Dog Lake in Yosemite National Park

Dog Lake

One of Yosemite's easier day hikes, this is a fairly short trail to a pretty mountain lake.

Plan Around Dog Lake

A good stop is not just something to read about. Once it belongs on the day, move into a saved trip and build the route around it.

Add to tripView park guide

Use this detail page to confirm that the stop is worth it, then carry that decision into a trip draft while the park context is still fresh.

Dog Lake Details

While the trail is well maintained, it does have steep segments. The lake was named by U.S. Geological Surveyest Robert Marshall because of an odd discovery he made in 1898: an abandoned sheepdog with a litter of pups. Although not one of the Park's most spectacular sites, it is lined with evergreens, small meadows, and good views of Mount Gibbs and Mount Lewis. Trailhead: Tioga Road, 7 miles west of Tioga Pass

Difficulty

Moderate

Distance

2.8 miles

Estimated time

2.5 hours

Region

N/A

Nearby Parks Around Dog Lake

Compare nearby parks around Dog Lake when deciding whether to expand the route after this stop.

15.6 mi away

Yosemite

National Park · CA

139.3 mi away

Pinnacles

National Park · CA

168.2 mi away

Death Valley

National Park · CA

212.0 mi away

Lassen Volcanic

National Park · CA

293.5 mi away

Great Basin

National Park · NV

309.4 mi away

Joshua Tree

National Park · CA

Nearby Points of Interest Around Dog Lake

Use nearby POIs to quickly expand your options beyond Dog Lake while the map context is still fresh.

0.0 mi away

Lembert Dome

Named after 19th-century homesteader John Baptist Lembert.

0.0 mi away

Lembert Dome

Spectacular view of Tuolumne Meadows and surrounding peaks.

0.0 mi away

Parsons Memorial Lodge

A testament to the Sierra Club's devotion.

0.0 mi away

High Sierra Camp (T32)

Nestled high in the wilderness and surrounded by nothing but nature, this camp is a popular Yosemite destination.

0.1 mi away

Tuolumne River (T31)

The river begins at Mount Lyell Glacier and flows nearly 150 miles to the San Joaquin River in the Central Valley.