Edson Lake

Edson Lake sits at roughly 8,145 feet in Yosemite's southern high country, a small granite-rimmed lake with no maintained trail leading to its shore. Reaching it means leaving the signed trail system behind — this is off-trail, map-and-compass territory for experienced backpackers, not a casual day hike.

How Backpackers Reach It

Edson Lake lies along a cross-country route through the Buena Vista high country, the stretch of granite basins and small lakes south of Yosemite Valley, reached via Glacier Point Road and the Wawona area. Most parties visit it as part of a multi-day loop starting at the Ostrander Lake Trailhead: hike the maintained trail to Ostrander Lake, then leave the trail to contour toward Buena Vista Pass, passing near Hart Lake and Edson Lake before rejoining maintained trail again toward Royal Arch Lake, Buena Vista Lake, or the Chilnualna Falls Trailhead near Wawona. None of this middle stretch is signed or trail-marked — it's a known route among experienced Yosemite backpackers, not a beginner add-on.

What's There

• A small subalpine lake, about seven acres, set in a granite bowl
• No trail signage and few visitors — solitude is the main draw
• Only reasonably passable once snow clears from the high country, typically mid-summer through early fall

Before You Go

An overnight wilderness permit is required for any backcountry stay in this part of Yosemite, same as elsewhere in the park's wilderness. Off-trail navigation experience, a topo map, and a GPS or compass are essential — there's no signage to correct a wrong turn, and no cell service this deep in the high country.