Mirror Lake Paved Trail

Mirror Lake Paved Trail is a 2-mile out-and-back from Mirror Lake Trailhead at shuttle stop #17 to the lake and back. The paved service road takes about an hour round trip, with roughly 100 feet of elevation gain. It is a good choice if you want a close view of Half Dome and Tenaya Canyon without taking on the much longer route that continues beyond the lake. This record ends at Mirror Lake; the loop beyond it is a separate hike.

The route follows a paved service road for about a mile each way. It is easy to follow, but the final 1,000 feet climbs at 6.6% to 10.6%. The surface is paved; that grade can still be a lot for some wheelchairs, so check it against your equipment and needs before setting out. The road is shared with walkers and bicyclists, and NPS permits vehicles displaying a disability placard to drive to the lake with hazard lights on at less than 15 mph. Two designated accessible spaces are at the lake.

Leashed pets, bicycles and strollers are allowed on the first paved mile. They are not allowed if you continue onto the unpaved route beyond the lake. There is no drinking water along the trail. Vault toilets are about halfway to the lake and at the end of the paved road.

Mirror Lake is usually fullest in spring and early summer. When the water is calm, the surrounding granite cliffs reflect in it; later in summer and fall, low water can expose a sandy basin and meadow. From the lake, look up toward Half Dome and into Tenaya Canyon, with Mount Watkins and Washington Column also in view. The reflection is a seasonal bonus, not a year-round guarantee.

Mirror Lake was once a resort stop. Around 1875, William Howard built a mile-long toll road from Yosemite Valley to a small saloon on the lake’s west shore, with a 40-by-60-foot dance platform over the water. The Yosemite Grant Commissioners closed the road and resort in 1879; today’s walk follows a paved service road to the same lake basin.