Given its close proximity to the trailhead, the basin itself can be found crowded with people in mid-summer, However in early spring the trail is covered snow, keeping many at bay. The Cathedral Lakes trailhead is one of the more popular destinations in the Tuolumne Meadows region of Yosemite, so you can expect crowds to frequent this area whenever the road is open. Cathedral Lakes on our way to Yosemite Valley below The Golden Triangle An Addition to our Tahoe to Whitney Hike . Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your As the trail to Budd Lake is unofficial, it is not marked on the maps. If the backcountry solitude wasn’t enough, we were soon greeted by a pink hue that lit up the sky. John Muir made the first ascent of Cathedral Peak in 1869, possibly the first class 4 climb to be made anywhere in the Sierra.The SE Buttress is an extremely popular route among climbers … The Cathedral Lakes are two lakes located South of tuolumne meadow the lower lake is located at elevation 9,288 feet, while the upper lake is located at elevation 9,585 feet. After approximately 4 miles of quiet solitude in the forest, you will reach Cathedral Lakes: a pair of high alpine lakes surrounded by the quintessential green meadows that Yosemite is famous for. Head left here at the split and continue another half mile to Upper Cathedral Lake. Trailhead Group Campground is located in the eastern high Sierra Nevada Mountains of California at just over 10,000 feet in elev... Overview Simply walking behind the lake (with Cathedral Peak at your back) and cresting the ridge will offer up this amazing view. Camping is not allowed on the Panorama Trail or near Illilouette Fall. From the South Bay Area, the drive takes about four hours and covers slightly over 200 miles. I can only imagine how busy this area would be in the peak of summer! They take their name from the nearby Cathedral Peak, so named for its church-like summit, and the mountain looms high over the water, creating a beautiful backdrop for the lakes. Two alpine lakes, in the high country of Yosemite, far away from the crowds of the Valley, make this an idyllic destination. Around 1.5 miles in, we caught the first glimpse of Yosemite’s famous granite, which is always a welcome sight. Starting from the Tuolumne Meadows parking lot, this trail wanders through the classic High Sierra forest with large white granite boulders and pine trees. The trailhead does not scream at you here I am like others, so be watchful after Tenaya Lake. After our snack break, we followed along the shoreline, enjoying the different vantage points and views of Cathedral Peak. Cathedral Lakes, located near Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park, is an extremely popular hiking, climbing, and backpacking destination. We would hike to Cathedral Lakes as day-trip, but would stay for sunset and then hike out in the dark. In this video, I'm doing an amazing hike to Cathedral Lakes in the Tuolumne Meadows area of Yosemite National Park. A great expanse of granite is laid out in front of the lake, making it easy to stretch out and enjoy the views. We loved having the opportunity to enjoy this part of the lake, mostly to ourselves, as only a handful of others had ventured beyond the initial lakeshore. By the time we reached the shoreline, we had made it with minutes to spare and Julie quickly got her camera set up for sunset. Continue Reading Part 2 of the Cathedral Lake Hike Report! The trail itself is approximately 33 miles and can be done in 3-4 days, but I recommend a 6 day hike to enjoy the scen... Start at Toulumne Meadows (8000 ft), and take the John Muir Trail, on the south side of Tioga Road. Yosemite – Cathedral Lakes Hike As far as hikes from Tuolumne Meadows go, the Cathedral Lakes hike is my favorite. This is a perfect spot to get away from the crowds. Spectacular. The hike to Cathedral Lakes had been high on our Yosemite list for the last few years and it’s easy to see why. Glorious. To reach the trailhead for Cathedral Lakes, you will need to drive the Tioga Pass Road, also known as Highway 120. Coming from sea level as we did for a day-hike, the trail to Cathedral Lakes begins at 8,500 feet. The Cathedral Lakes trail, though, stands out not just for its beauty, but for its variety of striking views. Cathedral Lakes Trail is a 8.6 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Yosemite Valley, California that features a lake and is rated as moderate. The first 0.7 miles is a steady uphill, covering 500 feet of elevation gain along the way. Looks like a terrific hike! Distance: 11.5 miles (with plenty of walking around the lakes). The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from March until October. Backpacking Ediza Lake | Ansel Adams Wilderness, Delta Lake Hike | Grand Teton National Park Hiking, Alice Lake Hike | Sawtooth Wilderness Backpacking, Backpacking the 20 Lakes Basin | Eastern Sierra. August 30, 2014 Distance: 10 Miles Traveled: Sunrise Lakes Trailhead to Lower Cathedral Lake “The grand Sierra Cathedral, a building of one stone, sewn from the living rock, with