Hiking Project Logo

A High Sierra trail with great views of the Cathedral Range, alpine lakes, and low crowd factor.


Your Rating: Rating Rating Rating Rating Rating      Clear Rating
Your Difficulty:
Your Favorites: Add To-Do · Your List
Zoom in to see details
Map Key

1.9

Miles

3.0

KM

Point to Point

10,781' 3,286 m

High

9,975' 3,040 m

Low

996' 304 m

Up

190' 58 m

Down

12%

Avg Grade (7°)

48%

Max Grade (26°)

Dogs No Dogs

Features Lake · Views · Wildflowers

Family Friendly A short trail, easily accessible from the road.

Toga Road east of Crane Flat and west of Tioga Pass Entrance station is closed in the winter and spring until the road is cleared of snow. You can check road conditions at nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/… or by dialing 1-209-372-0200, dialing extensions 1/1. However, if you want to snowshoe in, it's open year round!

Description

The trailhead is located at Tioga Pass immediately past the entrance station on Highway 120. Parking can be limited, so you may need to find parking on the side of Tioga Road. Several bear boxes are provided at the trailhead to store food while you are gone.

The trail immediate begins climbing a ridge of Gaylor Peak through a subalpine forest. Climbing over 750 feet in a 1/2 mile via switchbacks, the trail offers views of Dana Meadows and the surrounding peaks as you climb toward the saddle. As you level out at the top, you enter a metamorphic rock field with Gaylor Peak rising off to your left. Views of middle Gaylor Lake can be seen in the alpine basin below. If you look back toward Mount Dana, you'll see Tioga Peak, Mount Gibbs, Kuna Peak, Mammoth Peak, Lyell Canyon, and the peaks of the Cathedral Range.

From here, the trail drops steeply to the lake, where mosquitos will greet you in the summer months, so make sure you have bug spray. The cold snow-fed lake is great to hike around in the summer, with the Cathedral Range appearing to emerge from the lake itself. At this point, you can enjoy exploring this lake, or follow the trail on the north edge of the lake, and follow the trail to Upper Gaylor Lake.

Following the stream drainage from Upper Gaylor Lake, you arrive at the other lake with more fantastic views of the Middle Gaylor Lake and the Cathedral Range. Follow the trail on the west side of the lake to climb another ridge to the park boundary where you'll find the old Great Sierra Mine. Take time to explore the old mines, demolished stone cabins, and spectacular views of the surrounding landscapes. You can return to your car via the same path, taking in the views as you return.

An optional route on this trail is to hike to the Middle Gaylor Lake, and when the trail turns to the right, go straight ahead, hopping the creek and hiking about 1/3 of a mile to the Granite Lakes. These beautiful lakes provide the same views of the basin as the Gaylor Lakes, with even more solitude than the other trail.

Fishing is popular at both lakes during the summer. Even in the middle of July, one of the busiest times in Yosemite, you'll spot a few hikers, but the alpine basin provides everyone plenty of room to spread out and find solitude.

Flora & Fauna

Marmots can be seen at the old mine, corn lilies around the lakes. Wildflowers can be seen throughout the summer like the single-stemmed senecio, Sierra penstemon, Gray's lovage, daisy, pussytoes, baby elephant heads, lupine, monkey flower, Sierra wallflower, phlox, red mountain heather, buckwheat, and coyote mint.

Contacts

Land Manager: NPS - Yosemite

Shared By:

David Hitchcock

Trail Ratings

  4.6 from 9 votes

#6882

Overall
  4.6 from 9 votes
5 Star
56%
4 Star
44%
3 Star
0%
2 Star
0%
1 Star
0%
Trail Rankings

#523

in California

#6,882

Overall
5 Views Last Month
1,496 Since Sep 24, 2015
Intermediate Intermediate

0%
0%
100%
0%
0%
0%

Photos

Middle Gaylor Lake with the Cathedral Range in the background.
Jan 22, 2016 near Bridgeport, CA
View of the Upper and Middle Gaylor Lakes, Gaylor Peak, and surrounding peaks.
Jan 22, 2016 near Bridgeport, CA
A view of the Gaylor Lake Basin and surrounding peaks.
Jan 22, 2016 near Bridgeport, CA
The trail between the two lakes.
Jan 22, 2016 near Bridgeport, CA
A view of the Cathedral Range from the alpine basin where the Gaylor Lakes, and Granite Lakes are found.
Jan 22, 2016 near Bridgeport, CA
A view of Dana Meadows and surrounding peaks from the saddle of Gaylor Peak.
Jan 22, 2016 near Bridgeport, CA

0 Comments

Weather


Current Trail Conditions

Unknown
Add Your Check-In

Check-Ins

Join the Community

Create your FREE account today!
Already have an account? Login to close this notice.

Get Started.