Hiking Yosemite: Beyond Tunnel View to Artist Point

There are certain places in Yosemite where almost everyone stops.

Tunnel View is one of them.

Drive into Yosemite Valley on Highway 41, emerge from the darkness of the Wawona Tunnel, and suddenly there it is — El Capitan, Half Dome, Bridalveil Fall and Yosemite Valley spread out in front of you.

I’ve stopped there plenty of times, and honestly, I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of it.

But here’s the thing about Tunnel View: for most people, the experience lasts about as long as it takes to find a parking spot, walk to the wall, take a few pictures and get back in the car.

There’s nothing wrong with that.

But if you’ve got a couple of hours, a pair of decent shoes and a willingness to climb a little, there’s another option.

Leave the car behind for a while.

Artist Point is waiting just up the hill.

Quick Facts

Trailhead: Tunnel View parking area
Distance: About 2.2 miles round trip
Elevation Gain: Less than 800 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
Time: About 1½ to 2½ hours, depending on how long you stay
Route: Pohono Trail to the old Wawona Road, then east toward Artist Point
Best For: A relatively short hike with a big Yosemite Valley payoff
Water: None along the trail — bring your own

Just Far Enough to Change the Experience

At a little over two miles round trip, Artist Point isn’t a huge undertaking.

Yes, you’ll climb. Most of the elevation gain comes during the first portion of the hike as the Pohono Trail heads uphill from Tunnel View.

You’ll breathe a little harder.

That’s hiking.

But this isn’t an all-day Yosemite adventure, and you don’t need to be an experienced hiker to give it a try. Artist Point is generally considered a moderate hike, and its relatively short distance makes it approachable for a lot of people.

That’s exactly why I like it for this series.

Hiking Yosemite has never been about convincing everyone they need to hike 15 miles, climb thousands of feet or stand on top of something.

Sometimes getting outside means walking a mile away from your car.

That’s enough.

Don’t Miss the Turn

The most important navigational detail comes after the initial climb.

Artist Point isn’t reached by simply continuing up the Pohono Trail. You’ll eventually intersect the old Wawona Road, and that’s where you turn east, toward Yosemite Valley, and follow the old road toward Artist Point.

Continue climbing the Pohono Trail instead and you’re heading toward Inspiration Point — a different destination.

Once you make the turn onto the old road, the hike changes considerably. The climbing settles down, and you’re walking along a route that once carried people toward Yosemite Valley.

Walking an Old Road Into Yosemite

Before the Wawona Tunnel changed the way visitors approached Yosemite Valley from the south, earlier routes crossed this mountainside considerably higher than today’s highway.

The modern Wawona Tunnel was completed in 1933. At 4,233 feet long, the tunnel created the dramatic entrance millions of Yosemite visitors now know: darkness followed almost instantly by one of the world’s great mountain views.

The old routes higher on the mountainside were left behind.

Today, walking part of the old Wawona Road adds something unexpected to the Artist Point hike.

You’re not just headed toward a viewpoint.

You’re walking through a little piece of Yosemite history.

And I think that’s pretty cool.

Cars once traveled portions of this mountainside to reach Yosemite Valley. Now you’re walking through the forest while the traffic continues somewhere below.

And Then the Trees Open Up

Eventually, Yosemite Valley comes back into view.

You’re going to recognize the landscape.

El Capitan dominates one side. Bridalveil Fall drops across the Valley. Half Dome rises in the distance.

Artist Point doesn’t reveal some secret version of Yosemite that nobody has ever photographed. It’s the same extraordinary Valley you were looking at from Tunnel View.

But it doesn’t feel quite the same.

Part of that is the perspective. Part of it is leaving behind an overlook that can see thousands of visitors on a busy day.

But I think part of it is even simpler.

You walked here.

There’s something about reaching a beautiful place under your own power that changes your relationship with it, even when the walk isn’t particularly long.

And maybe that’s one of the reasons I keep enjoying hiking Yosemite.

Sometimes the reward is at the end of a long, difficult trail.

Sometimes it’s barely a mile from where you parked.

Either way, those last few steps have a way of making the view feel just a little different.

Tunnel View Isn’t Going Anywhere

I would never tell anyone to skip Tunnel View.

Stop. Get out. Take the picture.

Stand there for a few minutes and appreciate that one of the most famous views in Yosemite is actually sitting in front of you.

But then look toward the hillside.

There’s a trail over there.

And that’s really the invitation behind this week’s Hiking Yosemite.

You don’t have to be an experienced hiker. You don’t need an enormous backpack or eight hours to spend on the trail.

You don’t even have to go very far.

Just leave the car behind for a while.

Because Yosemite looks pretty incredible through a windshield.

But it’s even better when you’re standing somewhere the windshield can’t take you.

Trail Truth

It’s easy to think the really good stuff in Yosemite must require a huge hike.

Sometimes it does.

Artist Point is a reminder that sometimes one mile really is enough.

And remember, the trail doesn’t end here.

So until next time, get outside, take the scenic route, and make a few memories. After all, that’s what the best adventures are really about. We’ll see you in the next edition of Hiking Yosemite.