beginner
Yosemite National Park, CA, United StatesTenaya Lake, Yosemite
Tenaya Lake sits at 8,150 feet along Tioga Road, a glacier-carved basin ringed by light granite domes, with a sandy beach at its east end. Motorboats are not allowed, so the water is quiet for a long swim, but mountain water here is extremely cold even on hot days. Tioga Road usually opens between late May and June and closes in November, so plan your swim for midsummer.
Photo: Jarek Tuszyński · CC BY 4.0
Latest reading · SwimScore 78/100 (Good swim) for a typical swimmer: air 18°C, wind 18 km/h, UV 5. Updated .
Know before you go
- Getting in
- Beside Tioga Road (State Route 120) in Yosemite National Park, between Yosemite Valley and Tuolumne Meadows; park entrance requirements apply. Swimming is permitted; there are no launch facilities or docks.
- Season
- When Tioga Road is open, typically late May or June to November.
- Watch for
- Extremely cold mountain water; hypothermia can weaken strong swimmers
- High altitude (8,150 feet)
- Water-related accidents are the second most common cause of death in Yosemite
- Facilities
- Vault and portable toilets along Tioga Road (NPS reported no drinking water when the road opened in May 2026) · Trailheads to Cathedral Lakes, Clouds Rest and Half Dome
Sources: en.wikipedia.org, nps.gov, nps.gov
Safety Information
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Details
- Location
- Yosemite National Park, CA, United States
- Type
- lake
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Coordinates
- 37.8351, -119.4525