Hike Lukens Lake

Lukens Lake Trail

From Tioga Road to Lukens Lake is 1.6 miles round trip; from White Wolf Campground to Lukens Lake is 4.6 miles round trip.

Were Lukens Lake located anywhere but in the middle of Yosemite National Park, it would surely be an even more compelling destination. You see, all it offers is a beautiful lake bordered by a red fir forest and a lovely meadow. Oh, and did I mention the opportunity for picnicking, swimming and trout fishing?

Two family-style trails lead to Lukens. From Tioga Road an easy 0.5 mile-ascent to a saddle and a 0.3 mile-descent deliver you to the lake. A longer route travels to the lake from White Wolf Campground. Either way to go is a winner and offers hikers of all sizes the feeling of entering the remote Yosemite high country.

Lukens Lake gets its fair share of snow--and more--and it tends to linger into late spring and early summer. Don’t be surprised if you find snow patches en route and the lake’s meadow under water.

Directions to trailhead: From the intersection of Big Oak Flat and Tioga Road, drive 17 miles on Tioga Road to a turnout on the right. Park here and cross the road to the trailhead.

The departure point for the longer hike is across from White Wolf Lodge. The turnoff for White Wolf is located 2 miles west of the shorter walk trailhead off Tioga Road.

The hike: Carefully cross Tioga Road and pick up the signed trail to Lukens Lake. After a mellow ascent over a pine-forested ridge, the path drops to a meadow on the south end of the lake. The trail bends east and north around the lake.

If you’re bound for Lukens Lake the long way, you’ll join the signed trail right across from the lodge and meander 0.75 mile through lodgepole pine forest. Cross the Middle Fork of the Tuolomne River on logs and in 0.25 mile intersect a trail that leads left to the Grand Canyon of the Tuolomne River. Your route is south, then east, through mellow (and sometimes mushy and mosquito-filled) meadows to a junction with Ten Lakes Trail. Here you fork right, cross the Tuolomne River, then ascend a final 0.25 mile to the lake.

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Hike Lukens Lake

Lukens Lake Trail