(28 miles--12 hours)
The ~Sunrise Trail~ has long been famous as one of the most scenic
routes between Yosemite and Tuolumne Meadows. The walk is almost too
long to be enjoyed in one day and is better taken in two.
From Yosemite Village we follow the road south of the river, past Camp
Curry to Happy Isles Bridge. There we turn left on the ~Glacier Point
Trail~ and follow Trail Trip 1 to the junction at the top of ~Nevada
Falls~. Again turning left we skirt the south base of ~Liberty Cap~
and climb 200 feet to the ~Little Yosemite Valley~. After following
along the margin of the placid Merced we veer abruptly to the left at
the first trail junction. Straight ahead is ~Little Yosemite~ (Trail
Trip 13). Our route mounts the timbered slope to the northward and we
now and then catch glimpses of the round dome of ~Mt. Starr King~
across Little Yosemite. A climb of 800 feet takes us to the junction
where the ~Half Dome Trail~ (Trail Trip 14) turns northwest. We take
the right-hand trail, which trends eastward along a gently sloping
bench. The ~Clouds Rest Trail~ (Trail Trip 5) now branches northward
directly up the slope.
Our trail bears eastward and shortly crosses a small branch of Sunrise
Creek. The trail now follows up the north bank of ~Sunrise Creek~,
crossing about a mile above to the south side. One-half mile further
is ~Hopkins Meadow~ and a junction where the ~Merced Lake Trail~
(Trail Trip 7) turns right. Horse-feed is here moderately abundant and
camp sites fair. The ~Sunrise Trail~ continues up the canyon and is
shortly joined by the ~Forsyth Pass Trail~ from the north (Trail Trip
5). Reaching the head of Sunrise Creek and ascending the east flank of
~Sunrise Mountain~ by long sandy zigzags, the trail emerges at several
vantage points from which ~Mt. Clark~ is most advantageously seen to
the south. The trail now leads almost level through lodgepole pine and
fir forests, emerging suddenly at the foot of ~Long Meadow~. To the
north is the sharp spire of ~Columbia Finger~ (Alt. 10,700) and
~Tenaya Peak~ (Alt. 10,300) at the left. Horse-feed is abundant here
late in the season but the meadow is generally cold. There is no
fishing in the creek. Just beyond the 400-foot ridge to the west is
~Mildred Lake~, in which are some very large trout.
After following up Long Meadow, the trail rounds the eastern base of
Columbia Finger, passing over glaciated granite and thru stunted
forests. The serrate crest of ~Echo Peak~ (Alt. 11,100) towers
imposingly at the right across the canyon. A rise of a few feet takes
us over ~Cathedral Pass~ (Alt. 9850). Just beyond is a beautiful
unnamed lake above which the spires of ~Cathedral Peak~ rise
impressively at the north. Skirting the east shore of this little lake
at about timber line, the trail bears northward across a sandy plateau
where white bark pine grows abundantly. To the west, down the canyon,
can be seen the upper end of ~Cathedral Lake~ (Alt. 9250) about one
mile distant. Here camping and fishing are good. The lake was stocked
long ago and re-stocked in 1915 by fish from Tuolumne Meadows.
Continuing around the west flank of Cathedral Peak the trail gradually
bears northeast, descending into denser forests of lodgepole pine, fir
and hemlock. To the left can be seen the summit of ~Fairview Dome~
(Alt. 9250) about one mile distant. A gradual descent through the
dense forest, which is especially noted for its many beautiful
mountain hemlocks, takes us finally to the south edge of ~Tuolumne
Meadows~, where the trail joins the Tioga Road. The ranger camp and
Sierra Club Lodge are about one mile east.