Young Lakes via Dog Lake Gear Checklist
Young Lakes via Dog Lake starts with a steep climb behind Lembert Dome, then crosses two ridges to three lakes under Ragged Peak. Writers disagree most about the mosquitoes, which ranged from fierce in early July to absent in late August, so repellent is the item that splits the reports. The trailhead has food lockers, and the lakes need an allowed canister.
What shapes your gear on Young Lakes
- Trailhead and quota
- The Young Lakes via Dog Lake row has a daily quota of 12 people by lottery 24 weeks ahead and 8 more released a week ahead, with a vault toilet. A separate Young Lakes via Glen Aulin Trail row has its own quota of 6 and 4. The park says all trailheads have food lockers unless noted.
- How far and how steep
- Counts of the way in range from 6.5 miles one way on a 2009 family trip to about 7 miles in 2018. A 2021 hiker says 4.9 miles remain after Dog Lake, then a 700-foot descent around Ragged Peak and a climb up to the lake. A trail page lists a 14.14 mile round trip with 2,710 feet of gain.
From Backpacking Light, Sierra Rec Magazine: Backpacking Young Lakes in Yosemite National Park, Sierra Rec Magazine: A Return to Young Lakes in Yosemite and The Outbound
- Time on trail
- A family with an 8-year-old took almost 5 hours in and about 3.5 hours back in 2009, with many breaks for the altitude. A 1999 party covered the 5-mile exit by a trail a mile west of their route in a little over an hour. A 2018 beginner called the opening climb from the parking lot the hard part.
From Backpacking Light, Morgan Brown, Stanford Exploration Project and Sierra Rec Magazine: Backpacking Young Lakes in Yosemite National Park
- The three lakes
- Lower Young Lake is the most popular camp. The 2018 writer puts the middle and upper lakes about 250 feet above it, and the 2021 writer counts about 200 feet to the middle lake and 500 to the upper. The 2018 trip puts the upper lake at 10,250 feet. A trail page calls Upper Young Lake the best view of the three, and the 2021 writer guesses it gets the most wind.
From Sierra Rec Magazine: Backpacking Young Lakes in Yosemite National Park, Sierra Rec Magazine: A Return to Young Lakes in Yosemite and The Outbound
- Mosquitoes by date
- In July 1999 mosquitoes were abundant and aggressive in the Delaney Creek valley and a party camped below Ragged Peak and skipped the lakes. In late June 2009 they were manageable, bothersome only at creeks and not a problem at Young Lake. In late August 2018 they were not an issue.
From Morgan Brown, Stanford Exploration Project, Backpacking Light and Sierra Rec Magazine: Backpacking Young Lakes in Yosemite National Park
- Water and snow
- In late June 2009 a family crossed a few snow patches. A 2021 party filled bottles at Dog Lake in case creeks were dry in August. By August the exit trail toward Tuolumne Meadows held no stream crossing, while early season can bring a water crossing.
From Backpacking Light, Sierra Rec Magazine: A Return to Young Lakes in Yosemite and Sierra Rec Magazine: Backpacking Young Lakes in Yosemite National Park
What the agency requires on Young Lakes
An allowed bear canister
An allowed canister is required for food, trash and toiletries in all of the Yosemite wilderness, and hanging food is illegal. Overnight the canister stays within eye and ear shot of where you sleep. Mosquito repellent goes inside it with the food.
From Yosemite National Park (NPS): Wilderness Regulations and Yosemite National Park (NPS): Bears & Food Storage While Backpacking
A wilderness permit in hand
A permit is required for any overnight stay and is valid only for the trip leader, trailhead, dates and number of people it lists.
A camp four trail miles from Tuolumne Meadows
You must camp at least four trail miles from Tuolumne Meadows and at least 100 feet from water and trail, on a durable surface. A 2009 forum poster recalled Dog Lake as day use only. Check that with the wilderness center rather than trusting memory.
From Yosemite National Park (NPS): Wilderness Regulations and Backpacking Light
A fire and stove plan
Campfires are allowed only in existing rings below 9,600 feet. Above that line fires and Sierra stick stoves are banned. The upper lake sits at 10,250 feet in the 2018 report.
From Yosemite National Park (NPS): Wilderness Regulations and Sierra Rec Magazine: Backpacking Young Lakes in Yosemite National Park
A way to pack out paper
Used toilet paper and hygiene products are carried out, not buried or burned.
What hikers carry on Young Lakes
Repellent, enough for the whole party
In July 1999 only one of four brought repellent and it had to be rationed while the group fought mosquitoes. In 2009 and 2018 the same trip needed little, so the date decides how much to bring.
From Morgan Brown, Stanford Exploration Project, Backpacking Light and Sierra Rec Magazine: Backpacking Young Lakes in Yosemite National Park
A map for off-trail side trips
The 2021 party left the trail for Roosevelt Lake, a steep drop, a creek valley and a steep ridge, and says a map should come along. Other writers add that the trip suits a second night for the day hikes.
From Sierra Rec Magazine: A Return to Young Lakes in Yosemite and Sierra Rec Magazine: Backpacking Young Lakes in Yosemite National Park
Water bottles topped off at Dog Lake
The 2021 party stopped at Dog Lake to fill every bottle before the 4.9 miles beyond, in case creeks were dry in August.
