Young Lakes Loop
Difficulty: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Scenery: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Mileage: 16 mi
Region: Yosemite NP
Elev. Gain: 2,589 ft
When to Go: Jun—Oct
Avg. Time: 8-10 hr
Parking: Small paved lot
Type: Loop
Pass: America the Beautiful or $35
Know Before You Go:
We recommend completing the loop portion counter-clockwise.
Steady incline and a few river crossings will keep you on your toes.
There are campsites at all three lakes but we recommend camping at Upper Young Lake for some solitude and the best views - to reach the Upper Lake you will need to do some scrambling up a small waterfall if you are hiking in the early season.
Have your offline map handy as the trail can be difficult to follow once you reach the first lake, especially if there are still snow patches covering the trail.
Backcountry permits are required for camping here, apply through recreation.gov starting in 2022.
Bear canisters for food storage are required in this area.
This trailhead is only accessible once Tioga Road has been cleared of snow, usually by the beginning of June - check the NPS website for updates.
