Young Lakes
A demanding high-country day hike to a chain of alpine lakes beneath Ragged Peak, reachable as an out-and-back or loop.
Route overview
Reach Young Lakes through the Dog Lake or Glen Aulin approach and return the same way or complete the connecting loop.
Young Lakes is one of the longer official day-hike objectives from Tuolumne Meadows. The route reaches a quieter alpine basin and can be approached through the Glen Aulin or Dog Lake trail systems. Distance, altitude and route choice demand an early start and conservative turnaround time.
Trail facts
- Country
- United States
- Region
- Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park, California
- Distance
- 22 km round-trip
- Typical duration
- 8–10 hours
- Difficulty
- Hard
- Elevation gain
- 400 m
- Best season
- July to September, subject to snow and road access
- Trail type
- Out-and-back or loop
Access and logistics
- Permits and access
- No wilderness permit for a day hike; overnight use requires the correct wilderness permit
Safety context
Start early; monitor altitude, thunderstorms, snow, navigation and turnaround time Check current official conditions, closures, weather and access rules before departure.
Start early; monitor altitude, thunderstorms, snow, navigation and turnaround time
Highlights
Young Lakes, Ragged Peak, alpine basin, quieter Yosemite high country
Why find a buddy
Strong buddy route because of length, route choices, remoteness and the possibility of a late return
Primary source
Explore and prepare
Discover hikes by intent, read the hiking guides, review hiking safety, prepare a BuddyPack, or browse hiking plans.
Route conditions, access, services and transport can change. Verify time-sensitive information before departure.