Red Peak Pass

Dogs No Dogs

Features Lake · Views · Wildflowers

This rocky but well-defined trail has little to no tree cover for most of its length (however, it is mostly covered in snow in the early summer months). Nearby sit Red Peak and Red Peak Pass, both aptly named for the red colored rock that is not normally seen in the Sierras.

Climbing West from the Triple Peak Fork of the Merced River, the trail crosses a couple of ridges providing views of the terrain ahead and vistas to the North. The trail passes several unnamed lakes and ponds trapped by the landscape that can provide a well-earned rest.

Switchbacks up and then down Red Peak Pass allow this to be a hike and not a scramble. The pass yields views South beyond Yosemite's boundary and deep into the park's northern wilderness. For those who venture this far from a paved road, Lower Ottoway Lake provides a popular camping spot for the night.