Lee Vining, California

Matterhorn Peak in the northeastern Yosemite Wilderness is an SPS Emblem Peak and many regard it as the beginning of the High Sierra, as there are no peaks higher to the north in the Sierra Nevada. There are many routes to the summit, but the shortest and most direct (though not easiest) begins ...

Cross country hiking can be a daunting idea. There are so many things to plan for, and such a long distance to cover. If you are an experienced backpacker, and you want to get a taste of hiking on the John Muir Trail this hike might interest you.  Planning Plan to hike this from mid July ...

Unlike most through hikes that require two cars or hitchhiking, you can accomplish this with only one car by using a YART. Another benefit is that by entering in Mammoth, it is usually much easier to get permits as opposed to starting in Yosemite where permits can be harder to get. Then once yo...

Inyo Craters Trail is a loop trail that is good for all skill levels located near Mammoth Lakes, California.

The most direct route begins at Murphy Creek trailhead, on the north side of Tioga Road near Tenaya Lake. Walk north on Murphy Creek trail for 2.5 miles with minimal elevation gain. Polly Dome Lakes are a great side trip via the social trail on the right side of the trail before the first junctio...

The "younger" brother of the world famous Half Dome, Clouds Rest is in fact a solid 1,000 feet taller despite receiving significantly less attention. If you know about this hidden gem however, you're in luck. Starting out from the Tenaya Lake trailhead will save you crowds on the trail and the ...

Because this is not a loop, you will need to figure out a shuttle situation.  There are two options for this: 1. Drive your car to the Tenaya Lake Trail Head, and leave it parked there.  Once you reach the Valley you will be car-less, but then the next day you can take one of the free shuttles u...

Start and end this loop from the Sunrise Lakes TH along the Tioga Road, and in between you'll travel over 26 miles through Yosemite's backcountry gaining and losing over 7,000 feet in elevation. Unlike typical mountain summit hikes where it's climb climb climb to the top and then descend, this w...

Start out at the Tenaya Lake Trailhead, where you can head directly onto the trail for Clouds Rest or you can branch off after 2.7 miles to Sunrise Lakes. This allows you to break up the hike, spend a night relaxing and help you have an early start back on the trail. Once re-connected to the Clo...

Tenaya Lake is located alongside Tioga Road in the park's Tuolumne Meadows region. There is a family-friendly trail that surrounds the lake. Though some spots along the trail on the western shore may require fording the waters, the 2.5-mile trip is an easy hike for all to enjoy. Many others pre...

Although this trip specifically describes how to get to Garnet Lake, there are several other pristine alpine lakes (Shadow Lake and Thousand Islands Lake) along this looped trail, only a few short miles away from each other, that are just as worthy if you have the time. A minimum of 3 days/2 nigh...

May Lake is a stunning, serene subalpine lake that rests at the base of Mt. Hoffmann. The May Lake turnoff is located four miles past Tenaya Lake. From the turnoff, it's 1.8 miles to the trailhead parking lot. During summer time, I will recommend getting to the parking area early to get a spot ...

This is a solid, day long trip. It is a great hike with a bit of a scramble on the way up to the summit massif and then again at the nearly 11,000-foot peak of Mount Hoffmann. You will have what John Muir described as his favorite view of Yosemite. You can look down onto Half Dome and across the ...

The May Lake trailhead is at the end of a 2-mile unpaved road leading north from Tioga Road. The trailhead has pit toilets and bear lockers. (Please be sure to store any food, garbage, scented items, and empty coolers in these lockers while hiking!) After hiking an easy 1.3 miles, you'll arrive ...

If you do this once the shuttles are running from Mammoth Mountain, you'll want to park at the Mammoth Mountain Inn and took the Reds Meadow Shuttle Bus to the trailhead closest to Devils Postpile. It was a short and easy hike, about 0.5 miles to the base. While many walked past Devils Postpile a...

Devils Postpile Loop is a loop trail that takes you by a river located near Mammoth Lakes, California.