Ellery Lake Lookout

Ellery Lake sits about two miles outside Yosemite's Tioga Pass entrance, right along the Tioga Road as it climbs out of Lee Vining Canyon. At 9,489 feet, this man-made reservoir throws two completely different views at you depending on which end you're standing on — the near shore reads like a classic alpine meadow, the far end shows a starker, rockier face, and both are the same lake.

What's There

There's no official trail circling Ellery Lake, but hikers and anglers are free to work their way around the shoreline informally, provided you're careful on the loose rock and steeper drop-offs near the dam. Fishing is a regular draw here. A small Forest Service campground sits near the lake's northwest end — no reservations, just first-come sites with vault toilets, drinking water, fire rings, food storage lockers, and picnic tables.

Good to Know

• Access: Right off Tioga Road (Highway 120), about 15 minutes from Lee Vining and just outside the park's eastern entrance station.
• Season: Only reachable while Tioga Road is open, typically late spring or early summer through the first serious snow of fall.
• Best light: Early morning, when snow often still clings to the peaks above the lake.