#14 Dewey Point Ridge Trail

The Ridge Trail is winter trail marker #14 on Yosemite's snow-season trail system, one of two routes that reach Dewey Point once Glacier Point Road closes to cars for the winter. Where the alternative Meadows Trail (#18) sticks to flatter ground, the Ridge Trail climbs along an actual ridgeline — a little less traveled, a little steeper, and a lot more scenic along the way.

What the route is like

Expect a little over 8 miles round trip from the parking area near the Yosemite Ski & Snowboard Area (the former Badger Pass), with more than 1,000 feet of elevation gain and roughly 5 or more hours including stops. Yellow triangular markers stamped with the number 14 are nailed high on the trees, and packed snow from prior hikers usually keeps the tread easy to follow. The climb off Glacier Point Road gets your lungs working early, and the descent back can have steep enough sections that crampons are worth carrying. Near the end, the Ridge Trail joins Trail 18 for the final approach into Dewey Point.

The payoff

Along the ridge you get long views of Half Dome and the peaks beyond, plus glimpses of Ribbon Falls, Yosemite Falls, and the Central Valley on clear days. At Dewey Point itself, the reward is the valley floor laid out below with El Capitan and Cathedral Rocks across the way — one of the better winter viewpoints in the park precisely because so few people make the effort to get there on snowshoes or skis.

Getting set up

This is a snow-season route: you'll need snowshoes or cross-country skis, both rentable by the day at the Yosemite Ski & Snowboard Area. Check current road and trail conditions before heading out, since access depends entirely on how much snow Glacier Point Road is carrying that season.