Every hiker's life list should include the 270 miles between Mt. Whitney and Sonora Pass. It may take a month, but it's a trivial sacrifice to make for the most unrelenting wilderness eye-candy you'll ever feast on.

KENNEDY MEADOWS to TUOLUMNE MEADOWS: The highlight reel of this 209-mile section includes three national parks, several high passes with heavenly views, two stunning wilderness areas, and not a single road. Option: Detour up Mt. Whitney, the tallest peak in the Lower 48.

TUOLUMNE MEADOWS to SONORA PASS: This 65.8-mile section travels the remote regions of Yosemite. Our advice: Pack a good camera (the scenery is five stars), extra sunscreen (it's the High Sierra), and water shoes (swift rivers).

Looking to tag a life-list summit without queuing up? Pass on Half Dome, and opt for the 12-mile climb to Yosemite's unsung granite peak.

Climb 4,800 feet on this classic 15.7-mile route to the top of the park‰Ûªs most-iconic peak towering above the Valley floor.

Let the soft light of a full moon guide your way to Yosemite's most iconic granite peak on this 14.2-mile out-and-back.

A short 3-mile out-and-back full of rainbows, waterfalls, and sprawling mountainside views, this Yosemite classic isn't called the Mist Trail for nothing.

This 6.2-mile loop leads into a land of rainbows and big waterfalls among the granite faces of Yosemite Valley.

Get above the Valley with this a 10.1-mile sneak route to front-row views of Half Dome. Good for a dayhike or an overnighter.

Don't worry about the crowds. This classic 8.8-mile dayhike offers plenty for all trailgoers: giant waterfalls, trailside rainbows, and arguably some of the best views in Yosemite.