Day hike to Mt. Dana.

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Difficulty: Difficult
Length: 5.2 miles / 8.4 km
Duration: Half day

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Overview: Mt. Dana is relatively easily accessible 13000+ ft peak and is the second highest in Yosemite National Park (Mt. Lyell is the highest one). The trail head is located right next to the East entrance of the Yosemite National Park.

There are no trail markers or maps but there is an unofficial use trail to the top and is pretty easy to follow. The trail starts with an easy walk through the meadows before it starts going up through a series of switchbacks. After about 1.5 miles from the trailhead and about 1500 ft high, you reach a flat area and the peak comes into sight. You are about half away at that point and the serious climb is about to start.

After you walk across the flat area, the trail gets lost in the rocks and you have to follow your instincts and the stone cairn markers and head towards the peak. You will be hiking up loose rock and need to be careful with your footing.

Once you reach the top, the views are just incredible!

Tips: - Bring lot of water as there are no places to fill up after the hike through the Dana meadows.
- Be prepared for the wind and the cold at the top of the mountain.
- There are some restrooms at the parking lot but no water. So plan accordingly.

Points of Interest

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Trailhead and Parking

The trail head to Mt. Dana is located right next to the east entrance to Yosemite National Park (about 10 miles from Lee vining) at an elevation of about 10000ft. There are no official trail markers and the park map does not show any trail to the top of the mountain. But there is a very clear trail most of the way to the top of the mountain.

There are two parking lots just after you enter the park, one on the right hand side and one on the left hand side. Restrooms are located at one of the parking lots.

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Dana Meadows.

The first half mile of the hike is an easy hike through the Dana Meadows. Then there is some strenuous climbing for about 1 mile until you reach a level area and the peak is in sight a mile away and 1000 ft high.

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Flat area before you start the climb through the rocks.

The trail levels off for a bit before you start the final ascent to the top of the mountain.

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Final climb.

The final climb to the summit is about 1000ft gain in less than a mile. To make things more hard, the trail is a bit hard to follow but you just keep looking at the peak and walk towards it.

Just before you start the final climb, there seem to be a fork in the trail, which is not clearly visible on the way up, but is clearly visible on the way down. You could take any of those trails, both lead to the top of the mountain. Each of them is equally strenuous and equally confusing.

From this point, the trail starts climbing up and is not that clear, but you keep following the stone cairn markers and you will eventually reach the top.

You will be hiking through loose rock and have to be careful with your footing.

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Summit.

The views from the top of Mt. Dana are incredible. You could see Mono Lake to the east, the Saddlebag lake, Mt. Conness, North Peak to the north, Lyell Glacier towards the south and the winding Tioga Pass Road and Yosemite National Park towards the West.