(16.5 miles--6 hours)
The round trip from Yosemite to ~Merced Lake~ is an exceedingly scenic
two-day excursion. One should telephone in advance for accommodations
at the Merced Lake Lodge. Pedestrians may save an hour's hard climb by
taking the Mist Trail to the top of Vernal Falls. An excellent
three-day trip may be made by combining Trail Trips 7 and 6. First
day: Lake Merced. Second day: Clouds Rest and Lake Tenaya via Forsyth
Pass. Third day: Yosemite via the summit of North Dome and Yosemite
Falls Trail.
From Yosemite we take the road on the south side of the valley past
Camp Curry to ~Happy Isles Bridge~. Here we turn right on the main
Glacier Point Trail and follow Trail Trip 1 to the junction at the top
of the ~Nevada Falls~ switchbacks. The ~Glacier Point Trail~ (Trail
Trip 1) turns right and crosses a small bridge. We take the left-hand
trail, which rises about 200 feet and follows up the ~Merced River~.
About half a mile beyond, the ~Little Yosemite Trail~ (Trail Trip 13)
continues up the canyon. The main trail turns to the left and zigzags
upward thru a dense stand of pine, fir and cedar. A climb of about 800
feet in one and a half miles takes us to the junction with the ~Half
Dome Trail~ (Trail Trip 14), which branches left. Our trail turns
eastward along a gently sloping bench. After a quarter of a mile the
~Clouds Rest Trail~ (Trail Trip 5) continues to climb to the left. The
~Merced Lake Trail~ turns right, fording a small creek and thence
following up the west bank of ~Sunrise Creek~, crossing about a mile
above to the east bank. About half a mile above the crossing is
~Hopkins Meadow~, where the ~Sunrise Trail to Tuolumne Meadows~ (Trail
Trip 8) branches to the left.
We turn right, passing thru almost level open granite country for the
next two miles where we obtain grand views of ~Little Yosemite~, of
the deep canyon of the ~Merced~, and of ~Mt. Clark~ and ~Mt. Starr
King~ toward the south. Descending some short, steep switchbacks the
trail again becomes almost level and passes the picturesque little
~Duck Lake~ at the right of the trail. Rising a few feet we now
descend abruptly into ~Echo Creek Canyon~, crossing ~Echo Creek~ about
a quarter of a mile from the Merced River. Here at ~Echo Valley~ are
good camp sites, excellent feed and fine fishing. Echo Creek was
stocked in 1905 with eastern brook trout. Steelhead and German brown
trout will also be found in the river. The old "Merced Lake Trail,"
which is shown on the U.S.G.S. map as ascending Echo Creek is in very
poor condition and is no longer used. From Echo Valley the trail
climbs about 100 feet over a granite spur, in the ascent passing thru
a beautiful forest of western yellow pine. Following for one mile
along the glaciated granite slope, the trail parallels the river,
which here descends in a series of rapids, cascades and low falls.
We arrive finally at ~Lake Merced~ (Alt. 7300). This is one of the
most accessible and well known of the lakes in Yosemite's High Sierra.
At its shores and along the entire seven-mile canyon above are ideal
camping places. Horse-feed is abundant above the lake. Fishing is
excellent in both lake and river. The lake contains Loch Leven, German
brown and rainbow trout. Rowboats may be hired at fifty cents per hour
or $2.50 per day. Merced Lake is undoubtedly the best base camp for
trips thruout the entire upper watershed of the Merced River.
The trail skirts the north edge of the lake, passing into a beautiful
forest of sugar pine and western yellow pine at the upper end. Just
above the lake is ~Merced Lake Lodge~, with excellent accommodations.
One may here rent a fishing outfit and some supplies may be obtained.
~Washburn Lake~ is three miles further up the canyon.