Yosemite National Park Hiking and Trail Guide
Where to hike, what you'll see, make the most of Hiking in Yosemite NP
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Hike to Cathedral LakesJohn Muir TrailTo Lower Cathedral Lake is 7.5 miles round trip with 1,000-foot elevation gain. Standing watch over the Cathedral Lakes are the lofty spires of Cathedral Peak. Many of John Muir’s effusive descriptions of the High Sierra have a spiritual tone, and refer to landscapes as sanctuaries, temples and cathedrals. The John Muir Trail, which extends from Happy Isles in Yosemite Valley some 210 miles through what some backpackers consider the most scenic high country in the U.S. The larger and lower Cathedral Lake is a popular weekend backpacker destination. A little too popular, perhaps. Unless you’re continuing to higher and farther destinations on the John Muir Trail, Cathedral Lake is best enjoyed as a day hike destination. Around the lake, geologic history is written in the rocks. In the shadow of craggy Cathedral Peak are lakeside granite slabs that offer flat spots for sunning and picnicking. Near the lake are curious erratics: ice-transported boulders that were left here when the glaciers melted. Hikers opting for a 13-mile hike can ascend to Sunrise High Sierra Camp, then loop over to Tenaya Lake. The park’s shuttle bus service links the two different trailheads. Directions to trailhead: The small Cathedral Lakes trailhead is located just off Highway 120 (Tioga Pass Road) 1.5 miles west of Tuolomne Campground entrance or some 24 miles east of White Wolf. In summer, you can ride the free shuttle bus by leaving your car at the Tuolomne Meadows Wilderness Permit station or Tenaya Lake, if your prefer adding some miles to the Cathedral Lakes hike. The hike: From the parking area, walk 0.1 mile through the forest to a four-way junction. Proceed straight on steep John Muir Trail. It’s dusty (the path is heavily used by stock) and steep going for the first 0.7 mile. The trail mellows for a time, passing among lodgepole pine before climbing again. A bit more than two miles of ascent brings you to a forested saddle. Begin descending. Cathedral Peak appears on the skyline to your left. Three miles out, the trail divides. JMT leads another half mile to upper Cathedral Lake and some shoreline campsites. The right fork descends 0.5 mile to lower Cathedral Lake.
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