22 Free Swimming Holes near Wawona, CA 95389
first prev 1 2 next lastShowing Swimming Holes within 50 miles Distance miles of Wawona, CA 95389, USA City, Zip, or Address
Ostrander Lake
Wawona, California
8.4 miles NEAn 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
Merced River
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
14.7 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
Hite Cove Trail
El Portal, California
14.7 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
Devil's Bathtub
Yosemite Valley, California
15.3 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
15.7 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
18.4 miles WCamp, Kayak, and Swim near Midpines, California
Camp, Kayak, Swim 0.7 mi
Lukens Lake
Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park
21.8 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
Tenaya Lake
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
23.0 miles NETenaya 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
23.2 miles NEA 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 0.9-3.2 mi
Cathedral Lakes
Wawona, California
24.8 miles NEA 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
26.4 miles NEA 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
Glen Aulin
Glen Aulin, California
28.8 miles NEA 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 0.8-4.1 mi
Dog Lake and Lembert Dome
Yosemite Valley, CA
30.0 miles NEA 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 4.0 mi
Mono Pass
Yosemite Valley, CA
32.6 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
33.5 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
Gods Bath
Phoenix Lake-Cedar Ridge, CA, California
37.8 miles NWCrystal-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
Standish Hickey Area
Lakeshore, California
38.0 miles SEA 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
38.0 miles SESwim near Lakeshore, California
Swim
Salinas Area
Lakeshore, California
38.0 miles SESwim near Lakeshore, California
Swim
Mono Hot Springs
Lakeshore, California
38.0 miles SEMono 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
