May Lake

May Lake rises to 9,329 feet in California. The May Lake Trail covers 2.4 miles round trip (out-and-back) with about 500 feet of elevation gain — a gradual walk with modest climbing.

The Route

Most of the climbing comes early — the first half of the route does the bulk of the work before the grade eases. The steepest stretch arrives around mile 0.35, gaining roughly 1,300 feet per mile — expect a slow, deliberate pace through here. From the trailhead at about 4,000 feet, the route tops out near 4,500 feet. Along the way the route passes a lake (May Lake) near mile 1.2, a campsite (May Lake High Sierra Camp) near mile 1.2 — useful checkpoints for judging your pace.

Getting There

The trailhead is at 37.8495, -119.498 (tap for driving directions). It's roughly 115 miles south of Reno, Nevada. Parking: May Lake Trailhead. Fee: $35 park entrance.

When to Go

Late May through October is the main season. Snow and ice linger into spring and return early in fall at this latitude and elevation; in winter this becomes a different, more serious undertaking requiring traction devices and warm layers.

Know Before You Go

The Easy rating comes from the National Park Service difficulty formula, which weighs total distance against elevation gain. Most hikers should budget about 2 hours of moving time; add margin for breaks, photos and the descent. Download the GPX track from this page before you go — cell coverage is unreliable in the mountains and a saved route works offline in any GPS app. Conditions change: verify current access, closures and weather with the official land manager before you go. Trail data is sourced from National Park Service - Yosemite.

Looking to link objectives or plan a weekend? Nearby summits include Cathedral Lakes, Clouds Rest and Half Dome — each has its own guide on this site.