sides, roof, gable, spire and ornamental pinnacles, fashioned and finished symmetrically like a work of art, and set on a well-graded plateau about 9000 feet high, as if Nature in making so fine a building … Highlights: Lakes. While the hike to Cathedral Lakes isn’t especially difficult compared to some of the hikes in Yosemite, it’s mostly the elevation that will get you. Perhaps one of our favorite parts of Lower Cathedral Lake is how much better the views get as you walk around the lake. Distance: 6 miles (9.6 km) round trip. Hello! At the far end of the lake, there is an impressive granite dome that was reflecting perfectly in the still  water. Explore lush green meadow surrounding a high alpine lake with amazing solitude for Yosemite. After approximately 4 miles of quiet solitude in the forest, you will reach Cathedral Lakes: a pair of high alpine lakes surrounded by the quintessential green meadows that Yosemite is famous for. Cathedral Lakes One of the most iconic destination outside of Yosemite Valley is Cathedral Lakes. Easy access, beautiful scenery and tempting peaks make this a popular spot for backpackers, day hikers and climbers. Starting at the Tuolomne Meadows Visitor Center you will head south to jump on the John Muir Trail, move east for 2.8 miles on the JMT until the trail intersects with the Vogelsang High Sierra trailhead, you head south when you reach this trail. The Cathedral Lakes are a pair of stunning lakes in Yosemite National Park. Get there early if you visit during the summer as limited parking means you could end up adding additional distance to your hike, or having to take the park’s shuttle. It's surrounded by Cathedral Peak in the east and by Echo and Tresidder Peaks along the southern shore, all of them over 10,000 feet (3,050 meters) in elevation. If you’re planning a visit to Yosemite National Park, please check out my other posts about Yosemite for ideas of things to do and photography tips. If you're into photography, this is also a prime place to catch the evening sun glowing on Cathedral Peak. Whenever I go on a trip to Yosemite National Park, I always cringe at the thought of entering the valley and competing for parking with the masses of tourists that come every summer. We carried on this way until we reached the 2.3 where we began to climb out of the forest and into more sun exposure. It is not crowded at all. 17.0 miles from Cathedral Lake Trail #4 Best Value of 410 places to stay in Yosemite National Park “The TPR has been, and will again be, a fantastic place to enjoy one of the most spectacular environments in CA, let alone the USA. If you’re planning on visiting Upper Cathedral Lake (as we did), know that you will have to hike back to this junction and continue on to reach it. It looks good from all sides, has expansive views from its class 4 summit block, and the SE Buttress is considered a classic climbing route. One of the most stunning peaks in Yosemite, Cathedral is blessed with some great moderate climbing. Your email address will not be published. There is an unmarked spur trail that leads you down to the lake, which we mistook for something else and ended up having to retrace our steps. You will need a permit to camp at the lakes. “Cathedral Lake Falls” is a name I made up for this easy-to-miss waterfall on the Tioga Road just before the Pywiack Dome. Upper Pines Campground is located in breathtaking Yosemite National Park in Central California's rugged Sierra Nevada Mountain R... Donohue Pass lies on the border of Yosemite National Park and the Ansel Adams Wilderness. I like to think of the hike to Cathedral Lakes as a bit of rolling hills. Permit: None required for day hiking. Breakfast and dinner service are ... Overview Another great hike in Yosemite had come to an end, but we will be back again soon! Map includes surrounding trails, campsites, trail elevation profile. Cathedral Lakes Trail is 7 mi /11.3 km roundtrip with an elevation change of 1000 ft/300 m with a 1 mi/1.6 km roundtrip spur trail to the Lower Cathedral Lake. It is among Yosemite’s most attractive lakes, and is right in the midst of some of the most picturesque scenery around. The Cathedral Lakes trailhead is one of the more popular destinations in the Tuolumne Meadows region of Yosemite, so you can expect crowds to frequent this area whenever the road is open. Lower Cathedral Lake is among the most impressive of Yosemite's granite-wrapped High Sierra lakes. Polly Dome Lakes. We saw one couple on the trail. I have visited and enjoyed the cafe in particular numerous times over the past...” Cathedral Peak is an outstanding granite pinnacle in the Tuolumne Meadows area of Yosemite National Park. Cathedral Lakes trail map, Yosemite National Park. The trail is like a staircase: the first 0.8 mi ascends 600 ft, the next 0.7 mi is level, the next 0.6 mi ascends 600 Even better, none of the other day-hikers had made the same decision as us, so we had the place completely to ourselves! As we continue to work out the kinks of becoming backpacking people, we settled on a compromise. Lower Cathedral Lake