Wawona, California

Head North on Friant Rd. It will begin to head East, becoming Millerton Rd. Stay on Millerton Rd for 4.2 mi. Turn left onto Sky Harbor Rd (street JUST before Table Mountain Casino). Follow Sky Harbor Rd for 5.8 miles to the end of the road. Parking is available along the road. There are port a po...

Upon entering Yosemite Valley National Park I made it a point to see Half Dome, El Capitan, and Washington Column and several other famous Yosemite formations. What I didn't realize was as soon as I entered The Village was that all could be seen within a 15 minute loop around the valley floor. Th...

Access to the forebay starts at the trail head from the parking lot 6,700 ft up, also from the parking lot there is access to two different sets of boulder patches separate from the ones encountered along the hike in.  Hike Start the 1 mile out and back hike from the parking lot following the t...

The hike to George Lake starts out about 4 miles after you turn off 168 onto Kaiser Pass Rd. You'll want to park at the parking lot right before Badger Flat Campground. The parking lot is easy to notice and it is located on the right hand side of the road, two pit toilets and bear lockers are loc...

A short 1 mile hike in from Kaiser Pass will lead you to the top of a ridge line with incredible views toward the east. There are two pit toilets located at the top of Kaiser Pass. If you have a high clearance, 4x4/AWD vehicle you can probably drive to this location. (I made it up here in a stock...

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...

Start your journey at the Mammoth Pass Trailhead at the back of the parking lot for Horseshoe Lake. From the start, the trail ascends steadily through dense pines, and big granite stair steps.  Although it is a moderately steep route (and the altitude doesn't help), it is only about 0.6 miles to ...

Directions (from south of June Lake): 395 northTurn right onto the 158Keep right at fork onto Parker Lake Rd and go about 0.5 milesTurn right at first right and head all the way to the top until you hit a parking lot/camping ground/trail head From North of June Lake: 395 southTurn left at 158Keep...

Junction campground is by far one of my favorite campsites when I am visiting the High Sierra and Tuolumne Meadows. The only downside is, you can only camp certain months; usually from June through October when highway 120 is open.  The Junction campground is far away from the crowds of Yosemite...

The Lake George Loop is perfect for exploring the shoreline and fishing near the top of the Mammoth Lakes wilderness. The lake can get quite cold due to the elevation and surrounding mountains not allowing the sun to hit it for an extended time, but if you go during mid-day you should have a refr...

In Lake George, park along Lake George Road and walk towards Crystal Crag Trailhead sign to begin the hike. If you couldn't find it, you can head to the boat rentals by the lake and you will see a sign saying trailhead is behind you. The trail is well maintained and it is really easy to follow. ...

Gull Lake trail is one of my favorite hiking spots in the June Lake Loop area. It is a very scenic trail that goes through varying terrains from meadows to marshes to aspen and conifer groves.  Trailhead starts at the Mono County Community Center and winds counter-clockwise around the lake to th...

Parker Lake is tucked beneath the giant mountains of Mount Wood, Mount Lewis, and Parker Peak. I hiked the Parker Lake trail during peak foliage season and I was blown away by the amazing fall colors. The trail starts off with a steady and rocky climb. After you pass the elevation gain, the trail...

This is a great short hike, located near the turn off for Twin Lakes. Once you reach the top, you’ll be rewarded with 360 degree views of the lakes basin, the town, Mammoth Mountain, and the White Mountains. There was a little snow left at the top, when we hiked it over Memorial Day weekend.  Eve...

This trail is overall very easy to hike, but the 9.1mi distance at a 10,000ft altitude is what makes it a bit of a doozy for people who aren't frequent hikers.  That said, if you are a relatively in-shape individual, you should have no problem with this trail.  Remember to take frequent water bre...

DirectionsAlthough North Peak lies right on the border of Yosemite, the hike starts just outside the park at the Saddle Bag Lake trail-head. There are also some campsites here if you wish to spend the night, but I think they are usually in high demand and hard to come by. To get to Saddlebag Lak...