May Lake Trail is a 5.4 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Mariposa, California that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, nature trips, and birding and is best used from March until November.
birding
hiking
nature trips
walking
forest
views
wild flowers
wildlife
no dogs
This hike is part of the High Sierra Loop, a series of 6 camps located between Tuolumne Meadows and Yosemite Valley. These camps have facilities for backpackers, but the best way to go is to stay in the tent cabins which includes great meals. Most of the camps can be reached via a day hike from either Yosemite Valley or Tuolumne Meadows. This particular hike starts in the back country at Sunrise High Sierra Camp and ends at May Lake. Note that May Lake can be reached from a parking area that is only a few miles from the camp.
I have never seem so many Mosquitos in my life. Pure torture. They swarm.
I went in the opposite direction, from May Lake to Sunrise Lakes. The downhill from May Lake to Teyana Lake is nice and easy, but the climb from Teyana to Sunrise is mostly steep and unrelenting. It is very cool to look across the valley and see where you were earlier that same day, the peaks that tower above May Lake, There's not much water between Teyana and Sunrise Lakes so fill up at the bottom. The lakes themselves are a good place to take a quick dip after a hot climb. And although I didn't stay there that night (I went ahead to Cathedral Lakes), the backpackers campground at Sunrise High Sierrra Camp had great views overlooking a huge meadow.