(11.7 miles—5 hours. Round trip from Yosemite, 24 miles—13 hours)
This is one of the most beautiful Yosemite trails. With very little climbing the trail parallels the south rim thru delightfully attractive forests and wild-flower gardens, emerging from time to time to reveal vast views across and into the valley. The round trip from Yosemite to Glacier Point and thence to Fort Monroe via the Pohono Trail, returning to the valley via the Wawona Road is too long a trip to be attempted by the average walker in one day. It is best to stay over night at the Glacier Point Hotel, starting early the next morning.
Leaving the Glacier Point Hotel we follow the road southwestward about two miles, turning to the right at the Pohono Trail sign. We now follow thru a dense fir forest for one mile, emerging at the canyon rim at 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 wonderful view, especially of the sheer 3500-foot precipices of El Capitan and Three Brothers rising as massive buttresses of the great north wall.
Swinging south along the rim for a short distance, the trail again turns westward thru the fir forests passing beautiful small meadows and wild-flower gardens and descending to Bridalveil Creek. The bridge has been destroyed but a foot-log is in place. There is fair fishing in this stream but the fish are small. Bearing west and north and climbing slightly, the trail emerges at Dewey Point (Alt. 7316), another of the promontories of the south rim. From here the Cathedral Rocks and Leaning Tower are viewed from an unusual angle, and El Capitan and Ribbon Falls dominate the opposite wall. Following the rim westward about half a mile we reach Crocker Point (Alt. 7090), from which is obtained another vast outlook. Descending 430 feet thru the forest we cross a small stream and emerge at Stanford Point (Alt. 6659), another prominent lookout on the southern ramparts. About half a mile westward one sees Old Inspiration Point, from which Yosemite was first seen by white men on March 21, 1851. Retracing our path a short distance, we turn to the right and cross Meadow Brook, which flows over Widow's Tears a quarter mile below. The vicinity is a Mecca for flower lovers. The trail continues westward, dropping 1400 feet in the next one and a half miles to Fort Monroe (Alt. 5540), an old stage relay station on the Wawona Road. Yosemite is eight miles eastward by this road.
TRAIL TRIP 18
FORT MONROE TO GLACIER POINT via POHONO TRAIL
Reverse of Trail Trip 17
(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.