15 Free Swimming Holes near Mono Hot Springs
first prev 1 next lastShowing Swimming Holes within 50 miles Distance miles of Edison Lake Rd, Lakeshore, CA 93634, USA City, Zip, or Address
Crowley Lake
Mammoth Lakes, California
25.3 miles NEA reservoir famed for ancient volcanic columns rising from the lakebed, along with trout fishing, and stunning Eastern Sierra scenery near Mammoth Lakes.
Hike, Swim
Hot Creek
Mammoth Lakes, California
27.0 miles NCLOSED. Entering the water is now prohibited at this location. A striking hot-spring creek where cold water meets hydrothermal vents — a geological spectacle worth photographing from shore, but fenced off for swimming due to dangerous temperature swings and past fatalities.
Swim 5.5 mi
Ostrander Lake
Wawona, California
35.7 miles NWAn 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
Elizabeth Lake
Wawona, California
40.7 miles NWA 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
Mirror Lake
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
41.1 miles NWA 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 4.0 mi
Mono Pass
Yosemite Valley, CA
41.3 miles NAn 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
Devil's Bathtub
Yosemite Valley, California
42.0 miles NWA 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 0.9-3.2 mi
Cathedral Lakes
Wawona, California
42.2 miles NWA 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
Merced River
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
42.2 miles NWThe 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
Tenaya Lake
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
42.7 miles NWTenaya 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 1.8 mi
Gaylor Lakes
Yosemite Valley, CA
42.8 miles NA 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
42.8 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 1.3-1.6 mi
May Lake
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
44.4 miles NWA 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
Glen Aulin
Glen Aulin, California
45.9 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 0.7 mi
Lukens Lake
Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park
48.7 miles NWA 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
