22 Free Swimming Holes near Bass Lake Recreation Area
first prev 1 2 next lastShowing Swimming Holes within 50 miles Distance miles of Bass Lake Recreation Area near Oakhurst, California City, Zip, or Address
Ostrander Lake
Wawona, California
19.6 miles NAn 11.4-mile Yosemite hike to a semi-secluded swim lake surrounded by granite mountains — wildflowers, streams, and meadows in summer; open for cross-country skiing in winter via Ostrander Lodge.
Hike, Swim
Hite Cove Trail
El Portal, California
27.3 miles NWOne of Yosemite's earliest wildflower blooms lights up the Hite Cove Trail in spring, with the added bonus of watching the South and Central Fork Merced rivers merge.
Hike, Swim
Merced River
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
27.6 miles NThe 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
Devil's Bathtub
Yosemite Valley, California
28.1 miles NA warm, off-the-beaten-path pool fed by the Royal Arches Cascade just above Yosemite's Ahwanhee Hotel — great for families or a picnic near world-class climbing walls.
Swim
Mirror Lake
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
28.1 miles NA 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
Briceburg Recreation Area
Midpines, California
28.5 miles NWBriceburg 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
Santa Cruz Area
Lakeshore, California
30.5 miles ESwim near Lakeshore, California
Swim
Standish Hickey Area
Lakeshore, California
30.5 miles EA two-mile stretch of the south fork of the Eel River inside a redwood canyon 180 miles from San Francisco — swim, kayak, fish, or hike, then camp near the 1,200-year-old Captain Miles Standish Tree.
Backpack, Camp, Hike, Kayak, Swim
Smith River Area
Lakeshore, California
30.5 miles ESwim near Lakeshore, California
Swim
Salinas Area
Lakeshore, California
30.5 miles ESwim near Lakeshore, California
Swim
Mono Hot Springs
Lakeshore, California
30.5 miles EMono Hot Springs is a magical high-Sierra retreat in California's Sierra National Forest, where natural hot springs bubble up along the South Fork of the San Joaquin River deep in the mountains...
Hot Springs, Swim
Tenaya Lake
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
34.4 miles NTenaya 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 1.3-1.6 mi
May Lake
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
35.2 miles NA 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 0.7 mi
Lukens Lake
Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park
35.2 miles NA 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 0.9-3.2 mi
Cathedral Lakes
Wawona, California
35.7 miles NA gorgeous 7-mile High Sierra hike along the John Muir Trail to twin lakes at 10,000 feet, framed by Cathedral, Echo, and Tressider Peaks with sweeping views of Tenaya Lake from a rock shelf.
Hike, Swim
Elizabeth Lake
Wawona, California
36.5 miles NA 4.8-mile hike with a 1,000-foot gain to a quiet alpine lake tucked between Cockscomb, Unicorn Peak, and Johnson's Peak in Yosemite's Tuolumne Meadows backcountry.
Hike, Swim 0.8-4.1 mi
Dog Lake and Lembert Dome
Yosemite Valley, CA
40.0 miles NA 4-mile round-trip hike through Tuolumne Meadows wildflowers to a serene evergreen lake and a granite dome with sweeping views — doable in 1.5 to 3 hours.
Hike, Swim
Glen Aulin
Glen Aulin, California
40.1 miles NA 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 4.0 mi
Mono Pass
Yosemite Valley, CA
41.5 miles NEAn 8-mile high-Sierra hike at 10,600 feet crossing meadows and several lakes, climbing through Bloody Canyon to sweeping views of Mono Valley and Mono Lake.
Hike, Swim 1.8 mi
Gaylor Lakes
Yosemite Valley, CA
42.8 miles NEA 2-mile Yosemite hike with views the entire way — Dana Meadows, mountain peaks, and a high valley holding five separate lakes, with a mostly flat valley to wander once you top the pass.
Hike, Swim
