Tenaya Lake
Tenaya Lake
4.5

Top ways to experience Tenaya Lake and nearby attractions

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  • No boats Magen
    Fairdale, Kentucky367 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Must see in Yosemite
    We drove in from the Tioga pass and the lake is right off the side of the road. There is a parking lot and plenty of room to spread out. Of course this was the first week in October so may be crowded in summer. The water is crystal clear and the views are magnificent.
    Visited October 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written October 4, 2023
  • sallyesom
    Edlesborough, United Kingdom97 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A hidden gem away from the crowds in Yosemite.
    This is a hidden gem in Yosemite and well worth a visit. It was a day trip out for us as we were staying by the South Gate of the park in Oakhurst. It’s about a 4 hour drive from there. The lake was quiet, the trail around the lake was long enough, easy going being mainly flat and you can see beautiful views of the lake and distant scenery throughout the walk. No mosquitoes when we were there but other reviews indicate there is a definite season so research this before you head off. The water was cold but clear, refreshing and worth the walk. Take a towel and a picnic and spend the day. One of my favourite spots on earth.
    Visited August 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written August 16, 2024
  • D P
    Wellington, New Zealand8,043 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Pretty mountain lake
    A pretty lake surrounded by mountains and edged by a forest with beaches. The crystal clear waters looked invitingly cold when we visited as the mist rolled across them. This is supposed to be an amazing spot to take photos of the sunrise however it snowed instead for us!! A walk around the lake on a warmer day when you’re prepared looked very nice.
    Visited August 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written August 25, 2024
  • Della and Jules S
    Kingsdown, United Kingdom368 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Pull over and paddle in this beautiful lake
    Most beautiful lake I've seen in a while. We were driving to the Tioga Pass and on our way to Death Valley. We spotted this lake and were so glad we found a pull off to take a closer look. Simply stunning
    Visited July 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written August 28, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles372 reviews
Excellent
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Average
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D P
Wellington, New Zealand8,043 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2024 • Couples
A pretty lake surrounded by mountains and edged by a forest with beaches. The crystal clear waters looked invitingly cold when we visited as the mist rolled across them.
This is supposed to be an amazing spot to take photos of the sunrise however it snowed instead for us!!
A walk around the lake on a warmer day when you’re prepared looked very nice.
Written August 25, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

PacificNWFamily
Washington State103,364 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2021
This was just a quick stop at Tenaya Lake for us as we'd been hiking all day.

The boardwalk on the east side of the lake was in good shape. We walked out to the lake edge for a view, and it began to rain. So we strolled back to the car and drove off. (Then it really started to rain and to hail. High country storms are impressive!)

My extended family enjoyed their visit on a sunny mid-July day. They brought floaties & a picnic, and they spent an entire day. The weather for our visit in late July was quite different. Check the accurate weather forecast before you head up there.
Written August 7, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

MCHE88
Houston, TX77 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2021
Its a great place to stop in the summer to cool off or picnic along Tioga road. There are lots of stopping points along the lake and the view is beautiful. Not alot of food options on Tioga road so bring a lunch and picnic here. The water is cool but was refreshing during the summer heat. We saw lots of people with floats and swimming gear but there are lots of rocks so bring swim shoes.
Written July 19, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

No boats Magen
Fairdale, KY367 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Couples
We drove in from the Tioga pass and the lake is right off the side of the road. There is a parking lot and plenty of room to spread out. Of course this was the first week in October so may be crowded in summer. The water is crystal clear and the views are magnificent.
Written October 4, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

sallyesom
Edlesborough, UK97 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2024 • Family
This is a hidden gem in Yosemite and well worth a visit. It was a day trip out for us as we were staying by the South Gate of the park in Oakhurst. It’s about a 4 hour drive from there.
The lake was quiet, the trail around the lake was long enough, easy going being mainly flat and you can see beautiful views of the lake and distant scenery throughout the walk.
No mosquitoes when we were there but other reviews indicate there is a definite season so research this before you head off.
The water was cold but clear, refreshing and worth the walk.
Take a towel and a picnic and spend the day.
One of my favourite spots on earth.
Written August 16, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Balasubramanian R
Chennai (Madras), India808 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2022
Tenaya Lake is one of the beautiful lake in the Yosemite national park. It is little far of from the Yosemite valley. It is more than a mile and beach is there.The lake basin was formed by glacial action.
Written October 24, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Christy S
Atlanta, Georgia, United States7 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2020
This was a highlight of our late July vacation! We have four kids and they thoroughly enjoyed swimming and wading in the water. We didn’t go to the main lake but basically pulled over at the first access point we saw... we couldn’t resist! We played on the rocks and hung up a hammock for hours of relaxation. This is a must do!
Written August 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Susan H
Tacoma, WA4,093 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2022 • Couples
I loved the peace and tranquillity of this lake. We visited in September and it was beautiful to see as the fall colors were developing. I would have loved to visit at sunset but we were camped too far to drive back. Maybe next time.
Written October 4, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

doublemdoublet
Clifton, VA1,392 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2021
The road passes within a few yards of this alpine lake. TIP: On a beautiful, sunny, still day you can almost dip your Mobile Phone into the water for exceptional Mirror Lake reflections of Yosemite's peaks. Wow! What a shot!
Written August 9, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Della and Jules S
Kingsdown, UK368 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2024 • Couples
Most beautiful lake I've seen in a while. We were driving to the Tioga Pass and on our way to Death Valley. We spotted this lake and were so glad we found a pull off to take a closer look. Simply stunning
Written August 28, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Tenaya Lake - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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