Buena Vista Peak loop, Yosemite Park

Notes by piero scaruffi | See Back to Yosemite | See Other California destinations

Hiking to the Buena Vista Peak loop

From Yosemite's Wawona entrance there is an 8km trail that leads to Chilnualna Fall (quote: "Chilnualna Fall is the highest Yosemite waterfall outside the main valley, and one of the least visited") This is the gateway to the Buena Vista loop, a 22 km loop that turns around Buena Vista Peak. Quote: "Buena Vista Peak (2959m) is the highest point in south-central Yosemite." and it is surrounded by five alpine lakes that lie along the loop. "The clockwise route of the loop brings you to Buena Vista Lake and the north face of the peak. Leave the trail at the lake and scramble up the scree slope on the north face to the obvious chute in the center of the face" or one can just continue along the loop without climbing to the summit. If you shuttle cars, this can also be done as a one-way hike from the Glacier Pt road to Chilnualna Fall to Wawona mostly downhill.