19 Free Swimming Holes near Hot Creek
first prev 1 next lastShowing Swimming Holes within 50 miles Distance miles of Forest Rd 3S138, Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546, USA City, Zip, or Address
Crowley Lake
Mammoth Lakes, California
7.6 miles SEA reservoir famed for ancient volcanic columns rising from the lakebed, along with trout fishing, and stunning Eastern Sierra scenery near Mammoth Lakes.
Hike, Swim 4.0 mi
Mono Pass
Yosemite Valley, CA
26.9 miles NWAn 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
Santa Cruz Area
Lakeshore, California
27.0 miles SSwim near Lakeshore, California
Swim
Standish Hickey Area
Lakeshore, California
27.0 miles SA 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
27.0 miles SSwim near Lakeshore, California
Swim
Salinas Area
Lakeshore, California
27.0 miles SSwim near Lakeshore, California
Swim
Mono Hot Springs
Lakeshore, California
27.0 miles SMono 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 1.8 mi
Gaylor Lakes
Yosemite Valley, CA
28.0 miles NWA 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 0.8-4.1 mi
Dog Lake and Lembert Dome
Yosemite Valley, CA
30.6 miles NWA 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
Elizabeth Lake
Wawona, California
30.8 miles WA 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 0.9-3.2 mi
Cathedral Lakes
Wawona, California
33.6 miles WA 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
Glen Aulin
Glen Aulin, California
35.0 miles NWA 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
Tenaya Lake
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
35.4 miles WTenaya 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
37.2 miles WA 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
Mirror Lake
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
38.9 miles WA 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 5.5 mi
Ostrander Lake
Wawona, California
39.1 miles WAn 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
Devil's Bathtub
Yosemite Valley, California
40.2 miles WA 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
Merced River
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
40.8 miles WThe 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 0.7 mi
Lukens Lake
Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park
43.7 miles WA 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
