I’ve always been captivated by Yosemite National Park and all of the hiking opportunities the iconic National Park has to offer, but I haven’t explored much of the trails a bit outside of the park along Tioga Pass Road until a recent, somewhat spontaneous trip to Tioga Peak.
During an early June camping trip to June Lake, we decided to chance the possible remaining snow coverage and hike to Tioga Peak, a trail I have always heard great things about. Sure some of us prefer longer, more challenging hikes but sometimes it can pay off to explore some of the shorter trails in the Eastern Sierra. Especially when they offer such incredible and iconic views such as this one.
We hiked Tioga Peak on June 9 in the afternoon around 2:00 pm, with ideal weather. Warm at the base, chilly at the top with wind speeds you would expect from a peak elevation of 11,526′. The trailhead is located about 1.5 miles along Saddlebag Lake road, which can be accessed just past Tioga Pass Resort from Tioga Pass Road. The trail for Tioga Peak and Gardisky Lake share the same trailhead, so keep your eyes peeled for the parking lot on the left side of the road.
The hike begins by ascending approximately 700 feet of elevation gain in the first half mile before reaching the detour for Tioga Peak. At this point, hikers can continue on towards Gardisky Lake, which we did decide to check out as well before turning back around to head back towards the detour for the peak. The only snow patch left along the trail was located at this section, which was quite easy to maneuver and avoid, and I did not need my micro-spikes which were tucked deep in my pack. The trail then begins ascending toward the peak, where it transitioned from hard packed (and a bit wet) dirt to loose rock and scree. This portion of the trail gets your heart pounding, both from the continued elevation gain as well as the extraordinary views along the ridge.
Upon reaching the peak, the views really do take your breath away. The ascent to the peak only requires about 1.5 miles of hiking but with an elevation gain of approximately 1,780 feet. The views from the peak allow you to gaze deep into Yosemite as well as the surrounding mountains of the Eastern Sierra, down into the arid Great Basin with views of Mono Lake, and the domes of the Mono-Inyo craters. One of my favorite aspects of the view was the arieal view of Tioga Pass Road, Tioga Lake and Mount Dana.
The descent is challenging due to scree and large, loose rocks. I always take hiking poles with me if needed, would rather have them than not. I’m glad I had them to assist on this trip as I did feel like they helped maneuver the scree and attain my footing.
The hike took us 3 hours to complete, with time spent on the peak for a late lunch. I highly recommend checking out this trail if you’re in the area and have a few hours to spare. I imagine the snow field I encountered will soon be melted, allowing for a clear ascent to the peak for the rest of the summer. Talk about bang for your buck!
