Home » Blogs » Adventures with Candace » Hiking up to Mono Pass Trail’s High Lakes
Photo by Gail Gilbert

Hiking up to Mono Pass Trail’s High Lakes

We headed off trail to check out the country above the Mono Pass Trail. We never know what we will find and that is part of the excitement. The wildflowers were going crazy up there! Those beautiful high lakes were mighty pretty also.

Where: Yosemite National Park
Distance: About 10 Miles
Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous
Elevation Range: 9,596′ – 11,328′
Date: August 25, 2017
Maps: Tioga Pass, Mount Dana, Koip Peak
Dog Hike? No

Mono Pass Trailhead

We parked our car at the Mono Pass Trailhead, about 5.6 miles east of the Tuolumne Meadows Campground and 1.4 miles south of Tioga Pass. After using the restrooms there and stowing our stuff in the bear box, we headed up this historic trail. The Mono Pass Trail is an old Indian trail that was “discovered” by Americans around 1852 when Army Lieutenant Tredwell Moore pursued Yosemite’s Chief Tenaya’s band through Tuolumne Meadows and over Mono Pass. The Army did not catch up with him that day.

We had a few creek crossings and were able to rock or log hop our way over all of them but one. Good things we had brought out Crocs.

I mentioned that the flowers were very nice but thought you might like to see for yourself. At first we would see a few here and there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then we saw mixes of a couple different types of flowers.

Then there it was!  Loads and loads of purple, pink, yellow and some reds!

Photo by Gail Gilbert

Photo by Gail Gilbert

We saw some spots where the creeks widened out to reveal reflections of white puffy clouds.

And we visited some lakes along the way.

Photo by Gail Gilbert

Those lakes gave us a chance to fish or catch a nap on a good, flat rock.

Heading back down was just as beautiful.

Photo by Gail Gilbert

Then it was back across the creek and back to civilization.

I didn’t share a detailed track on the topographic map on this hike because we really wandered around where we were drawn to, most of it off trail. There is plenty to see in this area and you don’t need to hike too far to see beautiful meadows all decorated with wildflowers.

Dog Hike? No, dogs are not allowed on this trail in Yosemite National Park.

Map:

Prior Blogs in the Area:

Exploring High Lakes Above the Mono Pass Trail July 28, 2016

Hiking and Fishing High Lakes along the Mono Pass Trail August 14, 2013

 

Leave a Reply

Sierra News Online

Sierra News Online