Mono Pass
Yosemite Valley, CA
| Address: | Yosemite National Park, California, USA |
| GPS: |
37°53'27.5"N 119°15'45.3"W Maps | Directions |
| State: | California |
| Trail Length: | 8.00 miles |
| Trail Type: | Out & Back |
| Hike Difficulty: | Intermediate |
| Elevation Gain: | 1000 feet |
| Trails/Routes: | 4.0 mi |
Lakes Streams Trails Rocks Wildflowers National Park
Hike and Swim
At an elevation of 10,600 feet, the hike through Mono Pass is an 8 mile journey that takes you across the High Sierras, through several meadows, and stops at a few different lakes along the way.
The first part of the trail guides hikers through the streams and meadows of the High Sierras. Once it hits the Spillway Lake Junction, the trail starts to get a little bit more strenuous. The scenery begins to change as well. The closer the trail climbs towards Bloody Canyon, the more rocky and barren the landscape becomes. The latter half of the hike offers views of the majority of Mono Valley, including Mono Lake and, if you're up for a little more traveling, Upper Sardine Lake as well.
While the pass is already at a significantly high elevation, there is still a 1000 foot elevation gain on the hike, so be prepared to notice a loss of oxygen and bring any headache remedies you may need, especially if you're coming into Yosemite at sea level.
Mono Pass is open as long as Tioga Road is open, which is typically June to November, but because of the elevation, it's not uncommon for snow to obstruct several of the viewpoints if you are there too early in the 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 Yosemite Valley, CA
- Head southwest on Northside Dr toward Cook's Meadow LoopToll road(2.9 mi)
- Keep right to stay on Northside DrToll road(2.1 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(45.1 mi)
- Turn rightToll roadDestination will be on the right(115 ft)
Parking is available at the trailhead.
Trails
Distance ?
4.0 milesElevation Gain ?
900 feetReal Ascent ?
1,070 feetReal Descent ?
170 feetAvg Grade (2°)
4%Grade (-6° to 12°)
-10% to 21%Elevation differences are scaled for emphasis. While the numbers are accurate, the cut-away shown here is not to scale.
Other Swimming Holes and Hiking Trails Nearby
Gaylor Lakes
Yosemite Valley, CA
1.5 miles NGaylor Lakes is one of Yosemite's most underrated hikes. It's a 2 mile trail with views the entire way. At various points along the trail, you can see Dana Meadows and the mountains...
Hike, Swim 3.6 mi
Lyell Canyon
Wawona, California
2.8 miles SWLyell Canyon is a breezy, 8 mile hike through the Tuloumne Meadows of Yosemite. While it is a little bit of a longer hike, the total elevation gain is about 200 feet, making it pretty flat and...
Hike 0.8-4.1 mi
Dog Lake and Lembert Dome
Yosemite Valley, CA
4.2 miles WThe hike to Dog Lake is often paired with the hike to Lembert Dome, because the two are so close in proximity. Each hike by itself is 2.8 miles round trip, but Lembert Dome has an elevation gain of...
Hike, Swim
Tuolumne Meadows
Tuolumne County, California
4.6 miles WA beautiful alpine meadow found in the upper Sierra Nevada Mountains. Open during the summer, this meadow offers excellent views of nearby granite domes and mountains. There is a roadway through...
Camp, Hike 4.0 mi
Saddlebag Lake
Lee Vining, California
5.2 miles NA man-made lake found in the Inyo forest, resting at about 10,008 feet above sea level, Saddlebag Lake is located just outside the Tioga Pass entrance to Yosemite National Park. This lake has some of...
Camp, Canoe, Hike
Elizabeth Lake
Wawona, California
6.7 miles SWElizabeth Lake is a gorgeous lake tucked underneath the High Sierras in Yosemite. It's about a 4.8 mile hike to reach it, with an elevation gain of 1000 feet. Even though it's not super long,...
Hike, Swim
Glen Aulin
Glen Aulin, California
8.6 miles WThis trail is a popular route to take in the Yosemite High Country because it is a good introductory hike into the backcountry. At the end of the hike there are several waterfalls as well as a...
Backpack, Camp, Hike, Swim 6.0 mi
Glen Aulin
Wawona, California
8.6 miles WThis is an 11 mile hike along the Tuolumne River to Glen Aulin. There is a view to take in at every turn on this hike, whether it's the Tuolumne River, Tuolumne Fall, Soda Springs,...
Backpack, Camp, Hike 1.1 mi
Lundy Canyon
Bridgeport, California
9.1 miles NIn just one 3 mile hike, Lundy Canyon provides views of waterfalls, meadows, mountains, and if you're up for it, a trip to the Twenty Lakes Basin. There is much to take in even after going...
Hike 0.9-3.2 mi
Cathedral Lakes
Wawona, California
9.4 miles WOne 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...
Hike, Swim
Tenaya Lake
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
11.7 miles WTenaya Lake is one of the most visited destinations in Yosemite National Park. The lake is easily accessed by Highway 120/Tioga Pass road which runs along the north shore of the lake. On the east...
Canoe, Hike, Kayak, Swim 1.2-1.6 mi
May Lake
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
12.9 miles WMay lake is a relatively small lake that rests at the base of Mt. Hoffman in Yosemite National Park. One of the park's most scenic lakes, May lake not only gets up close and personal with...
