Sentinel Dome
A bare granite dome about 2,476 m high. A short climb reveals 360-degree views of Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, and El Capitan, and it is superb for watching the sunset.
Sentinel Dome is a bare granite dome on the southern rim of Yosemite Valley, about 2,476 m high, roughly 300 m higher than Glacier Point. The trail shares its parking area with Taft Point on Glacier Point Road. It is about 1.8 km one way, and the final stretch climbs up over smooth rock to the top. The gradient is gentle, but non-slip shoes are needed. From the summit, the view is unobstructed in every direction, with Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, El Capitan, and distant high peaks all visible at once. It is very crowded at sunrise and sunset. The remains of a once-famous dead Jeffrey pine are also here. Glacier Point Road is open roughly late May through November, and the round trip takes about 1.5 hours. Do not go to the summit during thunderstorms.
Opening hours
All day while the road is open
Nearby sights
- Glacier Point
- Taft Point
- The Ahwahnee
- Yosemite Village & Ansel Adams Gallery
- Yosemite Falls
- Mist Trail: Vernal & Nevada Falls
- Mirror Lake
- Horsetail Fall (Firefall)