Half Dome, Yosemite: Complete Hiking Guide (Permits, Route, Gear)

Half Dome is the hike that defines Yosemite for most people — a 4,800-foot climb up the back of a granite monolith, finishing with a 400-foot ascent of bare rock using two steel cables. It is one of the most sought-after day hikes in the United States, and one of the most consequential to get wrong.

This is the complete guide: how to get the permit, what the route actually demands, the gear that matters, and the safety realities that the Instagram photos leave out.

The Numbers

• Distance: ~16 miles round trip (via the Mist Trail); ~17.5 via the John Muir Trail
• Elevation gain: ~4,800 feet
• Summit elevation: 8,839 feet
• Time: 10–14 hours for most hikers
• Difficulty: Strenuous — this is not a beginner hike
• Season: Late May to mid-October (when the cables are up)
• Permit: Required, lottery-based

The Permit Lottery (Read This First)

You cannot hike Half Dome past the base of the subdome without a permit when the cables are up. Permits are enforced by rangers, and the fine for hiking without one is significant. There are two lottery types:

1. Preseason lottery (the main one):

• Application window: March 1–31 each year
• Results: mid-April
• ~225 day-hiker permits available per day
• Apply at recreation.gov (“Half Dome Permits”)
• You can list up to 6 people and 7 alternate dates on one application
• Cost: $10 application fee + $10/person if awarded

2. Daily lottery:

• For permits not claimed or for last-minute trips
• Apply two days before your intended hike date
• Results that evening
• Far fewer permits, lower odds, but a real option if you’re flexible

Odds reality: Preseason lottery success rates hover around 20–40% depending on the date requested. Weekdays and shoulder-season dates (late May, late September) have meaningfully better odds than summer weekends. If you have date flexibility, use it — list 7 weekday alternates and your odds improve substantially.

Backpackers: If you have a Yosemite wilderness permit that includes Half Dome, you may not need the day-use lottery — Half Dome permits can be added to wilderness permits. Check current NPS rules; this is a known workaround for those willing to backpack in.

The Route

Trailhead to Vernal Fall (Mist Trail)

Start at the Happy Isles trailhead (shuttle stop 16). The Mist Trail climbs steeply alongside the Merced River. In spring and early summer the waterfall spray genuinely soaks the granite steps — they are slick. This section alone turns back unprepared hikers.

Vernal Fall to Nevada Fall

More climbing, more granite steps. Nevada Fall is the second major waterfall. Most hikers take the Mist Trail up and the John Muir Trail down to save their knees on the descent (the JMT is longer but gentler).

Little Yosemite Valley

The trail mellows through a forested stretch along the Merced. This is the only “easy” mile of the hike and where backpackers camp (Little Yosemite Valley campground, permit required).

The Climb to the Subdome

The trail steepens again, switchbacking up toward the base of Half Dome. A ranger typically checks permits at the base of the subdome. The subdome itself is a steep granite staircase carved into the rock — exposed, no cables, and where many hikers realize what they signed up for.

The Cables

The final 400 vertical feet up the curved granite face. Two steel cables with wooden foot-boards every ~10 feet. You pull yourself up at roughly a 45-degree angle on bare rock. There is real exposure. This section is the entire reason the permit exists.

The Summit

A broad, flat granite expanse the size of several football fields, with the iconic “Diving Board” and a 4,800-foot drop into the valley. The views are among the best in the Sierra.

The Cables: Safety Reality

This is where people die on Half Dome. Not many — but the deaths that happen, happen here.

The rules that keep you alive:

• Never go up the cables if it’s wet or storms are anywhere nearby. Wet granite on the cable route is the single biggest killer. Lightning is the second. Afternoon thunderstorms are common in the Sierra summer — this is why you start at dawn.
• Bring gloves. Cheap rubberized work gloves. Bare hands on steel cable for 400 feet of pull-up is brutal, and sweaty hands slip. Most hikers leave a pile of donated gloves at the base — don’t rely on it, bring your own.
• Turn around if there’s a backup and weather is moving in. The cables can bottleneck. Being stuck on exposed granite as a storm builds is the nightmare scenario. The summit is not worth dying for.
• Descending is harder than ascending. Going down the cables, facing out, with tired legs, is when control is lost. Save energy for it.
• Harness/via ferrata systems are optional but increasingly common — a simple harness with two locking carabiners to clip the cable. Not required, not a substitute for good judgment, but adds a backup.

Gear Checklist

This is a strenuous all-day hike. Pack accordingly:

• Footwear: Trail runners or hiking shoes with real grip. The granite demands traction.
• Gloves: Non-negotiable for the cables (see above)
• Water: 3–4 liters minimum, or a filter (the Merced River is accessible for most of the route — see our water filter guide). People underestimate this and it ends hikes.
• Calories: 2,500+ calories of trail food. This is a 10–14 hour effort.
• Sun protection: Hat, sunscreen, sunglasses. Much of the route is exposed granite.
• Headlamp: You will likely start before dawn and may finish near dark. Non-negotiable.
• Layers: It’s cold at the trailhead at 5 AM and on the summit. A light wind shell and an insulating layer.
• First aid + blister kit: 16 miles destroys unprepared feet. See our blister guide.
• The permit: Printed or on your phone, plus photo ID.

Strategy: How To Actually Do This

Start at dawn (or before). 4:00–6:00 AM trailhead start. This is the single most important tactical decision. It gets you up the cables before afternoon thunderstorms and before the cable bottleneck.

Watch the weather obsessively. Sierra afternoon thunderstorms build fast. If you see building cumulus by late morning, accelerate or turn around. The summit will be there next year.

Pace the climb, save legs for the descent. The descent of 4,800 feet over 8 miles destroys quads. Trekking poles help enormously here (see our trekking pole guide). Most injuries happen on tired descents, not the climb.

Eat and drink before you’re hungry or thirsty. At altitude, on a long effort, by the time you feel it you’re already behind. Sip and snack continuously.

Know your turn-around time. Decide before you start: “If I’m not at the subdome by [time], I turn around.” Then honor it regardless of how close you feel.

Who Should Not Do This Hike

Honest gatekeeping, because the NPS rescues people off this route every season:

• If you can’t comfortably hike 10+ miles with significant elevation gain, build fitness first
• If you have a serious fear of heights, the cables and subdome will not be “pushed through” — they’re genuinely exposed
• If the forecast shows any thunderstorm risk, don’t go that day
• If you’re not willing to turn around short of the summit, you have the wrong mindset for this hike

Bottom Line

Half Dome is worth the effort and the permit hassle. It’s one of the great hikes in North America. But it rewards preparation and punishes ego. Get the permit through the March lottery (use weekday alternates), start before dawn, watch the weather like your life depends on it (it does), bring gloves, and be willing to turn around.

For current permit rules, cable dates, and trail conditions, always check the official NPS Half Dome page before your trip — dates and rules shift year to year.

Hike smart. Come back down. Stay out longer.