Hike, Swim 5.7 mi
Ten Lakes
Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park
14.1 miles WA 6.4 mile hike will lead you to three of the Ten Lakes at Ten Lakes Basin. There are three possible trails to take to see this phenomenon. The shortest begins at Yosemite Creek. The other two...
Backpack, Camp, Hike 1.9 mi
Half Dome
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
17.0 miles SWHalf Dome is the most popular and difficult hike in Yosemite Valley. The trail is about 14 miles long with an elevation gain of 4800 feet. There are cables to help you scale up to the summit once you...
Hike 2.1 mi
Snow Creek Falls
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
17.2 miles SWSnow Creek is one of the more difficult waterfalls to find in the valley, but in the spring and summer months, the elusive waterfall can be seen from the Mirror Lake Trail, a 5 mile loop around...
Backpack, Hike
Mirror Lake
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
18.5 miles SWMirror Lake is a seasonal lake situated in a secluded corner of the beautiful Yosemite Valley. The lake sits at the base of Half Dome and allows a different perspective of the famous monolith....
Backpack, Hike, Swim 4.0 mi
North Dome
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
18.7 miles SWNorth Dome is a strenuous 10.4 mile hike that gives visitors a close up view straight at Half Dome from across the valley. It also has a unique view of Clouds Rest peak. Because the hike...
Backpack, Hike 0.7 mi
Lukens Lake
Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park
19.4 miles WLukens Lake is a small lake in the White Wolf area of Yosemite National Park. The hike is a short, 1.6 mile walk through a forest to the secluded lake surrounded by trees and a small...
Hike, Swim 1.9-2.9 mi
Mist Trail
Yosemite National Park
19.5 miles SWThe mist trail is a small breakoff from the John Muir Trail through Yosemite National Park. It's called the mist trail because of the heavy amount of mist that hikers walk through as Vernal and...
Backpack, Hike
Devil's Bathtub
Yosemite Valley, California
19.6 miles SWDevil's Bathtub is one of those destinations that's a little more off the beaten path of Yosemite tourists. It's just above the Majestic Yosemite (AKA Ahwanhee Hotel). Earlier in the...
SwimNearby Campsites
Tuolumne Meadows
Tuolumne County, California
4.6 miles WA beautiful alpine meadow found in the upper Sierra Nevada Mountains. Open during the summer, this meadow offers excellent views of nearby granite domes and mountains. There is a roadway through...
Camp, Hike 4.0 mi
Saddlebag Lake
Lee Vining, California
5.2 miles NA man-made lake found in the Inyo forest, resting at about 10,008 feet above sea level, Saddlebag Lake is located just outside the Tioga Pass entrance to Yosemite National Park. This lake has some of...
Camp, Canoe, Hike
Glen Aulin
Glen Aulin, California
8.6 miles WThis trail is a popular route to take in the Yosemite High Country because it is a good introductory hike into the backcountry. At the end of the hike there are several waterfalls as well as a...
Backpack, Camp, Hike, Swim 6.0 mi
Glen Aulin
Wawona, California
8.6 miles WThis is an 11 mile hike along the Tuolumne River to Glen Aulin. There is a view to take in at every turn on this hike, whether it's the Tuolumne River, Tuolumne Fall, Soda Springs,...
Backpack, Camp, Hike 5.7 mi
Ten Lakes
Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park
14.1 miles WA 6.4 mile hike will lead you to three of the Ten Lakes at Ten Lakes Basin. There are three possible trails to take to see this phenomenon. The shortest begins at Yosemite Creek. The other two...
Backpack, Camp, Hike
Merced River
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
20.3 miles SWThe main fork of Merced River at Yosemite National Park is a perfect place to fish, swim, raft, and even pan for gold. The river circles around the center of Yosemite Valley, and almost every...
Camp, Swim, Whitewater
Crystal Lake
Mammoth Lakes, California
24.2 miles SEUnlike many hikes in the Sierra's, Crystal lake can be done as a day hike and as the perfect way to get away for a bit. As hikers make their way to the lake, they will see the monolith Crystal...
Camp, Hike
Crane Flat
Big Oak Flat, Yosemite National Park
31.0 miles WCrane Flat Campground is a meadow and forest between Tuolumne and Merced Groves of Giant Sequoias. The campground is 30 minutes outside Yosemite Valley, has restrooms and picnic...
Backpack, Camp, Hike, Snowshoe
Wild Willy's Hot Spring
Mammoth Lakes, California
31.3 miles SEWild Willy's Hot Springs, also known as Crowley Hot Springs, is a spring located in Long Valley. Long Valley is home to one of the highest concentrations of geothermal surface water in...
Camp, Hot Springs
Crowley Lake Campground
Crowley Lake, California
34.9 miles SENestled amidst the stunning Eastern Sierra region, Crowley Lake BLM Campground near Benton, California, is a hidden gem waiting to be discovered by nature enthusiasts and camping aficionados. With...
Camp
Standish Hickey Area
Lakeshore, California
41.3 miles SStandish-Hickey is an inland river canyon that runs along Highway 101 just 180 miles from San Fransisco. It's home to a two-mile stretch of the south fork on Eel River, where many...
Backpack, Camp, Hike, Kayak, Swim
Briceburg Recreation Area
Midpines, California
44.4 miles SWCamp, Kayak, and Swim near Midpines, California
Camp, Kayak, Swim
