SAR Dome

SAR Dome is a granite peak roughly 8,830 feet high in Yosemite's high country, in the Ten Lakes Basin area north of Tioga Road in Tuolumne County. There's no maintained trail to its summit — reaching it means leaving the signed tread and route-finding cross-country over open granite and timber, which puts it firmly in off-trail, experienced-hiker territory rather than a casual afternoon walk.

Getting There

The starting point is the Ten Lakes Trailhead on Tioga Road, directly across from the Yosemite Creek Trailhead. The maintained Ten Lakes Trail runs about 13 to 15 miles round trip to Ten Lakes Basin, gaining roughly 2,120 feet to Ten Lakes Pass along the way. From the pass, you get open views across the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne and the Sierra Crest before the trail drops into the basin. SAR Dome and its neighbor, Stately Pleasure Dome, sit off this corridor — reaching the summit means branching off the trail and navigating cross-country from there.

What to Expect

• No signage or maintained tread past the point where you leave the Ten Lakes Trail — bring a map, compass or GPS, and the skills to use them.
• Granite slabs and domes mixed with open timber; expect route-finding, not a defined path.
• In winter and spring, the surrounding terrain carries real avalanche exposure and sees use from backcountry skiers who plan around current snowpack.

This is a destination for hikers already comfortable navigating Sierra backcountry without a trail underfoot, not a beginner add-on to a Tioga Road scenic stop.