Breeze Lake

Breeze Lake sits at 9,613 feet in Yosemite's southern high country, near the headwaters of the Merced River below the Clark Range. It isn't a lake you reach in an afternoon — getting here means a multi-day backpacking trip through some of the park's quietest wilderness, well south of the Valley's overlooks and shuttle stops. The lake takes its name from William F. Breeze, who helped survey the area for early park maps.

The Route

Breeze Lake is a standard stop on the Clark Range Circuit, a multi-day loop that traces the Merced River's source country around passes like Fernandez and Red Peak. Most parties reach it via Rutherford Lake and Fernandez Pass before dropping into the Breeze Lake basin, then continue toward Merced Pass (9,600 feet), where Half Dome comes into view across the miles. Expect a full day of steady climbing through Jeffrey pine forest before the terrain opens into granite and alpine lake basins. Some approaches start outside the park boundary in the adjoining Sierra National Forest, which manages its own trailheads nearby.

Permits and Planning

• Elevation: 9,613 feet
• Access: Multi-day backpacking only — no drive-up or day-hike route
• Permit: A wilderness permit, reservable through recreation.gov, is required for any overnight stay; a bear canister is mandatory for the trip

There are no facilities, no cell service, and no resupply out here. Water sources between camps can be sparse, so plan your refills around known lakes and streams rather than assuming one will turn up when you need it.