Lower Merced Pass Lake

Lower Merced Pass Lake sits deep in Yosemite's high country, well beyond day-hike range from any trailhead in the park. Reaching it means committing to a multi-day wilderness permit trip on the Merced Pass Trail, starting from the Mono Meadow trailhead off Glacier Point Road and covering roughly 13 miles of climbing and descending before the lake comes into view.

Getting There

The trail climbs out of Mono Meadow, crosses the Illilouette Creek drainage, and works through open forest and granite benches before dropping to the Merced Pass Lakes. Lower Merced Pass Lake sits just below its upper counterpart, right at the junction where routes split toward Ottoway Lakes and the Red Peak Pass Loop in one direction, and down toward Merced Lake and Little Yosemite Valley in the other. That junction makes the lake a natural waypoint for backpackers stitching together a longer High Sierra loop, rather than a stand-alone destination most hikers set out for directly.

Permits and Planning

Every overnight stay here requires a Yosemite Wilderness Permit — free, but mandatory year-round, with reservations generally necessary from late spring through mid-fall when demand peaks. Budget for a full multi-day backpacking trip with substantial elevation gain and loss along the way; this isn't a route to attempt as a day outing, and once you leave the trailhead there's no cell service, no resupply, and no shortcut back to the car.