Half Dome
Trip Guide & 3D Map
Sierra Nevada · Difficulty, season, and access — then explore the 3D terrain
Planning snapshot
Half Dome is a 8,840 ft summit in the Sierra Nevada (USA). PeakAtlas rates it scramble (Strenuous hike / cable scramble (permit)); best season is Late May–early Oct (cables up). Permit required. Typical staging is Yosemite Valley (3.2 mi). Limited lodging data is mapped from OpenStreetMap for this region — stage in the listed town rather than expecting a full hotel directory. Use the 3D map and trip checklist before you go.
- Elevation
- 8,840 ft
- Prominence
- 1,363 ft
- Difficulty tier
- Scramble
- Best season
- Late May–early Oct (cables up)
- Permits
- Permit required
- Staging
- Yosemite Valley · 3.2 mi
- Mapped lodging
- Limited / none mapped
- Listed trails
- 2
As of 2026-07-31 · Figures come from the PeakAtlas3D catalog: surveyed elevations and prominence, curated difficulty tiers, best-season windows, permit notes, staging-town distances, trail lists, and OpenStreetMap lodging near each summit. Not live weather, quotas, or prices.
Compare: Half Dome vs Mt. Whitney
How hard is Half Dome, and what do you need before you go?
Half Dome is listed as Strenuous hike / cable scramble (permit) with a best season of Late May–early Oct (cables up). Use the difficulty, permit, and staging details below before you commit to a date.
- Difficulty
- Strenuous hike / cable scramble (permit)
- Best season
- Late May–early Oct (cables up)
- Access / staging
- Yosemite Valley, California
How tall is Half Dome, and where is it?
- Location
- California, USA
- Elevation
- 8,840 ft
- Prominence
- 1,363 ft
- Mountain range
- Sierra Nevada
- Difficulty
- Strenuous hike / cable scramble (permit)
What makes Half Dome notable?
Yosemite’s cable-route icon — permit lottery, huge vertical, and seasonal cables.
Half Dome is a very strenuous Yosemite day (or overnight) via Mist Trail / John Muir Trail to the seasonal cable route. The cables turn the final slab into a secure scramble when up; without a cables permit you cannot proceed legally in season. Carry water, start early, and respect wet rock and afternoon storms.
After you check trip readiness for Half Dome, explore the summit on PeakAtlas3D’s interactive 3D topographic map in the Sierra Nevada, California, USA.
Closest places
- Yosemite Valley — California via Happy Isles / Mist Trail
- El Portal — California via CA-140
- Mariposa — California via CA-140
Notable trails & routes
- Half Dome Cable Route
- Mist Trail