Cathedral Lakes - Day and Section Hikes - page 12

3 Cathedral Lakes
S CENERY :
T RAIL CONDITION :
C HILDREN :
D IFFICULTY :
S OLITUDE
D ISTANCE : 7 miles round-trip (8 miles if you include lower Cathedral Lake)
H IKING TIME : 4-5 hours
O UTSTANDING FEATURES : Upper and lower Cathedral Lakes; stunning views of the
Cathedral Range, including Cathedral Peak, as well as Echo and Tresidder peaks
The Upper and Lower Cathedral Lakes are two alpine jewels glistening amidst the
grandeur of their namesake mountain range. A 1,000-foot climb from Tuolumne
Meadows, the gorgeous sister lakes sit regally in a classic glacial cirque. The hike be-
gins in the shade of lodgepole pines and other neighboring conifers before opening
up to more expansive views. The climb is never more than a moderate ascent, but it
can still feel unrelenting on a hot day. Your reward is a cool dip in these picture-per-
fect lakes, two of the region's finest, with striking views of the surrounding peaks.
DIRECTIONS: The Cathedral Lakes trailhead is in the Tuolumne Meadows area of
Yosemite National Park off Tioga Road (CA 120 East). There is a parking area just
south of CA 120, less than 2 miles west of the visitor center (Shuttle Stop #6). There is
no formal lot here, just pullouts, so you may also opt to park at the visitor center and
ride the bus to Shuttle Stop #7. This free park shuttle service runs from 7 a.m. to 6:30
p.m. along Tioga Road from Tuolumne Lodge to Olmsted Point from July 4 through
Labor Day. You can also walk from the visitor center to the trailhead by heading east
on the path found behind the visitor-center building until you reach the juncture with
the Cathedral Lakes Trail (about 1 mile).
GPS coordinates CATHEDRAL LAKES
UTM zone (WGS84) 11S
Easting 0290487
Northing 4194459
Latitude N 37°52′24.75″