17 Free Swimming Holes near Wapama Falls
first prev 1 next lastShowing Swimming Holes within 50 miles Distance miles of Dam, Groveland, CA 95321, USA City, Zip, or Address
Lukens Lake
Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park
11.5 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
Gods Bath
Phoenix Lake-Cedar Ridge, CA, California
14.7 miles WCrystal-clear but cold water at the bottom of a boulder-hop, rope-assisted descent into Clavey River canyon — cliff jumping, smaller pools on the way, about a mile one way.
Hike, Swim 1.3-1.6 mi
May Lake
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
17.5 miles SEA 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
Merced River
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
18.0 miles SEThe 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
18.1 miles SEA 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
18.9 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
Tenaya Lake
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
19.3 miles SETenaya 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
Glen Aulin
Glen Aulin, California
20.2 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 0.9-3.2 mi
Cathedral Lakes
Wawona, California
21.0 miles EA 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
Hite Cove Trail
El Portal, California
21.2 miles SOne 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
Elizabeth Lake
Wawona, California
23.8 miles EA 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
24.7 miles EA 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 5.5 mi
Ostrander Lake
Wawona, California
25.8 miles SEAn 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
Briceburg Recreation Area
Midpines, California
26.5 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 1.8 mi
Gaylor Lakes
Yosemite Valley, CA
28.4 miles EA 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 4.0 mi
Mono Pass
Yosemite Valley, CA
28.9 miles EAn 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
Natural Bridges
Sonora, California
37.9 miles WA free 250-foot limestone cavern on Coyote Creek near Sonora where you can float or swim through deep pools in summer — just avoid touching the limestone walls.
Hike, Swim
