16.00.00. 2nd Trip to here Multiple small lakes and ponds. The sweeping northern sierra view ... Before the final descend to the 1st lake is BREATH-TAKING Warning ... Moderate to slightly hard There are multiple lakes ... but not 10 lakes ... long story The main largest lake does contain pretty good size trouts. One of the nice semi deep backpacking spots. Plan on spending several days here and explore there other lakes in the basin and do some fishing. read more

My wife and I decided to hike to Grant Lakes via the Ten Lakes Trail. We drove from the Bay Area so we had to get going at an hour that vampires are just getting full. We always stop in Oakdale to get fuel to make sure we have a full tank of gas...just in case. We arrived at the Ten Lakes Trailhead at 8:15am after driving 19.5 Miles from the Crane Flat gas station. That information is important to keep track of because you will miss the trailhead if you are not paying attention to the mileage. Ok, I will admit that I was one of those hikers that passed the trailhead because I was looking for a sign while driving. I ended up driving ten miles before my wife decided to pull out a map that she had of Tioga Road. I had no idea that she had the map, of course my next question was why she did not help me sooner. Anyway, we got everything ready such as 3 liters of water, bear spray, life straw, rain jacket, gps, headlamp, lighter, and snacks for energy. We crossed the street to the Ten Lakes Trailhead and took a picture before we started our hike at 8:35am. 1) The first 2.1 miles to the White Wolfe junction was wonderful at the beginning for the first half mile. Then you will have to walk over rocks on the trail. Be careful because I rolled my ankle twice on this hike. It took us 60 minutes to get to the first junction. 2) The next 2.8 miles to the Grant Lakes junction is the hardest part of this hike. The last .8 miles is hiking uphill at 9000 feet of elevation. That will have an effect on your legs, your breathing, and your heart rate. I hike every week above 6000 thousand feet of elevation and this hike surprised me in regards to the how difficult 2000 feet of total elevation gain was. It took us 90 minutes to go 2.8 miles. 3) The final push to Grant Lakes is 1.2 miles which is downhill and it felt good after the hill we just finished. But, we were thinking that we would have to come back uphill later after resting at the lake. We arrived at 11:34am feeling a little tired and surprised that were because we hike every week. 4) The Lake is beautiful and we felt the hike was worth it. We stayed until 12:30pm enjoying the view, eating our snacks, taking pictures, and stretching. The best part is that we were the only ones at the lake, the hiking season is ending so not many people are on the trail. We did see one couple when we were almost back. 5) After hiking 500 feet back to the top it is all downhill from there. I was surprised that even though we are very experienced hikers, we lost the trail a few times while on the granite. We had to use our gps only one time to get back on the trail, we wandered off the trail about 50 yards. Please be aware while hiking that you should never keep hiking if you are not sure where the trail is. Stop, look around, and go back a little to find the trail. 6) My wife and I returned at 3:28pm at the trailhead, tired but happy that we hiked this wonderful trail. I hope next summer that those of you that are looking for a trail to hike that is challenging and has great scenery, you will consider Grant Lakes. 7) Attached are a few pictures showing our adventure...happy hiking! read more

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Ten Lakes is AMAZING. I came back from a backpacking trip here and it was like being in an alpine wonderland. The lake is like a blue-green glass mirror set in a relatively small valley bordered by scary looking jagged boulders. I think the 4 hour hike to this place is worth it. Even the meadow before the descent to the lakes is breathtaking with the view of the Grand Canyon of the Tuolomne beyond. Extra major plus points for being able to fish, swim, and have a nice campfire at this beautiful location. read more

Ten Lakes - It totally looks unreal, even when you're there. - Lakes Near Me

The view from the overlook is breathtakingly gorgeous and will make the grueling hike all worth it. Here is some information you might find useful if you are planning to make the trip: - We hiked on the Ten Lakes trail from the Yosemite Creek campgrounds to the overlook. It is about 13 miles roundtrip and took us about 8 hours roundtrip. You will be exhausted. - If you're not planning on camping overnight at Ten Lakes, I recommend starting the hike early to allow plenty of time for you to get back before darkness falls. That is where we went wrong. Hiking back with flashlights and the fear of getting attacked by wild animals...not so fun. - If you don't bring a water filter, make sure to bring plenty of water (maybe about 3-4 bottles per person). You will cross a couple streams where you can filter water. - LOTS of mosquitos!! I got lucky, but one of us got over 40 bites! - We saw deer and pika, so keep your eyes open and your cameras ready. read more

I have hiked into the Ten Lakes Basin more than 20 times as far back as the late 70's. Did it most times of the year except the dead of winter when it was Impossible to get past Half Moon Meadow. It is a beautiful destination hike for everyone from beginner to expert.. When you climb up from Half Moon Meadow, which is a great spot to take a bit of a break, have a nibble and rest before the climb to the crest.. For me, I always had to just sit on the crest/overlook, looking out at the majestic Sierra mountains for at least an hour . wiping the tears from my eyes in awe of the beauty.. Next move is get up and hike the last 1.4 miles down to the first and lowest lake.. This is where most overnight hikers tend to camp.. One of the most beautiful sunsets you will ever see from the lower lake.. Back in the early 80's, lots of bears. this was their favorite spot to move around because of the inexperienced campers. I knew some great rangers back then who turned me on to a few secrets. One is when you catch the trout. eat them the same day as you catch them. Hang them in the air for a few hours to let them develop a pellicle , a thin skin or film.. Then you can cook them ... Brook trout are so delicious.. If you plan on fishing be sure to bring in some fresh lemons... the next thing the ranger clued me into was a real secret at ten lakes.. It is all about fresh water that needs no filtering.. As you hike down into the lower and first lake, there are high canyon walls surrounding you. If you follow the walls to your left you will come onto a marshy meadow. Not out in the middle of this small meadow is a large flat slab of granite great for soaking up the sun. on the left side of the slab is an overhang. meadow grasses grow all around this rock but if you look and push away the grasses you will find a natural spring of bubbling fresh water.. It drains off into the meadow and most times will never get to the lake... Look for it and keep the secret.. Also I know where to always find great firewood but that will always be a secret... read more

Beautiful hike, beautiful lakes in one of the most beautiful places on earth, Yosemite! Highly recommended if you don't mind doing 6 plus miles mostly uphill. read more

Been there at least 5 times since I was 20 years old. I'm now 55. I went last year (Aug 2010) with my son, now 18. Phenominal weather, but I've been there when it has been a challenge. After all, you are at about 9K +, and weather can change very quickly. Quiet a hike, mostly uphill for the first 5 miles. Start with a good canteen full of water. The first stream isn't for about 2 miles. The distance, and difficulty however, weeds out the day hikers, for the most part. This is probably my most favorite area, but the restrictions on camping distances have subdued the "next to lake" effect. (35 years ago we could camp almost right next to the lake). Mosquitos are abundant in the later part of the summer, so deet is a must. A day hike out along the the Eastern ridge is a must do! Out to the North end and you can look almost down into the bottom of the Grand Canyon of the Yosemite! Figure 5-6 hours to get to the lakes. Lunch at the meadow just before the last major uphill is really cool. Also, compared to Cathedral lakes and others, a good fire at night is still allowed. A real jewel of the Eastern Sierra, if you can get past the tourists, and crowds, in the park! read more