Why hike to Spillway Lake?
It’s a pretty, if not spectacular, high-country lake, with 12,000+ foot mountains rising from its south and west banks (Kuna Peak and Kuna Crest, respectively), and the trail’s gentle incline makes it a good way to get acclimated to the high elevations along the Tioga Road. It’s hard to make predictions about creatures that aren’t known to wear waterproof watches or sign even short term leases, but Spillway Lake might turn out to be your favorite place in Yosemite if you love the splashy sounds made by fish jumping in the early evening. Best Time to Visit: The lake’s inviting any time the Tioga Road is open. Given the elevation, though, the trail will probably be covered with snow the first few weeks after the road opens, and portions of the trail and the area around the lake may be too marshy for your tastes until mid to late summer, depending on how wet the previous winter was. If you’re visiting the lake earlier, a pair of wading boots might be worth the extra weight. Crowd Factor:
