This Hike Is Only Open For Half Of The Year And Boasts The Best Views In Yosemite National Park

"But no temple made with hands can compare with Yosemite. Every rock in its walls seems to glow with life." So said John Muir in his 1912 book "The Yosemite" (via the National Park Service). Muir was just one of many people to fall in love with the wildly beautiful and action-packed Yosemite National Park, and he helped introduce it to the newly elected president William Howard Taft in 1909. Muir and Taft hiked the 4 miles from Glacier Point down to the Yosemite valley floor. During their exploration of the park, they are said to have had lunch at, or near, the point that now bears Taft's name, which you can now get to via trail. But only during the summer and fall.

Reaching Taft Point is far easier than climbing some of Yosemite's most iconic granite formations — it's 2.2-mile round trip  from the trailhead on Glacier Point Road. It's 3,500-feet above the valley floor, and the exposed granite cliff means you get some truly breathtaking views of Yosemite. But plan carefully, as Glacier Point Road closes seasonally because of snow. If you're there too early or too late, you'll have to wait.

The Taft Point hike isn't one of those national park trails that only experienced hikers should take on. It doesn't have much elevation change, just about 200-feet mostly near the end of the hike. However, there are some moments on the way that might be a little unnerving if you're scared of heights. You'll encounter notable fissures, or cracks, in the rock that reveal the open air and valley floor beneath, so make sure to watch your step. And, of course, once you get to the point itself, you need to keep an eye out and be careful near the edge. There is one small section that has a guardrail, but it is largely open and unguarded.

The view at Taft Point is absolutely spectacular. You'll look down on some of the most legendary landmarks of the park — Yosemite Falls and El Capitan — and onto the valley floor. Plan to stay a while to soak in the sights; maybe even bring your lunch — fried chicken and pie if you want to emulate John Muir and William Howard Taft. To make your trek part of a longer hike, traverse a 4.9-mile loop that also takes you up Sentinel Dome.

If you're traveling with young children who like to run, you might want to give the Taft Point hike a pass because of the exposure. Instead, plan to check out Glacier Point, which also has incredible views, but with the benefit of more guardrails at the cliff's edge. It's just a few more miles of driving up Glacier Point Road from the Taft Point trailhead to get to that overlook.

Since the trailhead for the Taft Point trail is along Glacier Point Road, it's only available when the road is open. Snow can reach upwards of several feet in this part of the park, and it can take up to eight weeks to plow it clear in the spring. Keep in mind that if you go shortly after the road opens, the trail may still have snow on it, and granite is slippery when wet, so take your time.

There's no hard opening and closing dates for Glacier Point Road; it truly depends on the season. The National Park Service gives a broad, expected timeframe for when the road opens: "Sometime in May until sometime in November. Plowing typically begins around April 15." It provides frequent updates on the road closures on the website, so keep an eye out for the latest information if you plan to visit at the beginning or end of the season.