Glacier Point at Yosemite National Park offers what some people call the “most spectacular viewpoint anywhere.” But on the way up, there’s another viewpoint that offers similar views: Washburn Point.
I stumbled across this viewpoint by accident, not knowing it was on the way up. After noticing cars parked and people, I decided to take a detour, pull over, and explore Washburn Point.
The National Park Service website says Washburn Point offers slightly better views of Vernal and Nevada Falls. At the time, I wasn’t thinking about anything specific like that. It was nice not to have known about this spot beforehand so I could enjoy it experience it for the first time without any prior knowledge about it.
There were probably about a few dozen people there when I swung by, but it wasn’t too crowded so I was able to enjoy the surroundings and environment just fine.
After parking in the lot, there are a couple of stairs you’ll need to climb to get a full, panoramic view of the park from Washburn Point, but it’s really easy to get down.
I spent about 15 minutes at this viewpoint, which I split between taking photos and enjoying the view (and appreciating the clean air lol) with no distractions. It can be tempting to digitally document as much of Washburn Point as possible, but it’s also rewarding to just document it in your mind.
I highly recommend dedicating a few minutes to appreciating the view Washburn Point on the way up to Glacier Point. Both places are only about a mile apart and it’s nice be able to knock out two stunning viewpoints that are so close to each other.
For more information on viewpoints at Yosemite National Park, click here.
For more details on the logistics of getting to Washburn Point, click here.
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