Reflection Lake in Yosemite: A Hidden Gem

As we ventured deeper into the forest towards Sunrise Lakes, Reflection Lake quickly fell out of view, its serene beauty lingering in our memories. The lake level was lower than usual this year due to an unseasonably dry winter, but its stunning vistas remained unchanged. What was once a rock hop over the Tenaya outlet became a lake ford that year, with some sections reaching waist-deep water.

As we set out for Sunrise Lakes, I couldn't help but notice that we were on the same trail I'd paddled across just summer before. Watching other hikers wade across with their backpacks over their heads was a surreal experience. Some of the smaller lakes, like Tioga, remained frozen, while rainstorms caused others to overflow.

Just two summers prior, I had gone kayaking on Tenaya Lake after a particularly heavy winter. It's the largest lake in the High Country and one of the most visited due to its proximity to the road. You could walk right into the lake and still be knee-deep in water for at least 50 feet. Tenaya is a Yosemite classic: a glassy, pristine pool of water surrounded by massive granite domes and pine forests.

We passed Tenaya Lake at the start of our journey and it was tempting to just park it on the side and camp right on the lake. But I resisted, which I was thankful for in my final days when I made what seemed like the world's best pasta for dinner (complete with sun-dried tomatoes, porcini mushrooms, and grated Parmesan). My pack weighed at least 45 pounds and my first thought as I took off from the trailhead was... Damn, I need to start eating all this food.

For a quick moment, I considered gorging myself the first day, losing all the pack weight, and suffering with starvation the rest of the trip. Being quite the lavish backcountry cook, it was nearly comical. Another friend was meeting us for this leg of the trip, so our threesome soon became a foursome.

From the parking lot at May Lake, we drove to the trailhead at Tenaya Lake early Friday morning with our backpacks full of food for the next five days. After acclimatizing at Raisin Lake for two days, we were rested, relaxed, and excited to begin our backpacking journey from Yosemite High Country to Yosemite Valley.

Reflection lake yosemite