is typically less populated than nearby Upper Lake and has some of the mot beautiful scenery on the JMT. And a little mountain sickness. Once the sun had set and the pink disappeared, it was time to strap on our headlamps and head back down to the car. Sunrise and sunset with the reflection of Cathedral Peak on the glassy water is the best way to end and begin your day on the trail. Cathedral Lakes The scenic beauty of Cathedral Lakes draws both day hikers and backpackers to their shores. Of the many lakes reached by short hikes along the Tioga Road in Yosemite National Park, Upper and Lower Cathedral Lake are generally thought to be the most beautiful, each surrounded by meadows and granite cliffs, without too many trees to block the views of nearby mountains. Sunrise/Sunset are incredible and the mountain reflection on the lake is breath-taking. Cathedral Lakes Trailhead to Yosemite Valley via Half Dome is a 32.9 mile moderately trafficked point-to-point trail located near Yosemite Valley, California that features a lake and is rated as difficult. Take in views of the 10,900 foot Cathedral Peak. This makes a great spot for dinner if you're spending the night! She looked like the Indy Car driver Danica Patrick. Here is the map. The approach takes about an hour and is long enough from the road and hiking trails to give you a little peace (often to be shared with many climbers - start early). Still, it won’t be anything compared to the bus loads of people you see in the Valley, but don’t expect a ton of solitude during peak season. One of the most popular of Yosemite’s high country destinations has to be Cathedral Lakes. adventures and follow local regulations. But after that, the trail is surprisingly flat for the next mile or so. We want to acknowledge and thank the past, present, and future generations of all Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral lands we travel, explore, and play on. Budd Lake ~ Cathedral Lakes Loop Yosemite National Park: July 14, 2009. Having planned this outing since last winter, I hope it lives up to its hype. One of my favorite places to camp in the park. We both looked around and marveled at how immensely beautiful the lake was, particularly with Cathedral Peak reflecting perfectly in its waters. Still, it won’t be anything compared to the bus loads of people you see in the Valley, but don’t expect a ton of solitude during peak season. From Tuolumne Meadows to Yosemite Valley (not exiting the park): Cathedral Lakes; Why isn't the Panorama Trail listed? Here, the incredible views of Cathedral Peak reflected in the lake are as much a symbol of Yosemite as El Capitan and Half Dome. Once you arrive at the lake, turn around to get sweeping views of Cathedral Peak, rising like a spire before you. 12 reviews of Yosemite Cathedral Lakes "Magnificent. On the hill behind Upper Cathedral Lake, there are stunning views of Lower Cathedral Lake and the surrounding High Sierra Mountains. Cathedral Peak is part of the Cathedral Range, a mountain range in the south-central portion of Yosemite National Park in eastern Mariposa and Tuolumne Counties. If you hike to the end of the trail on the right side of the lake to explore the lake's outlet, views of Polly Dome, Pywiack Dome, Mount Hoffman, Tenaya Peak and some of Tenaya Lake can be seen. Set up your tent due left on the little patch of land when you reach the lake. The summit is a small block big enough for a couple people to squeeze on. O... Yosemite is an iconic park, and if you are looking for isolation with spectacular views of the backcountry this trip is for you. We're committed to building a better, more inclusive home for the modern outdoors. Required fields are marked *. i really liked your hike-story and the magnificent photos. No matter how physically fit you are, that level of elevation can take it’s toll on your breathing. One thought on “ Cathedral Lakes to Yosemite Valley via Clouds Rest ” Nadav says: August 8, 2019 at 1:17 am. Even with our visit being late in the season, there were still a fair amount of people and groups spread out at the lake. What had prevented us from making the trip up until this year had been the debate over whether to visit the lakes as a day-hike or an overnight backpacking trip. Gla cier Point Loop. This last stretch is well worth the improved views of Cathedral Peak. Overview This trail will lead you ... Backpack Tuolumne Meadows to Yosemite Valley. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from April until September. There are great spots to chill on south side of the lake. The trail climbs steadily to Upper Cathedral Lakes. Why you should go: A two-day trek that delivers a highlight reel of the best … You may hike along the trail and camp at another destination beyond. On the west side of the upper lake, take an easy scramble up some boulders for a higher perspective on the lake and Cathedral Peak plus views of the surrounding valleys. To climb out of the forest and into more sun exposure evening sun glowing on Cathedral Peak 3.25 miles,... 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