Yosemite Forum

Hey all,

I appreciate any input! My wife and I will be arriving in Tuolumne Monday early afternoon June 22 and will be leaving Thursday morning June 25. We are going to do an overnight hike and would like some suggestions in the Tuolumne area around 10-15 round trip. I would like to camp near Cloud's Rest, but my wife is concerned that this may be too much for her. We are both reasonably fit, but the only other backpacking trip we have done was an overnighter at Pear Lake in Sequoia NP last summer which has a 2,200 ft elevation gain in 6.2 miles one way. How does that compare to Cloud's Rest? This Yosemite NP trip is a precursor for our Glacier NP trip the following week. Thanks so much in advance for any input!

Sorry I'm not going to be able to help you out for this trip, but the best over nighters (IMO) based out of Tuolumne Meadows are going to be in-out to Upper Cathedral Lake, Young Lakes, or Dana Canyon up to Ireland Creek. Mileage may vary, but all are within your desired range and give you a real feel for the area.

Yeah, if your wife is concerned about Cloud's Rest, she's probably right (tough slog, limited water, limited camp sites at/near the summit), although a trip to Sunrise Lakes via the Sunrise trail head at Tenaya Lake is another great one. Campsites around lower Sunrise Lake are limited and usually heavily impacted, but if you head up and hike off-trail to middle Sunrise, or go to upper Sunrise and find a spot along the backside, you get much more privacy and selection. Bears and mosquitoes, especially at lower Sunrise, are tenacious and very good at what they do, so keep your food tight and bring bug spray and netting for your face.

Thanks Phil,

We ended up going to Upper Cathedral and into the Cathedral pass. Mosquitos were a real problem. The water is slow moving in the pass. Weather was great.