From Sierra Rec Magazine: A Return to Young Lakes in Yosemite
A day pack for the loop to the upper lake
The 2021 group loaded day packs with lunch and water for a round to Roosevelt Lake and Upper Young Lake, while the 2018 group split up, two fishing and the others hiking to the upper lakes.
From Sierra Rec Magazine: A Return to Young Lakes in Yosemite and Sierra Rec Magazine: Backpacking Young Lakes in Yosemite National Park
A hammock or a shelter with a bug net
The 2021 group slung hammocks on the north shore of the lower lake with a view of Ragged Peak. A 2009 family brought a shelter with an inner bug net and slept in the open because it was warm.
From Sierra Rec Magazine: A Return to Young Lakes in Yosemite and Backpacking Light
Sun protection for lake-side naps
After swimming and a nap on the meadow shore at the upper lake the 2021 group went back to camp sunburned.
From Sierra Rec Magazine: A Return to Young Lakes in Yosemite
A second canister from the wilderness station
The 2021 party picked up one extra canister with their permit at the wilderness station, then went straight to the Dog Lake parking area. The 2018 writer says canisters can be rented where permits are checked in.
From Sierra Rec Magazine: A Return to Young Lakes in Yosemite and Sierra Rec Magazine: Backpacking Young Lakes in Yosemite National Park
Fishing gear
Two of the 2018 party fished all day at the lower lake and hauled in trout of 6 to 9 inches.
From Sierra Rec Magazine: Backpacking Young Lakes in Yosemite National Park
15 people can go on one permit. Split this list between them so nobody carries two stoves.
Plan a trip hereWhat hikers regret or leave behind on Young Lakes
Skipping repellent in early July
The 1999 party made camp short of the lakes because of the mosquitoes and never reached them.
Cooking dinner at camp on the last night
The 2021 group wished they had carried dinner up to the high meadow to eat at sunset instead of walking back down to camp.
From Sierra Rec Magazine: A Return to Young Lakes in Yosemite
Picking one exit without thinking about it
The 2018 writer came out by the trail that joins the Glen Aulin trail, about 90 percent downhill, and recommends it. The 2021 article calls that the easier exit but says that after trying both, the Dog Lake route back is the one to choose.
From Sierra Rec Magazine: Backpacking Young Lakes in Yosemite National Park and Sierra Rec Magazine: A Return to Young Lakes in Yosemite
Counting on the lower lake for quiet
The upper lakes draw fewer people, and the 2018 writer says the middle and upper lakes are more private than the crowded lower lake. The 2021 writer says the few who camp at the upper lake get the best views and most of the wind.
From Sierra Rec Magazine: Backpacking Young Lakes in Yosemite National Park and Sierra Rec Magazine: A Return to Young Lakes in Yosemite
Gear questions for Young Lakes
Do you need a bear canister at Young Lakes?
Yes. The park requires an allowed canister for all food and scented items in the Yosemite wilderness. A 2018 writer saw a bear when the group first arrived, and trailhead food lockers hold what stays in the car.
From Yosemite National Park (NPS): Wilderness Regulations, Yosemite National Park (NPS): Trailhead Information and Sierra Rec Magazine: Backpacking Young Lakes in Yosemite National Park
How many people can start from the Young Lakes via Dog Lake trailhead each day?
The park lists 12 people reserved by lottery 24 weeks ahead and 8 more a week ahead. The Young Lakes via Glen Aulin Trail trailhead is a separate row with 6 and 4.
How far is the hike to Young Lakes via Dog Lake?
Sources say 6.5 to about 7 miles one way. A trail page lists 14.14 miles round trip with 2,710 feet of gain, and a 2021 hiker says 4.9 miles remain after Dog Lake.
From Backpacking Light, Sierra Rec Magazine: Backpacking Young Lakes in Yosemite National Park, Sierra Rec Magazine: A Return to Young Lakes in Yosemite and The Outbound
Are mosquitoes bad at Young Lakes?
It depends on the date. Early July 1999 was bad near Delaney Creek, late June 2009 was manageable and mostly at creeks, and late August 2018 had none to speak of.
From Morgan Brown, Stanford Exploration Project, Backpacking Light and Sierra Rec Magazine: Backpacking Young Lakes in Yosemite National Park
Can you camp at Dog Lake on the way to Young Lakes?
The rules require a camp at least four trail miles from Tuolumne Meadows and 100 feet from water. One 2009 forum poster remembered Dog Lake as day use only and had seen people camping there anyway, so ask the wilderness center before planning it.
From Yosemite National Park (NPS): Wilderness Regulations and Backpacking Light
Sources
- Wilderness Regulations · Yosemite National Park (NPS) · Agency
- Bears & Food Storage While Backpacking · Yosemite National Park (NPS) · Agency
- Trailhead Information · Yosemite National Park (NPS) · Agency
- Young Lakes, Yosemite (June 2009 family trip thread) · Backpacking Light, Jay Wilkerson · Forum thread
- Ragged Peak · Morgan Brown, Stanford Exploration Project, Morgan Brown · Trip report
- Backpacking Young Lakes in Yosemite National Park · Sierra Rec Magazine, Charlie Pankey · Blog
- A Return to Young Lakes in Yosemite · Sierra Rec Magazine, Charlie Pankey · Blog
- Young Lakes · The Outbound, Kyle Frost · Blog