take Maryhelen’s recommendation: John Muir Trail up, Mist Trail down.

Sometimes your friends really do know best!

This AMAZING rainbow appeared through the mist and made the climb to the top of the falls so much better! 🌈

I had never seen a full end-to-end rainbow that close before! It was one of those moments that makes you stop, look around, and think, Okay… this hike is totally worth it.

 

Gorgeous views of Half Dome from the top of Vernal Falls!

ONWARD & UP!

BREAK SPOT: Time to refill my water at the junction of the Mist Trail and John Muir Trail!

I brought a 2-liter CamelBak, a 1-liter water bottle, and my SteriPEN so I could treat water along the way.

As a general guideline, it’s recommended to drink around 1 liter of water every 2 hours, but hydration needs can vary depending on the temperature, elevation, and your own body.

Stay hydrated—especially on a hike like Half Dome!

LITTLE YOSEMITE VALLEY: This is your last good opportunity to fill up your water before the strenuous climb to Half Dome!

I had already gone through 3 liters of water by this point—and honestly, I finished them pretty easily! This hike definitely made me appreciate how important it is to stay hydrated.

After 6 hours of climbing and what feels like never-ending switchbacks, you finally start to see the views you’ve been working so hard for!

And let me tell you… TOTALLY WORTH IT!

As I made my way toward the base of Half Dome, a ranger stopped to check my permit before I started the final ascent toward the cables.

A rigorous 2-mile climb straight up several hundred feet of granite stairs stands between you and the bottom of the famous Half Dome cables.

Do it for the views!

ADVICE: BRING GLOVES! 

You NEED gloves for the cables. I completely forgot mine and luckily, some very kind people were passing their gloves back down after they finished the climb.

And let me tell you… I was GRIPPING those cables like my life depended on it!

Your hands will thank you. Bring the gloves!

Exhilarating with a mix of terrifying is probably the best way to describe how I felt climbing the cables.

Yosemite limits the number of Half Dome cable permits each day, but you should still expect to share the cables with other hikers. There’s a good chance you’ll have to wait or slow down as people make their way up and down.

You may get held up by hikers climbing toward the summit or need to pause while others carefully make their way back down.

Honestly, the waiting is part of the experience—take a breath, enjoy the views, and let everyone safely make their way through.

After coming down from the cables, I experienced my FIRST EVER LEG CRAMP… and WOW, did it hurt.

Not pictured: Me rolling around on the ground, screaming, while this cramp worked its way up my left calf and all the way into my butt.

Luckily, a total stranger came to my rescue! She gave me the rest of her Gatorade and even massaged my calf for me while I tried to recover.

Seriously… someone was looking out for me that day!

ADVICE: Make sure you’re eating and drinking enough throughout the hike. You’re putting your body through a LOT on Half Dome, so take care of it!

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After recovering, it was time to start the 7-mile descent BACK to the trailhead.

And then… oh yeah.

Another 2 miles because I parked so dang far away!

My legs were officially DONE. But there was no turning back now—just keep putting one foot in front of the other and make it back to the car!

 

Hiked the John Muir Trail back down!

After all those miles and the climb up Half Dome, the John Muir Trail was the perfect way to make my way back down.

Coming back down you get an amazing shot of Half Dome. Cant believe I was at the top!

MY FIRST SOLO HIKE IN CALIFORNIA

I am BEYOND proud of myself for pushing through this hike when I really, really wanted to give up.

This wasn’t my best hike. I struggled pretty much the entire time and was really hurting by the end. Looking back, I think I put too much pressure on myself to rush in the beginning, using energy that I really needed to save for the climb to the top.

The elevation definitely played a factor, and I also could have eaten more and fueled my body better throughout the day.

But even though this hike was HARD, I finished it. And sometimes, that’s the biggest accomplishment of all. ❤️

It taught me to slow down, listen to my body, fuel properly, and remember that I don’t have to rush the adventure.

Burning 5000 calories in 12 hours.

 

WHEN WAS MY BREAKING POINT?

When I saw the sign telling me how much farther I had to go…

2.3 MILES.

EXCUSE ME?! Who puts .3 at the end of a mile marker?! At that point, I was already exhausted, and seeing that number nearly broke me.

But I kept going.

And through all the struggles, cramps, elevation, endless switchbacks, and moments when I seriously wanted to quit, I would 100% recommend applying for a permit and taking on Half Dome!

It will challenge you in ways you probably didn’t expect, but I think that’s what makes it so rewarding. You’ll learn a lot about pacing yourself, fueling your body, listening to yourself, and pushing through when things get hard.

It will challenge you in the best way possible—and make you a better hiker because of it. ⛰️🥾

Would I do it again?

…Ask me after my legs recover.

 

As always!

Stay Kind!