top 10 tips for hiking half dome in yosemite

View of Half Dome from Glacier Point.

Summer might be over but it is never too early to plan a hiking trip to Half Dome in Yosemite National Park. Planning well in advance will ensure that you can hike this beautiful piece of rock safely. It is beautiful up there. From the top, you can see the verdant Yosemite Valley. Plus, the trail allows you to observe the powerful nature of Vernal and Nevada falls. I have hiked to the top of Half Dome twice and, each time, I've been left exhausted but absolutely in awe of its beauty.

These are my tips for successfully hiking to Half Dome and back.


1.  Apply for your permit early.

The last bit of the trail to get to the top of Half Dome is ridiculously steep. To help hikers get to the top, park rangers put up cables around the end of May until around mid-October. You do not want to hike Half Dome when the cables are down. In fact, I strongly discourage you from hiking when the cables are down. You want to have that safety net (or, cables in this case) to help keep you in one piece. There have already been plenty of fatalities while hiking the dome with the cables up (and down). You can read about it here, here and here. So, hike to Half Dome when the cables are up, stay between the two cables, and hang tightly on the cables.

To hike Half Dome when the cables are up, you will need a permit. The permits are limited so you want to make sure you plan well in advance. The application starts on March 1 and ends on March 31. Mark your calendar and schedule an alert so you will remember the first day when you need to put in your application.

You can, theoretically, apply for a permit on the date you get to Yosemite. But, there is no guarantee you'll get one. So, if you visit Yosemite for the purpose of hiking Half Dome, it is best to plan ahead and apply for a permit on March 1.



2.  Bring garden gloves.

The Happy Isles trailhead before
the crack of dawn.

Speaking of cables, they could be rough on your hands and you don't want to damage them. You also want to make sure your grip does not slip off the cables. Cheap garden gloves will do the trick. It's a good investment.

Alternatively, a bunch of hikers have left old garden gloves at the foot of Half Dome. You can use those. But, I find them gross -- I don't know where they have been, who sweated in them and what else they've done with them. Plus, there is no guarantee that the leftover gloves are still there and that the park rangers have not taken them back down to camp.

So, just bring your own gloves.

View of Half Dome
from the saddle.

3.  Bring a head lamp.

The hike is a long one - about 16-17 miles round trip. So, it is inevitable that you will hike in the dark at some point. Bring a head lamp so your hands are free to use hiking poles.

4.  If you don't have a penis, bring a freshette.

There are not a lot of bathrooms on the trail. So, for an easy pee break, consider bringing a freshette if you're a woman, and pee like you've never peed before. A word of caution: don't pee uphill and check where the wind is blowing.  If you need a detailed explanation, send me a private email or ask your male friends.

One last thing, clean your freshette after every use -- while on the trail, I "rinsed" mine with hand sanitizer.

5.  Bring Ben Gay.

No, I'm not paid by Ben Gay to say that. But, if, like me, you're now a shadow of your spritely and younger self, packing a tube of Ben Gay will help ease those aging joints. The first time I hiked Half Dome, my friend and I brazenly lathered them at the top of Half Dome. Yes, we stunk up Half Dome with that distinctive Ben Gay smell but our knees and ankles felt so much better.

View of the Valley
from Half Dome.

6.  Check for weather conditions with the park rangers.

Make sure you talk with the park rangers to make sure that the weather conditions are favorable for a hike to the top of Half Dome. Lightning storms (which may happen even in Summer) are bad because the dome is one big magnet for them. Even with the cables in place, a wet dome is still bad due to the higher probability for slippage. Better be safe than sorry. 

On another weather related note, lather on a lot of sun screen and wear a wide-brimmed hat. Most of the trail is exposed so you don't want to come back down looking like an over-cooked lobster.

7.  Start the hike early.

Depending on your level of fitness, you can hike to the top of Half Dome and back in under ten hours. But, most people take about 10-12 hours and sometimes more.

There are only two cables on Half Dome -- one to hold on to with your right hand, and another to hold on to with your left hand. This cable trail gets crowded around noon and will cause a "traffic jam." This means that people going up and going down are using the same walkway, and walking between those two cables. Some hikers might be impatient and try to pass or tailgate you, and that could cause a lot of stress and may even lead to accidents. So, you want to avoid "rush hour" as much as possible.

With these in mind, I recommend that you start off from the Happy Isles trail head by 5 am. This will give you enough time to (1) hike to the top and get back before it gets dark, (2) avoid the traffic jam at the cables, and (3) spend a nice chunk of time at the top of the rock.

If it will take you more than five to six hours to hike to Half Dome, please consider turning back early and not going all the way to the top of Half Dome. The descent in the dark is treacherous and accidents do happen.

My friend and me braving the
"visor" at the top of Half Dome.

8.  Don't play at the top of the waterfalls.

Vernal and Nevada Falls are on the trail to Half Dome. You will even have the opportunity to reach the top of them. They may look pretty and innocuous but you do not know the strength of the water currents. Some people may be tempted to take a picture or frolic at the top of the waterfalls. Resist the temptation. There have been deadly accidents of people getting washed away. Read about them here, here and here. Just don't go there. Take pictures with your feet firmly planted on the trail. Then, keep on hiking.

Going down Half Dome with a
view of the saddle and Quarter Dome.

9.  Consider taking the John Muir Trail on the way down.

You will use the same trail to get back from Half Dome. You may, however, want to consider using the John Muir Trail on the way down. The part of the trail that goes through the Vernal and Nevada Falls are fairly steep so going downhill might damage your knees. The John Muir Trail may be longer but gentler. Be nice to your knees.

10.  Pack your trash.

Yosemite is beautiful. Please help keep it that way.

Don't discard your garden gloves at the foot of Half Dome.  You might think others will appreciate it. But, most people bring their own gloves. (See number 2, above.) So, the gloves left at Half Dome end up rotting away and may even be eaten by wildlife. Just take your gloves back with you.

Also, don't leave your energy bar wrappers, any other food packaging, any food, water bottles and/or toilet paper on the trail or on Half Dome. 

Half Dome is a very beautiful and special place. But, despite its beauty and popularity, it is still a wilderness area. Take your safety seriously. 

I hope you have a great time hiking Half Dome. If you have hiked Half Dome, please share your tips below. Or, if you have used the above tips, please let us know if the tips worked for you.