Summary:
A high country hike through alpine scenery of lakes and glaciated granite peaks.

The trail to Sunrise Lakes starts from the western bank of stunning Tenaya Lake, the largest lake in the National Park. The glistening of the granite domes that surround it is caused by glacial ‘polish’. Moving away from the lake, a steep climb up Tenaya Canyon rewards you with great views of the lake behind you to the north and the 9,926-ft peak of Clouds Rest ahead. Fording a creek, turn left at the trail junction about 2 miles into the hike, heading towards the Sunrise High Sierra Camp. You quickly come to the first of the Sunrise Lakes on the right; a little further on, two more lakes appear on the left.

Continue on through meadow and over the rock slopes that dominate this high country region, to join the John Muir Trail at the 4-mile mark. Take the left path to quickly reach the Camp, situated at the head of Long Meadow. Proceed through the meadow, cross another creek and, ignoring a side trail to the right, continue heading north and then east towards Cathedral Fork.

The trail follows the river north as it continues to climb to the high point, Cathedral Pass, around 7.5 miles from the trailhead. Just below lies Upper Cathedral Lake; a short distance further on and 300 ft below, a spur to the left leads to Lower Cathedral Lake.

Continue on the main trail for 3 further miles of descent back to the Tioga Road. There are more great views of the granite peaks along the way, including Cathedral Peak to your right and, further on, Farview Dome to your left. At the end of the trail, it is a short walk to Tuolumne Meadows visitor center or, if you parked at the trailhead, you can catch a shuttle back to your car.

Directions: The most direct routes to Tuolumne Meadows are via the east and west entrances of the National Park along Tioga Road (Hwy 120 – closed in winter). The visitor center is 7 miles west of Tioga Pass and 55 miles from Yosemite Valley.

Trailhead: Tenaya Lake, along the Tioga Road. It can be accessed by a summer express shuttle bus that runs through Tuolumne Meadows throughout the day.

Length: 10.5 miles / 16.8 km

Trail Type: One way

Elevation Change: 1,500 ft / 457 m
And descent of 1,000 ft/305 m.

Duration: 6 hours

Trail Condition: Defined.

Features: Alpine lakes, glacial domes.

Climate: Summer-only trail – June to end September.

Accommodation: Limited lodging and cabins in Tuolumne Meadows. Camping available on first come-first served basis. Similar facilities near Tioga Pass.

Trail Notes: Tioga Road to Tuolumne Meadows is only guaranteed to be open in summer. Elevations in this area range from 8,000 to 10,000 ft. Trail maps available from Tuolumne Meadows visitor center.

Summary:
Discover the majesty of the giant Sequoia trees in Yosemite’s largest grove.

From the Mariposa parking area, take the path to the right, cross the tram route and climb 330 ft through the Lower Grove to Grizzly Giant. At 2,700 years old and with a base of 30 ft, this is one of the Sequoia star turns. It is a popular place for visitors as the tram stops close by.

Ignoring the trail to your left, continue climbing past the California Tunnel Tree on the right and cross the tram route once more as the trail veers to the right. At the junction, take the left trail to reach a fork a short distance later – about 1 mile from the trailhead.

From here, you can take either path. The left more closely follows the tram route, and passes close to some of the grove’s most impressive trees, such as Faithful Couple and Clothespin. At 1 mile in length, it is a little longer than the track on the right. Both meet at a four-way trail junction on the tram route, close to the Columbia Tree and some restrooms.

Take the trail to the right, which heads south initially before veering east to loop anti-clockwise around the Upper Grove. You will pass Telescope Tree and the fallen Wawona Tunnel Tree in a little under 1 mile, at which point you will have completed 1,000 ft of the climb.

Continue ahead, ignoring the trail on the left down to the museum. Where the trail moves close to the tram route, an easy 0.5 mile spur on the right leads to the high point, figuratively and literally, of Wawona Point. From here, there is a magnificent view over the forested Wawona basin, taking in Wawona Dome, meadow and mountain peaks in the distance. As this place is easily accessible from the tram route, it is well worth hiking early or late in the day to enjoy the views in relative peace. The view at sunset is particularly recommended.

Returning to the main trail, there are a number of options for the descent back to the Lower Grove. We recommend the quieter outer loop through the forest that heads away to your right. This will return you to the Mariposa parking area in a little under 3 miles, and keeps well away from the tram. This route also gives you the option of hiking the 6 miles back to Wawona – take the right fork after you have gone about 1.75 miles along the outer loop.

An alternative to the outer loop is to go back to the fallen Wawona Tunnel Tree, where you take the trail to the right. This heads west past the museum and connects with other well-marked paths that lead past Columbia and Clothespin trees and Faithful Couple, crossing the tram route several times. This shorter option will take less then 2 miles to return to the Mariposa parking area.

Directions: The most direct route to Mariposa Grove is via the south entrance of the Park, on Hwy 41 north from Fresno. If approaching from the west, take Hwy 140 from Merced or 132 and 120 from Modesto.

Trailhead: At the south entrance station, turn right on the 1.5-mile spur road to Mariposa Grove. Alternatively, continue ahead for 4 miles to Wawona. The parking area at Mariposa Grove can get very crowded, so in summer it is a good idea to park at Wawona and take the free shuttle bus.

Length: 7 miles / 11.2 km

Trail Type: Loop

Elevation Change: 1,210 ft / 369 m

Duration: 4 hours

Trail Condition: Well defined, signed junctions.

Features: Sequoia forest, panoramic viewpoint.

Climate: High summer temperatures are more bearable under the shade of the big trees. Snow can cover trails in winter – snowshoes may be needed.

Accommodation: Limited lodging in Wawona – reservations usually essential, especially in summer. Camping available in Wawona and just outside the south entrance on first-come, first-served basis. Lodging and camping also available in Yosemite Valley, 35 miles to the north – again, reservations usually essential.

Trail Notes: An open-air tram runs through Mariposa Grove from May to October, converging with the trail at popular points of interest. It is possible to avoid the climb by taking the tram to the Upper Grove and hiking back down.

Summary:
Hike to high alpine lakes and meadows above Tioga Pass.

Other day hikes are easily accessible from Tioga Pass. A little further west along the Tioga Road is a parking area and trailhead for the 8 mile, out and back trail to Mono Pass. The trail passes further relics from the mining days as it climbs 1,000 ft/305 m, with views of 12,764-ft Mount Gibbs and Mono Lake.

Just outside the National Park boundary east of Tioga Pass, a spur road to the left heads to Saddlebag Lake. There are various trails in this area, including one to Greenstone, Wasco and Steelhead Lakes, and another to Hummingbird, Odell and Helen Lakes. A boat-taxi runs across Saddlebag Lake from the resort at the south shore, giving easier access to these high alpine trails.

Directions: The most direct routes to Tioga Pass are via the east and west entrances of the National Park along Tioga Road (Hwy 120 – closed in winter). It is 7 miles east of Tuolumne Meadows visitor center and 62 miles from Yosemite Valley.

Trailhead: Just west of the National Park entrance station at Tioga Pass.

Length: 6 miles / 9.6 km

Trail Type: Out and back

Elevation Change: 1,000 ft / 305 m

Duration: 4 hours

Trail Condition: Defined.

Features: Alpine lakes, meadows.

Climate: Summer-only trail – June to end September.

Accommodation: Limited lodging and cabins near Tioga Pass just outside the National Park. Camping available on first come-first served basis. Similar facilities available in Tuolumne Meadows.

Trail Notes: Tioga Road is only guaranteed to be open in summer. The trail reaches an elevation of 10,760 ft. Trail maps available from Tuolumne Meadows visitor center.