Harden Lake
Big Oak Flat, Yosemite National Park
| Address: | White Wolf Rd, California, USA |
| GPS: |
37°52'11.6"N 119°38'56.1"W Maps | Directions |
| State: | California |
| Trail Length: | 5.80 miles |
| Trail Type: | Out & Back |
| Hike Difficulty: | Beginner |
| Elevation Gain: | 355 feet |
Lakes Trails Rocks Wildflowers National Park
Backpack and Hike
The hike to Harden Lake at Yosemite is essentially a long walk. Much of the trail is walking down Tioga Road, an old gravel street that has been part of Yosemite since its foundation. The trail is wide, and there isn't much of an elevation gain. The only reason it isn't one of the easiest hikes in the valley is because of its length. Harden Lake is about 5.8 miles from the trailhead, which is longer than most beginners are comfortable with.
About two miles into the hike, you'll reach the Middle Fork of the Tuolumne River. Follow the signs that lead to the lake. Along the trail, there are small granite domes, a red fir forest, and lodgepole pines.
The lake itself, although not one of the most popular in the park, offers a quiet and serene place to finish the hike and take in the scenery. There are tons of rocks and trees surrounding the lake, as well as a meadow of wildflowers.
For those who want to continue hiking, there is a trail just beyond the lake that will lead to the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne River. This makes the hike a total of 8.3 miles roundtrip, with an elevation gain of 1000 ft on the return trip.
More Information
Yosemite National Park Itinerary
This Yosemite National Park Itinerary will help you get started as you plan your vacation to Yosemite National Park.
https://www.justgotravelstudios.com/collections/national-park-itineraries/products/yosemite-national-park-itinerary?ref=9zpxis0diinDay Hikes in Crane Flat and White Wolf - Yosemite National Park (U.S. National Park Service)
The Tuolumne Grove and the Merced Grove are two small, quiet groves of giant sequoias. Both located near Crane Flat, about 30 minutes from Yosemite Valley. Parking at each trailhead is very limited. Both groves can be visited year-round. In winter, skis or snowshoes may be necessary.
https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/whitewolf.htmBe courteous, informed, and prepared. Read trailhead guidelines, stay on the trail, and don't feed the wildlife.
Read More
- Plan Ahead and Prepare
- Travel & camp on durable surfaces
- Dispose of waste properly
- Leave what you find
- Minimize campfire impacts
- Respect wildlife
- Be considerate of other visitors
Directions
From Big Oak Flat, Yosemite National Park
- Head southwest on CA-120 E toward Tuolumne Grove RdToll road(7.7 mi)
- Turn left to stay on CA-120 EToll roadMay be closed at certain times or days(14.5 mi)
- Turn left onto White Wolf RdToll road(1.1 mi)
Other Hiking Trails and Backpacking Trails Nearby
Lukens Lake
Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park
2.3 miles SEA short 1.6-mile forest walk to a secluded lake famous for the luminescent shooting stars visible while you swim, plus a wildflower meadow that peaks in July.
Hike, Swim 5.7 mi
Ten Lakes
Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park
7.3 miles EA 6.4-mile hike from Yosemite Creek to three of the Ten Lakes Basin's seven lakes, through wildflower meadows, forests, and past the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne, gaining 2,200 feet.
Backpack, Camp, Hike 1.3-1.6 mi
May Lake
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
8.6 miles EA 2.5-mile roundtrip hike to a scenic 9,270-foot lake at the base of Mt. Hoffmann — with views of Clouds Rest, Half Dome, and Teyana Lake, plus the option to summit the peak for even grander panoramas.
Hike, Swim 2.9 mi
Upper Yosemite Falls
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
8.7 miles SEThe tallest waterfall in North America at 2,425 feet — a 7.2-mile, 2,600-ft-gain hike to the top of Upper Yosemite Falls with stunning valley views along the way.
Hike 0.8 mi
Lower Yosemite Falls
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
9.0 miles SA short, flat walk to the base of a 3,967-foot waterfall — twice the height of the Empire State Building and one of North America's tallest, best visited in spring or early summer before it dries.
Hike 0.7 mi
Cook's Meadow Loop
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
9.1 miles SA nearly 1-mile, nearly flat loop in Sentinel Meadow with close-up views of Yosemite Falls, Half Dome, Glacier Point, and Sentinel Rock — Yosemite's best easy walk.
Hike 4.1 mi
North Dome
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
9.2 miles SEA strenuous 10.4-mile hike through Yosemite forest to North Dome, rewarding hikers with the best straight-on view of Half Dome from 7,450 feet — plus a 0.6-mile detour to a 15-foot granite arch.
Backpack, Hike 2.3 mi
Wapama Falls
Groveland, California
9.2 miles NWA 5-mile moderate hike along the Hetch Hetchy reservoir in Yosemite to 1,000-foot Wapama Falls — cross a dam, walk through a tunnel, and prepare to get sprayed by the mist at the bridge below.
Backpack, Hike
Hetch Hetchy Reservoir
Groveland, California
9.2 miles NWHetch Hetchy's longest hiking season in Yosemite leads across the O'Shaughnessy Dam to Wapama Falls, where you're nearly guaranteed to get sprayed — plus day hikes to Smith Peak at 7,751 feet.
