5 Day Cathedral Lakes to Clouds Rest & Half Dome

Overview

Kick off your Yosemite backpacking experience with one of the most iconic sections of the John Muir Trail, weaving between majestic alpine lakes to the summits of Clouds Rest and Half Dome! Camp the first night at Cathedral Lakes amid the spirit of the true high country, then hike the JMT up and over Cathedral Pass with stunning views of alpine peaks along the way. Set up camp in the Sunrise Lakes area for Night 3, and from there, tackle the Clouds Rest summit (9,926’) for one of the most spectacular views of Yosemite Valley in the park! Your adventure culminates with the summit of Half Dome (8,836’) before returning to Yosemite Valley on the Mist Trail passing two spectacular waterfalls. This trip’s strenuous itinerary is well worth it! If you’re looking for an authentic Yosemite experience, this is the adventure for you!

As the calendar is confusing, our 2025 dates are:
6/20-6/24
7/5-7/9
7/21-7/25
8/2-8/6
8/16-8/20
9/1-9/5
9/19-9/23

City: Yosemite National Park

Tue 13 May

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $2800.00

Make a reservation

Tue 13 May

Starting at $2800.00

Make a reservation

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Additional Info

Service animals allowed
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Travelers should have a high level of physical fitness
2025 Dates: 6/20-6/24, 7/5-7/9, 7/21-7/25, 8/2-8/6, 8/16-8/20, 9/1-9/5, 9/19-9/23

Cancellation Policy

If you cancel at least 6 full day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a full refund.
If you cancel between 2 and 6 day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a 50% refund.
If you cancel within 2 day(s) of the scheduled departure, you will receive a 0% refund.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (25)

Ambrosiaboyd

Sep 2021

My husband and I just returned from our Lasting Adventure's trip to Yosemite. We backpacked with a group of 7 other people from 'Backpacker's Camp' to Mae Lake, up to Mt Hoffman, Cloud's Rest, and finally completed the trip with an amazing last day summiting Half Dome at sunrise. It. Was. Incredible!! Our guides, Eric and Aida, immediately made us feel comfortable and excited. I can't say enough good things about them. Their passion for the wilderness, people, and their career as a guide is contagious. Aida was so generous - she even gave me her camp shoes to wear on the last day because my shoes had given me such bad blisters. Eric tried to scare us by sharing scary campfire stories, but instead had us all laughing so hard. If you have the chance to go on a Lasting Adventures trip - please do it! There is nothing like sleeping under the stars, meeting new people, and leaving the high stress of the world behind for a few days.

G4751ODpaulp

Sep 2021

Let’s just say that my time on the Three Summits trip by Lasting Adventures was the most amazing adventure / challenge that my son and I have ever done. God’s beauty in Yosemite has to be a glimpse of heaven, but we would not have seen it without our incredible guides Aida and Eric. Their professionalism and skills of their trade were phenomenal while also opening themselves to share their lives with each of us. As one of us on our trip said about the conversations that we had with each other and with our guides was that, “It was therapy”. I wanted to learned a ton about backpacking in the back country and I did just that with their help. I came knowing that I would see some amazing mountain heights, but I didn’t know I would walk away with 7 new friends and memories that I will remember for the rest of my life. If you are even thinking about going on a trip with Lasting Adventures; stop thinking and invest in the biggest adventure / challenge of your life.

timvH8803EF

Aug 2021

Amazing and challenging experience! LA’s upfront communication was very responsive and helpful, which was very appreciated on our first trip to Yosemite.. Once in the park, our guides Jesse and Aida were experts in all things including Yosemite history/sites/plants, backpacking, backcountry cooking, and being funny. Our borrowed gear was top of the line and perfect for experienced or new hikers. Our guides pushed when needed (like seeing Half Dome at sunset!) and helped whenever we needed. Would highly recommend and hope to come back again!