Yosemite Half Dome

Half Dome is the most recognizable granite landmark in Yosemite National Park and one of the most iconic mountains in the United States. This live camera looks across Ahwahnee Meadow toward the sheer 4,800-foot face of Half Dome, capturing the way light, shadow, and weather play across the polished granite throughout the day. The dome was sheared in half by glaciers during the last ice age, leaving the vertical northwest face that climbers and photographers have studied for over a century. Best viewing changes with the seasons. Spring brings dramatic waterfalls cascading from snowmelt in the surrounding cliffs. Summer days are typically clear with warm afternoon thermals and occasional thunderstorms that build over the high country. Autumn delivers some of the cleanest air of the year — Half Dome is often crisply visible against deep blue skies. Winter occasionally dusts the dome with snow, producing the rare striped pattern that draws Yosemite photographers from around the world. Sunset is the signature viewing time. As the sun drops behind the western ridgelines, alpenglow lights up the granite face in shades of orange, pink, and red. Sunrise can be equally rewarding — softer light bathes the dome in gold while shadows still cling to the valley floor below. Lenticular clouds frequently form over the summit, signaling approaching weather fronts. Nearby attractions include Glacier Point with its sweeping view of Yosemite Valley, the Mist Trail to Vernal and Nevada Falls, Mirror Lake at the base of Half Dome, and the historic Ahwahnee Hotel. Yosemite Village offers visitor centers, the Yosemite Museum, and ranger-led programs throughout the year.