Backpack, Hike 15.9 mi
Valley Loop Trail
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
9.4 miles SAn 11.5-mile loop trail through the heart of Yosemite Valley following the Merced River past wildflower meadows, the Three Brothers, El Capitan, and Bridalveil Falls — with nearly no elevation gain.
Hike 2.1 mi
Snow Creek Falls
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
9.5 miles SEA 2,140-foot, seven-drop cascade tucked deep in Tenaya Canyon — best spotted from the Mirror Lake Loop, where you can also take a swim before hunting for the falls from the Snow Creek Trail junction.
Backpack, Hike
Horsetail Falls
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
9.8 miles SFor a few weeks in mid-to-late February, Horsetail Falls glows orange with reflected sunset light — a rare 'firefall' phenomenon requiring clear skies and a parking permit.
Hike 4.6 mi
Four Mile Trail
Yosemite National Park
10.0 miles SA 4.7-mile one-way hike connecting Yosemite Valley to Glacier Point with views of Yosemite Falls, Half Dome, El Capitan, and the Royal Arches — best visited in spring when the falls run full.
Hike
Mirror Lake
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
10.0 miles SEA paved, car-free trail winds to this seasonal lake at the base of Half Dome, offering a still mirror reflection and a popular summer swimming hole.
Backpack, Hike, Swim 0.2 mi
Ribbon Falls
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
10.0 miles SThe longest single-drop waterfall in North America at 1,612 feet — seasonal and best seen in late morning when the sun hits it directly, visible from El Capitan Road as you enter Yosemite Valley.
Hike
Tenaya Lake
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
10.4 miles ETenaya Lake's glacier-carved granite shoreline offers a spacious east-beach for swimming, canoeing, and kayaking with stunning Yosemite dome views all around.
Canoe, Hike, Kayak, Swim 0.2 mi
Bridalveil Falls
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
10.6 miles SA 620-foot waterfall that flows year-round and soaks onlookers with mist — Bridalveil Falls is just a quick half-mile paved walk from the trailhead, wheelchair accessible and pet friendly.
Hike 0.3 mi
Glacier Point
Yosemite National Park
10.6 miles SPerched at 7,214 feet above Yosemite Valley, Glacier Point delivers bird's-eye views of Half Dome, El Capitan, and multiple waterfalls — accessible by car or a 4.7-mile hike.
Hike 1.9-2.9 mi
Mist Trail
Yosemite National Park
10.7 miles SEA steep, mist-soaked Yosemite staircase hike climbing 639 stone steps past Vernal and Nevada Falls — with Half Dome, Whitecap, and Mt. Broderick views from the switchbacks above.
Backpack, Hike 1.2 mi
Taft Point
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
11.1 miles SA 5-mile Yosemite loop pairing Sentinel Dome with Taft Point, offering El Capitan views, dramatic cliff fissures, and 3,000-foot valley vistas — no guard rails, so watch your footing.
HikeNearby Campsites
Ten Lakes
Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park
7.3 miles EA 6.4-mile hike from Yosemite Creek to three of the Ten Lakes Basin's seven lakes, through wildflower meadows, forests, and past the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne, gaining 2,200 feet.
Backpack, Camp, Hike
Merced River
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
9.6 miles SThe Merced River circles Yosemite Valley with whitewater, swimming holes, gold-panning spots, and unbeatable views of Yosemite Falls and Glacier Point at every bend.
Camp, Swim, Whitewater
Crane Flat
Big Oak Flat, Yosemite National Park
11.8 miles SWFramed between two giant sequoia groves, Crane Flat meadow is a quiet Yosemite base camp for birding, stargazing, and seasonal hikes to Lukens and Harden Lake.
Backpack, Camp, Hike, Snowshoe 6.1 mi
Glen Aulin
Wawona, California
12.8 miles EAn 11-mile hike along the Tuolumne River to Glen Aulin with 800 feet of gain, passing Tuolumne Falls, Soda Springs, wildflower meadows, and the stunning White Cascade.
Backpack, Camp, Hike
Glen Aulin
Glen Aulin, California
12.8 miles EA popular introductory Yosemite High Country backcountry hike following the Tuolumne River to a High Sierra Camp beside the White Cascade waterfall, with further options to Waterwheel Falls.
Backpack, Camp, Hike, Swim
Tuolumne Meadows
Tuolumne County, California
16.5 miles EA stunning alpine meadow in the high Sierra with granite domes and mountain views, the meandering Tuolumne River, and access to Yosemite backcountry — open summer only when the park road is clear.
Camp, Hike 4.0 mi
Saddlebag Lake
Lee Vining, California
21.6 miles EAt 10,008 ft, this Eastern Sierra alpine lake offers exceptional trout fishing, a scenic four-mile loop, and a water taxi into the heart of the Twenty Lakes Basin.
Camp, Canoe, Hike
Briceburg Recreation Area
Midpines, California
26.3 miles SWBriceburg is where State Route 140 drops out of the Sierra foothills and meets the Wild and Scenic Merced River, twelve miles east of Mariposa on the road to Yosemite, and it's one of the best public...
Camp, Kayak, Swim
Crystal Lake
Mammoth Lakes, California
39.5 miles SEA 3.2-mile roundtrip Sierra day hike past Lake George, Lake Marie, and Lake Mamie, ending at Crystal Lake beneath the monolith Crystal Crag — shaded trail with room to swim, fish, or picnic lakeside.
Camp, Hike
