El Capitan Tours and Tickets
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El Capitan
El Capitan is a bit of a pilgrimage site for rock climbers and fans of the sport.
Take binoculars to spot the little bits of color that pinpoint adventurous climbers tackling the smooth and nearly vertical cliff.
Permits are not required to climb El Capitan.
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There are plenty of ways to experience El Capitan. Looking at ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are the best tours available right now:
To visit El Capitan, you’ll need to purchase an entrance pass to Yosemite National Park. A standard pass valid for one day is US$35 per vehicle or US$20 per motorcycle; hikers and those arriving by bike pay US$20 per person. Non-US residents must pay US$100 per person in addition to the pass fee.
Yes, El Capitan is worth visiting—this towering granite monolith is one of Yosemite National Park's top draws, and its sheer scale never fails to impress. Visit as part of a guided tour that includes transportation, so you can focus on the views rather than the road as you travel between highlights. Tours generally include several scenic stops for photos, and some take you on a trail hike to break up the drive.
Per one customer who booked the Small Group Yosemite and Giant Sequoias Day Trip from San Francisco: "This trip was amazing, so much better than our expectations and so worthwhile doing! You see so many beautiful views! What made it even better was our tour guide Viktor, who made sure everyone was comfortable throughout the day and provided so much knowledge, but made it fun and friendly. He was brilliant!"
Yes, you can walk up El Capitan—but it's challenging. The El Capitan hiking trail is a 20-mile (32-kilometer) trek that climbs 5,200 feet (1,585 meters). It includes steep, slippery, uneven trail sections and takes even the strongest hikers 8–12 hours to complete.
Most rock climbers measure their El Cap attempts in days rather than hours. It usually takes around six days to climb Yosemite's most famous rock face (though some climbers have scaled it in under three hours). If you're walking to the top, it's a strenuous 8- to 12-hour hike along a steep trail.
El Capitan is spectacular at any time of day—but Yosemite photographers tend to seek out the landmark in the early morning or late afternoon. One classic shot of El Capitan is an early-evening image of the rock face from Tunnel View, the scenic overlook accessible from the park's south entrance.
There are many viewpoints of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. As you enter the park from the south, you'll see a panorama from Tunnel View. In Yosemite Valley, you can look at the rockface from El Capitan Meadow, which also has views of Lower and Middle Cathedral Rock.
There are no beginner-friendly rock climbing routes up El Capitan. El Capitan is considered one of the world's most challenging routes, and it takes many experts six days to reach the top. The easiest El Capitan climbing route is the East Buttress—and that's still an arduous rock climb.
El Capitan is spectacular all year. Summer months are crowded, so consider a shoulder-season visit: There's more room to roam in March–April and September–November. Spring and fall are also popular times to climb El Capitan, so with a pair of binoculars, you might even spot climbers high above Yosemite Valley.
There are tons of things to do when you're done visiting El Capitan. According to travelers, these are some of the top attractions in Yosemite National Park:
View Viator's guide to all the best attractions in Yosemite National Park.