Cathedral Lakes
Wawona, California
| Address: | Yosemite National Park, California, USA |
| GPS: |
37°50'43.1"N 119°25'27.5"W Maps | Directions |
| State: | California |
| Trail Length: | 7.00 miles |
| Trail Type: | Out & Back |
| Hike Difficulty: | Intermediate |
| Elevation Gain: | 1000 feet |
| Trails/Routes: | 0.9-3.2 mi |
Lakes Streams Trails Rocks Wildflowers National Park
Hike and Swim
One of the busiest trails in the Tuloumne Meadows area, the hike to Cathedral Lakes is a gorgeous 7 mile walk to the perfect place to rest and recuperate.
While there are several High Sierra lakes, the Cathedral lakes are arguably the most popular because this hike was part of the John Muir trail. At an elevation of roughly 10,000 feet, Cathedral Peak sits on the east and both Echo and Tressider Peaks sit in the south, while Lower Cathedral Lake rests in the middle.
There is a wide, easily accessible rock shelf that hangs over Lower Cathedral Lake. Many hikers enjoy soaking in the view, which, from the rock shelf, includes Tenaya Lake, while recovering from the 1000 foot climb up to the lake.
There is a fork in the trail, and you will have to choose between Upper and Lower Cathedral Lake. Upper Cathedral Lake is part of the John Muir Trail and will take you to the Sunrise High Sierra Camp, and Lower Cathedral Lake is a little bit more popular and a little bit bigger as well.
The trail to Cathedral Lakes is open as long as Tioga Road is open, which is June through November. Expect marshy conditions in the early season.
More Information
Be courteous, informed, and prepared. Read trailhead guidelines, stay on the trail, and don't feed the wildlife.
Read More
- Plan Ahead and Prepare
- Travel & camp on durable surfaces
- Dispose of waste properly
- Leave what you find
- Minimize campfire impacts
- Respect wildlife
- Be considerate of other visitors
Directions
From Wawona, California
- Head south on Chowchilla Mountain Rd toward Wawona RdToll road(377 ft)
- Turn right onto Wawona RdToll road(21.6 mi)
- Slight right onto Southside DrPartial toll road(1.4 mi)
- Turn left onto El Capitan DrToll road(0.4 mi)
- Merge onto Northside DrToll road(2.0 mi)
- Continue onto El Portal RdToll road(0.9 mi)
- Turn right onto Big Oak Flat Road (signs for CA-120/Tioga Rd/Manteca)Toll road(9.5 mi)
- Continue onto Old Yosemite Coulterville RdToll road(344 ft)
- Turn right onto CA-120 EToll roadMay be closed at certain times or days(33.4 mi)
There is limited parking at the trailhead, it is recommended that you take the shuttle and get off at shuttle stop #7
Trails
Distance ?
3.2 milesElevation Gain ?
739 feetReal Ascent ?
1,066 feetReal Descent ?
327 feetAvg Grade (2°)
4%Grade (-6° to 15°)
-11% to 27%Distance ?
0.9 milesElevation Gain ?
122 feetReal Ascent ?
287 feetReal Descent ?
165 feetAvg Grade (2°)
3%Grade (-8° to 16°)
-13% to 29%Elevation differences are scaled for emphasis. While the numbers are accurate, the cut-away shown here is not to scale.
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