The granite walls shooting up next to them form an image that is on the short list of most beautiful on earth. It sure seemed longer than the miles indicated and although it was beautiful, it seemed pitifully dry this time of year. Tuolumne Meadow to Cathedral Pass is a 8 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Yosemite Valley, California that features a lake and is rated as moderate. Trip Itinerary. The lakes are popular for wildlife as well as hikers, so keep your eyes peeled for deer, and an occasional timid marmot. It is a bit of a challenging climb, but the lakes are well worth the effort. Best Season: Summer/ Fall Cathedral Lakes Trail is a 13.8 kilometer heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Yosemite Valley, California that features a lake and is rated as moderate. My GF and I hiked this trail on 9/10. I was able to get a wilderness permit for Cathedral Lakes and of course there were no Half Dome permits left. Length of route: Around 20 miles. Large steep steps, jagged rocks to negotiate and powder fine dust being kicked up made it worse. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from March until October. You can drive your car to the Tuolumne Meadows Visitor Center parking lot and find the ride to your car when you have ended up back in the Yosemite Valley. If you fancy a great photo opportunity, be sure to take a look over your shoulder for great vistas of Cathedral Peak. If you are entering on foot, horse, or bike the fee is $20 per person. Made for a tough day but clouds rest was indescribable. The Lower Cathedral Lake is located at an elevation of 9288′ and an easy 3.5 miles from the trailhead located along Tioga Road. Tip: Go to both. Can’t go wrong with either one :). The trail to Cathedral Lake is part of the John Muir Trail, a famed backpacking thoroughfare, and you'll almost certainly encounter other hikers on the main trail, and probably at Lower Cathedral Lake (a half-mile detour from the Muir trail) as well. We saw alot of day hikers heading up carrying light loads moving pretty quick. Cathedral Lakes (moderate) 7 miles (11.3 km round-trip), 1,000-foot elevation gain; 4 to 6 hours. The view upon arrival is worth ever bit of work it takes to get there. Why you should go: A two-day trek that delivers a highlight reel of the best … Perfect for: Experienced, intrepid backpackers! The trail climbs steadily to Upper Cathedral Lake. Horses are also able to use this trail. TW Trail Guide Miles 4.39 miles to Sunrise HSC, and 17.75 to Yosemite Valley from here: Tuolumne Meadows to Yosemite Valley Miles and Elevations One of my favorites now. 7 … Yosemite requires that campsites be at least 4 miles from Tuolumne Meadows. Length 7.2 mi Elevation gain 2,299 ft … Both lakes are so gorgeous. The hike out will follow the historic John Muir Trail back to the valley. Was definitely worth the drive! Is my permit valid if I leave the wilderness? Rest on the open, sloping granite banks of Lower Cathedral Lake looking westerly over a great watery expanse towards Yosemite Valley and spot the deer grazing by the lake's edge. Trailhead: Cathedral Lakes. The trail through this area is the famous John Muir Trail, which sees high traffic all season. Granite shelf on the east side makes for a nice snack spot, but the best view of the lake actually comes from the west side, looking out at cathedral peak. The trail is primarily used for hiking, rock climbing, camping, and backpacking. We started up the Cathedral Lakes Trail after dropping off a vehicle at the Sunrise Lakes Trailhead near Tenaya Lake. Camping. Camping is not allowed on the Panorama Trail or near Illilouette Fall. The trail is fairly steep, rising 1,000 feet in about 3.5 miles. The air quality here was significantly better than in other areas of the park, so we lucked out. We loved the upper lake and took some great pics and took some time to just hang out and take it all in. Unfortunately, the Cathedral Lakes trailhead was on Tioga road, and even as we stood in line at the ranger station in the valley the morning our trip was supposed to begin, Tioga Road was closed. It was nice and cool up here probably in the mid 50's, perfect for backpacking. Juni, beginnt. Our final night’s camp is in Little Yosemite Valley. You can … Interesting experience in its own way though. To reach the trailhead for Cathedral Lakes, you will need to drive the Tioga Pass Road, also known as Highway 120. It was a smoky drive up from the Yosemite Valley and at some points we saw smoke blowing across the road. Very pleasant hike and not too difficult. TW Trail Guide Miles 4.39 miles to Sunrise HSC, and 17.75 to Yosemite Valley from here: Tuolumne Meadows to Yosemite Valley Miles and Elevations After researching and reading the full trail heads list and descriptors, I'm still quite confused. And if the view at the lake energizes you for more, continue on to the top of 10,850-foot Mt. Overnight parking is permitted here, but be sure to clean out your car. The plan is to camp at the Tuolumne backpacker's campground -> start at Cathedral Lakes Trailhead then camp at Sunrise High Sierra Camp -> go to Cloud's Rest then camp at the JMT junction by Sunrise Creek -> go to Half Dome and finish out Happy Isle's Trailhead. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from March until November. There are three main summits to Cathedral Rocks dubbed Higher, Middle, and Lower Cathedral Rocks. Lakes To Lee Vining To Yosemite Valley Olmsted Point May Lake Trailhead Sunrise Lakes Trailhead (west end of Tenaya Lake) T enaya Lake Tenaya Lake East End Pothole Dome Cathedral Lakes Trailhead Visitor Center Campground and Store Dog Lake Parking Wilderness Center Tuolumne Lodge * limited schedule to these stops Yosemite National Park It is an 8-mile roundtrip hike to see both Lower and Upper Cathedral Lakes. Day 1: This epic Yosemite hiking tour will start with the group meeting Curry Village at a predetermined time. If you get a permit for 2, you can hike all the way to the valley from Cathedral Lakes. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from June until September. We set up camp at the first Sunrise Lake that was beautiful. Phenomenal views and less mosquitos bc of the breeze. Most were wearing masks and seemed intent on making the summit of Cloud's Rest and heading back to Tenaya Lake as a tough 14 mile RT dayhike. 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