An outdoors social network for the traveling & outdoors enthusiast - MyOutdoorAdventure.com
 

Merced Lake to Junction of Half Dome / Clouds Rest

Posted on October 18, 2008 by: Traveler

  • Merced Lake
  • This is your first view of Merced Lake if coming up from the Yosemite Valley. The Merced River begins just behind where I was standing to take this photo.
  • Looking out toward the first drop of the Merced River.
  • The current is strong through a natural chute at the beginning of the river.
  • The trail will parallel the Merced River from the right side for the first portion of the trail.
  • To mark the path of the trail (actually part of the High Sierra Loop), boulders line the direction.
  • The path just ahead is where Bunnel Cascade drops.
  • Bunnel Cascade.
  • Passing through Echo Valley, the trail becomes rutted but well maintained.
  • Bridge crossing through Echo Valley.
  • Aspen trees grow right alongside the bridge.
  • The second bridge through Echo Valley passes over a creek with a rocky shore. Perfect for filtering water from.
  • Final bridge before the Merced Canyon split. Left fork (from the far side of the bridge) continues paralleling the Merced River and the right fork takes some high ground.
  • The water flow at this creek was good enough to filter and the medium sized rocks provided stable enough platform to get to the edge.
  • By taking the left fork at this junction hikers travel down the Merced Canyon. By taking the right fork, you will take a higher path along the north rim of Merced Canyon.
  • Hikers taking the right junction across the bridge heading up to the north rim of Merced Canyon and Half Dome beyond.
  • It only stays flat for a couple hundred yards. The next junction will be of Sunrise Lakes (right) and Half Dome (left).
  • There is a very healthy forest in this area.
  • Hikers up a couple switchbacks seen through the trees.
  • Sunrise Lake High Sierra Camp is to the right and the Half Dome / John Muir Trail are to the left here.
  • Sunrise Lakes, Tenaya Lake and Tuolumne Meadow can all be reached from this junction.
  • Half Dome (and down to Yosemite Valley), the JMT and Clouds Rest are all to the left.
  • This pyramid shaped peak dominates the skyline as the switchbacks climb higher to the top of the north rim of Merced Canyon.
  • Gnarled and weathered trees dot the path up.
  • Large tree (still living) seen to the left side of the trail.
  • Close up detail of this impressive looking pine tree.
  • Partial view down into Merced Canyon.
  • View looking east (left) down into Merced Canyon.
  • The trail eventually traverses a large granite slab where boulders line the trails path. This is just before the JMT junction and a pretty decent burn area.
  • The grey nub rising over this ridgeline is the summit of Half Dome.
  • Burn area with views into Merced Canyon.
  • Black bear foraging for some good eats.
  • Approaching the John Muir Trail. The JMT passes Half Dome and that is why you are still on it after taking the left fork to Half Dome and farther down to Yosemite Valley.
  • The John Muir Trail is a 211 mile system beginning in Yosemite Valley and ending at Whitney Portal of the Inyo National Forest.
  • I recognized this large tree (maybe 4 feet in diameter) which grew around a granite slab.
  • Different angle of the tree growing around the large granite slab.
  • There is a small camping area (no bear boxes) at the Half Dome / Clouds Rest junction.
  • The water source from the previous pic is a little stagnant but just up from there the flow is decent enough to filter from.
  • The water filtering area is straight ahead and the Clouds Rest junction is left. Fires are permitted in this area just use the established fire pits.
  • This is the larger area to camp at this junction. Just past this area (closer to Half Dome) is another small campsite.
  • The trail continuing onto Clouds Rest immediately starts for the sky... 2,500 feet later hikers are rewarded to the knife edge ridge summit.
  • You can travel up to Clouds Rest and then connect over to Sunrise lakes on the far side of the summit.
  • From the campsite, it is about 1/2 mile to the Half Dome Trail. To see the rest of the trail up to the summit; check out Nevada Fall to Half Dome.
  • The final (gentle) grade down to the half Dome Trail junction. Half Dome is in the background.

Best Time To Visit: Late Summer through October
Closest City: Lee Vining
State: 7
Country: 209

DIRECTIONS: This segment of Yosemite's wilderness continues Emerick Lake to Merced Lake and begins on the west end of Merced Lake where it's namesake river begins. This write-up travels through Echo Valley and takes "the high route" (instead of continuing down the Merced Canyon to Little Yosemite Valley). After turning west by southwest (left) at the John Muir Trail junction, the trail is now on top of the north wall of the Merced Canyon. After walking through the large burn area, the Half Dome / Clouds Rest junction is not too far off. Once you have arrived, the choices begin. You can connect with the Half Dome trail (directly west about a 1/2 mile away), move seriously skyward on the Clouds Rest (right fork heading north by northeast) or camp for the night. Enjoy!

DESCRIPTION: Coming soon!    

Back To Locations  

Related Activities:

*Click on an activity to search for more related locations.

Tags

Yosemite National Park, Merced Lake, High Sierra Camp, High Sierra Camp Loop, Merced River, Echo Valley, John Muir Trail, Clouds Rest, Half Dome, swimming, camping, hiking, backpacking, campground, Little Yosemite Valley, Merced Canyon, aspen trees, black

*Click on a tag to search for more related locations.

Location Notes:

No Notes Available

Login or Sign Up to leave a note.