Half Dome in April — What the Conditions Actually Mean

70 out of 100, 40°F, minimal rain in the forecast. But before you book flights to Yosemite, there's one thing to know: the cables aren't up.

Half Dome's famous steel cable route only operates from late May through mid-October. In April, the upper slabs are still too exposed — ice, residual snow, no cables, and no summit. The National Park Service doesn't run cables in the spring because the conditions above 8,800 feet are genuinely dangerous. So when you're looking at a 70/100 score for Half Dome right now, what you're looking at is perfect conditions for the lower 7-8 miles of the 16.4-mile route — through Yosemite Valley, past Nevada Fall and Vernal Fall, up the John Muir Trail — but NOT the summit push.

That's actually a good thing if you haven't done the sub-dome section before. The approach is spectacular on its own, the valley is less crowded in April than June through August, and you're not competing with the permit lottery.

The permit situation, which is the question everyone has: Half Dome cables require a permit May through mid-October. The lottery runs in March for the daily-use permits that cover the cable season. Pre-season lottery applications for 2026 closed in March — if you're reading this now and didn't apply, your options are the daily lottery (50 permits released at 4pm two days before) or a guided ranger-led trip which has its own permit pool.

For April: no permits required for the sub-dome hike up to the base of the cables. You can go to 8,800 feet and stand at the base of what will be an incredible cable route in two months. It's still a 14+ mile round trip with 4,800 feet of gain. Most people don't do it in April because conditions get gnarly fast above the Half Dome shoulder, but the lower route through Little Yosemite Valley is genuinely excellent right now.

The current conditions: 40°F today with a high of 52°. Snow is possible above 7,000 feet in April, though the forecast this week looks clean. The Merced River is running full with snowmelt — the crossing near Little Yosemite Valley Campground may be wet or log-bridged depending on flow levels. Check the NPS site for current conditions before you go.

No dogs on any of the valley trails including the Half Dome corridor. Yosemite is strict about this. Riley has been to Yosemite Valley before and it required a lot of leash-on-pavement-only patience.

If you're planning a Half Dome summit trip, the sweet spot is late June through August when cables are up, permits are active, and the weather is settled. Apply for the pre-season lottery next March or check the two-days-out daily lottery starting Memorial Day weekend.

For now, in April: if you're in Yosemite, go to Nevada Fall and Vernal Fall on the Mist Trail. The falls are at peak volume and the mist you get drenched in is genuinely part of the experience. That's where to be this week.