California · Hiking · Ansel Adams Wilderness · Near Yosemite Valley

Rainbow Lake

2.8 mi
round trip
468 ft
climb
9,276 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Jun–Sep
best months

Is Rainbow Lake open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Sierra National Forest. It doesn't name Rainbow Lake, so check the source for the area it covers (3 listed).

As of · Source: USFS · Sierra National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Rainbow Lake is a 2.8-mile out-and-back hike in the Ansel Adams Wilderness, part of the Bass Lake Ranger District of Sierra National Forest in California. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail lies within designated wilderness. The route rises from about 8,890 feet to about 9,276 feet, a climb of 468 feet one way. It is a natural-surface trail, and horses are allowed. Bikes are not, and the trail is not accessible. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Tuolumne Meadows show July highs around 71°F with lows near 38°F, while winter highs sit in the low 40s. Flat Lake is about 0.4 miles away, and Post Peak and Slab Lake are each within about a mile. Bowler campground is roughly 4.9 miles off.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    Upper Jackass Lake Campground

    Campground

    Campground · 3.2 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Curry Village Pavillion

    Fast food

    On your way back · 16 mi
  • If it rainsEeekster, CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

    Sierra Point

    Viewpoint

    In town

    Point in Yosemite National Park at the eastern end of the valley

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: Eeekster, CC BY 3.0 (commons)

More in Yosemite Valley

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.