Ahhhh such a beautiful lake ... but , did I struggle ugh ..... I'm an avid hiker but have been on a hiatus for quite some time and I have been out of the gym for a while and I suffered baaaaddd from it. Sigh. Anyways , you can park your car in a lot by the Tioga gate off 120. The trail head is right there by the Tioga gate . If you are coming from the park ( Yosemite) the trail head is on your left side of the road. It's only a mile to get to the lake but it's a pretty steep inclination and being soooo freaking out of shape right now , I had to take a break every 10-20 steps. I was out of breath , huffing and puffing , light headed and dizzy. Maybe from the high altitudes too . I was gasping for air. I had no problem doing Clouds Rest last year ... ugh. Anyways , the lake itself is stunningly gorgeous. Water is so clear , we saw some trouts gracefully swimming. Snow covered mountains in the background. Nice cool breeze felt good since I was sweating like crazy. There may be about 20 other hikers we saw. Some were struggling like I was climbing up on the way. It's up and then down to the lake. It should be easy peasy for experienced hikers but might be tough if you are a beginner because of the elevation gain but totally doable and totally worth it. The view is amazing all around not just the lake but the view of Mt Dana , Mt Hoffman and other peaks you can see from the trail. If you are out of shape like I am right now, just take your time and go slowly. It's okay , it's not a race. Enjoy the view and the smell and the sound of the mountains:))) ha ha One last thing , tons of mosquitoes when we were there on Saturday (6/23/2018). Highly recommend bug spray. I got tons of bites on my face and legs. Luckily I was wearing a long sleeve shirt so no bites on my arms. read more

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Yawnnnn... A bit on the boring side for a Back Country hike. The hike starts out with some solid elevation gain, but after 15 minutes of hiking you'll be at the top of the peak and heading down towards Gaylor Lake. The lake is pretty big and beautiful with plenty of fish to be seen swimming in it. Due to the elevation of the lake it is colder than the lower elev lakes. Keep to your right and head up the trail to Upper Gaylor Lake. Not as big and pretty boring there. You can head left over the small mountain and see a few other small lakes on the other side or you can head straight up the trail to the old rock huts and mines and another small lake. After a 10 minute hike from Upper Gaylor Lake you'll crest the top and see several old rock homes. Go on inside and make yourself at home. Can you imagine people used to mine and live up here?! Our ancestors were definitely tougher than we are. Watch out for at least 2 mining holes. They have no warning or barrier around then and appear to be at least 20' deep WITH NO WAY OUT. The views on this trip are average at best. I wouldn't recommend this hike for the following reasons. IF you are coming Westward on the 120, the trailhead is at the Eastern end of the park, which is around 50 miles on Tioga pass road. The views are OK at best, not much too see. If you are coming in from the Eastern end (Highway 395) then it makes sense to check this easy hike off your list and then never speak of it again! There are only like 25+ better hikes off Tioga Road that come to mind. Hope this review helps those considering the hike. read more

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It was interesting. This is for hardcores. Enjoyed lakes and mines. It was cloudy (but stilll good), so I really want to go there on a sunny day again. read more

This was a great short hike. Straight up, but short enough that you don't really notice because the views at the top (Mt. Dana and Mt. Gibbs as well as Gaylor Lakes) are amazing. We had a lovely picnic by the side of the lake. We were two of about four people visible. It took us about 2 hours or so including lunch. Highly recommended. read more

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I'm reluctant to even let on that this place exists because it seems to be one of Yosemite's best kept secrets. But I can't keep a secret! The trailhead for Gaylor Lakes is right past the Tioga Pass entrance of Yosemite and probably frequently passed-by. The hike is a on the harder side, especially around 10,000 feet and there were more than a few people wheezing their way up the trail. What's on the other side is well worth it! A beautiful, still lake with fewer than 10 people around. One of the most peaceful places I can ever remember being. I wish I could have spent the entire day there but, alas, there was so much else to see! read more

This is a great hike. The trail head is right at the entrance to the park at Tioga Pass. It is steep at first but levels out into a beautiful alpine meadow with Gaylor Lakes. It is also fun to hike at elevations over 10,000 feet. This is one of my favorite hikes in Yosemite. read more