The waters from the western slopes of Lyell and Maclure find their way,
through many streams and many lakelets of splendid beauty, into two
lakes which are the headwaters of the famous Merced River. The upper of
these is Washburn Lake, cradled in bare heights and celebrated for its
fishing. This is the formal source of the Merced. Several miles below,
the river rests again in beautiful Merced Lake.
One of the six Yosemite High Sierra camps is at the head of Merced Lake.
There is a new trail 13 miles from Yosemite Valley to Merced Lake which
crosses glacier-polished slopes. It is real wilderness, famous for its
good fishing and beautiful scenery.