21 Free Swimming Holes near Lakeshore, CA 93634
first prev 1 2 next lastShowing Swimming Holes within 50 miles Distance miles of Lakeshore, CA 93634, USA City, Zip, or Address
Santa Cruz Area
Lakeshore, California
10.0 miles NESwim near Lakeshore, California
Swim
Standish Hickey Area
Lakeshore, California
10.0 miles NEA 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
10.0 miles NESwim near Lakeshore, California
Swim
Mono Hot Springs
Lakeshore, California
10.0 miles NEMono 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
Salinas Area
Lakeshore, California
10.0 miles NESwim near Lakeshore, California
Swim 5.5 mi
Ostrander Lake
Wawona, California
32.9 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
Crowley Lake
Mammoth Lakes, California
34.7 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
35.3 miles NECLOSED. 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
Mirror Lake
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
39.8 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
Merced River
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
40.5 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
Devil's Bathtub
Yosemite Valley, California
40.5 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
Elizabeth Lake
Wawona, California
42.3 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
Tenaya Lake
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
43.1 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 0.9-3.2 mi
Cathedral Lakes
Wawona, California
43.1 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 4.0 mi
Mono Pass
Yosemite Valley, CA
44.3 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 1.3-1.6 mi
May Lake
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
44.6 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 0.8-4.1 mi
Dog Lake and Lembert Dome
Yosemite Valley, CA
45.0 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 1.8 mi
Gaylor Lakes
Yosemite Valley, CA
45.9 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
Glen Aulin
Glen Aulin, California
47.3 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
Hite Cove Trail
El Portal, California
47.6 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
