Ten Lakes to Tenaya Lake Traverse

Ten Lakes to Tenaya Lake is a 20.4-mile, one-way high-country traverse from the Ten Lakes trailhead on Tioga Road to Tenaya Lake. It climbs about 4,350 feet, goes through Ten Lakes Basin, circles the high country around Tuolumne Peak, passes the quiet South Fork of Cathedral Creek and finishes at the lake. The changing scenery is the draw; distance, elevation and point-to-point logistics make this a serious outing. Allow about 13 hours of hiking for a strong, acclimatized party, or plan an overnight.

The opening miles use the approach to Ten Lakes Basin: forest gives way to a steady climb, then switchbacks reach Ten Lakes Pass before the rocky descent toward the lakes. A broad granite slab about a mile from the trailhead interrupts the tread; cairns mark where it resumes and can be hard to spot. Take time to pick out the route here. The pass opens wide views across the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne and the surrounding high country.

Beyond the basin, the itinerary wraps around Tuolumne Peak and crosses older forest and high passes before reaching the South Fork of Cathedral Creek. The official itinerary describes these landmarks but does not publish a turn-by-turn line. The mapped route follows connected footpaths around the peak and down toward Murphy Creek; carry the route offline and check current trail status before setting out, especially because this is a long way from the start once you leave Ten Lakes.

The route continues toward Tenaya Lake along the Murphy Creek corridor. The finish is at a different access from the start, so arrange a pickup or use two vehicles; this is not a loop and no shuttle service was confirmed. The day-hike to Ten Lakes and back is a much shorter alternative if you want the basin without committing to the full crossing.