Mount Warren

Mount Warren rises to 12,327 feet in the Hoover Wilderness just north of Tioga Pass, making it the highest peak between Tioga Pass and Mono Lake and a striking landmark for anyone driving Highway 120 out of Lee Vining. This isn't a maintained park trail — the route follows an old roadbed partway up Warren Fork Creek, then leaves any real trail behind for a Class 2 scramble up to the summit ridge.

Getting There

The Warren Fork trailhead sits on Tioga Pass Road (Highway 120), about 1.4 miles east of Ellery Lake dam at a sharp U-shaped bend in the highway, at roughly 9,000 feet elevation. Park on the south side of the road; the route begins on the north side past a closed-road gate.

The Route

Follow the old roadbed north along Warren Fork Creek, passing several old backcountry camp sites, where it narrows into a proper trail and climbs steadily. The trail covers only about the first quarter of the distance to the summit — beyond that, hikers climb east up a slope to reach a broad, stable ridgeline and follow it to the top. It's cross-country travel from there, not a signed path, so it rewards solid route-finding and sure footing over technical gear.

What to Know Before You Go

• Elevation and difficulty: starting near 9,000 feet and topping out above 12,300 feet, this is a high-altitude push best suited to acclimatized, experienced hikers comfortable with off-trail scrambling.
• Season: snow lingers at this elevation well into summer; the route is most reliably clear from mid-summer into early fall.
• Permits: Mount Warren sits in the Hoover Wilderness (Inyo National Forest), not inside Yosemite itself. Day hikes need no permit, but overnight stays require a wilderness permit from the Mono Basin Scenic Area Visitor Center in Lee Vining.