Upper Cathedral Lake
Sitting at around 9,500 feet in Yosemite's high country, this pristine alpine lake offers one of the park's most dramatic mountain reflections, with the iconic granite spire of Cathedral Peak rising sharply above the water. The classic composition frames the peak reflected in the lake's surface, best achieved from the eastern shoreline where you have a clear sightline toward the summit. Early morning gives you the calmest water for reflections and soft alpenglow on the granite, so plan to arrive at first light, which means starting the roughly 9-mile round-trip hike before dawn. A wide-angle lens works well to capture both the foreground lake and the full height of the peak, and the surrounding meadow adds color and texture when wildflowers are in bloom, typically mid to late summer. The trailhead is accessible from Tioga Road, which is typically open June through October. (Yosemite National Park, California, United States)
