Taft Point [Suggest Edits]

Description

In 1909, our 27th president on tour with John Muir stopped for lunch at one of the premier viewpoints of Yosemite Valley. The story goes his horse could no longer hold our heaviest president, so that's where they decided would be a good spot to fry some chicken. Whether or not the part about the horse is true that spot has been known as Taft Point ever since.

From the west, you have an eagle-eye view of El Capitan and The Three Sisters; to the east you look down on Yosemite Falls from 3,000 ft. up. There are five huge cracks in the granite that run all the way down the cliffside known as The Five Fissures that will induce vertigo to anyone brave enough to get close. The fissures are a spot of historical importance to slack-liners, and if you're lucky you might find enthusiasts walking their lines.

In 2018, a viral photo of a proposal at the farthest tip of Taft Point made national news. While the vista is romantic, exercise extreme caution with your photos—there's a railing at one high point that's perfect for safely taking selfies with the valley in the background. Two months after the famous engagement photo, a second couple fell to their deaths taking a photo in the same spot. They're not the only ones. Be careful.

Short Hike: This spot is either halfway along the Pohono Trail or 2 miles down the Taft Point Trail from Glacier Point Road.

Gem Type: Viewpoint