May Lake to Snow Creek Trailhead

The May Lake to Snow Creek route drops from the high country along Tioga Road all the way down into Yosemite Valley, tracing the rim of Tenaya Canyon on its way to the Snow Creek Trailhead near Mirror Lake. It's a point-to-point wilderness route, not a loop — most hikers arrange a shuttle or a second car, since the two trailheads sit far apart by road and the descent is steep.

Route and Difficulty

From May Lake, the trail crosses open granite and lodgepole forest before joining the Snow Creek Trail, which drops into the Valley through a long run of switchbacks. The National Park Service rates the Snow Creek Trail itself strenuous — about 9.4 miles round trip with roughly 2,700 feet of elevation gain when hiked as a standalone day trip from the Valley floor, and it's widely considered the steepest sustained trail dropping into Yosemite Valley. Coming down, expect open views back across Tenaya Canyon toward Half Dome and Clouds Rest.

Trailheads and Access

• Start: May Lake Trailhead, off Tioga Road
• End: Snow Creek/Mirror Lake Trailhead in Yosemite Valley (shuttle stop 17)
• Access to May Lake depends on Tioga Road being open, so this is a summer-into-fall route

Permits and Planning

Day hiking needs no permit, but any overnight stay along this route falls inside Yosemite Wilderness and requires a wilderness permit, with reservations recommended from late April through October when quotas fill fastest. The Park Service notes no water is available along the Snow Creek section, so carry everything you'll need, and expect loose rock and real exposure on the switchbacks near the Valley end.