Lower McCabe Lake

About this place

Lower McCabe Lake is an official itinerary area, permit zone, or source-backed named overnight reference represented by a reachable point on the pinned agency trail network in Yosemite National Park.

The marker is a route-access reference, not a tent pad. Move off the trail only where travel is permitted, remain inside the authorized zone, and choose a legal durable site under every current setback and closure.

Water planning

Water at this camp

Natural water at or near this camp area

Availability

Lower McCabe Lake and Unnamed mapped lake or pond are mapped at or near the camp-area marker. This is map evidence, not a real-time flow report.

Drinking safety

Natural water is not verified potable. Filter and disinfect it or boil it according to the linked land-manager guidance before drinking.

Seasonality

Lower McCabe Lake is a mapped waterbody; USGS does not classify it here as seasonal or year-round. Confirm current level, access, and quality. Unnamed mapped lake or pond is a mapped waterbody; USGS does not classify it here as seasonal or year-round. Confirm current level, access, and quality.

Lower McCabe LakeLake or pond · at the camp areaMapped waterbody — level and access can change · Treat before drinking
Official source
Unnamed mapped lake or pondLake or pond · at the camp areaMapped waterbody — level and access can change · Treat before drinking
Official source

Fire planning

Campfire & stove rules

Campfires prohibited

Campfires

This camp is approximately 9,849 ft, above Yosemite's 9,600-ft wilderness campfire limit. Never build a new ring; any allowed fire must be at least 100 feet from water and trail and fully extinguished.

Backpacking stoves

Portable backpacking stoves allowed. Pressurized-gas, liquid-fuel, propane, alcohol, and tablet/cube stoves are allowed. Twig and Sierra stoves follow the campfire rules and are prohibited wherever campfires are prohibited.

Permit

Yosemite does not require a separate California Campfire Permit for the portable stoves listed by the park.

Current restrictions

Yosemite currently prohibits wood, charcoal, and twig fires below 8,000 feet. Parkwide restrictions may supersede every camp-specific result; check the live page before departure.

Seasonal access

Closures & seasonal access

Tioga Road and Glacier Point Road usually close for snow from about November into late May or June

Place closure

No recurring date-based closure of Lower McCabe Lake is published. The source-connected approach conditions below and temporary emergency orders still control access.

Seasonal access

Source-connected approaches: Happy Isles Trailhead, Glacier Point Trailhead, Cathedral Lakes Trailhead, and 8 more. Tioga Road and Glacier Point Road usually close for snow from about November into late May or June. Valley, Wawona, and Hetch Hetchy access use different road and gate rules.

Before driving

Road opening and closing dates are condition-driven. Check park conditions and the selected trailhead parking page immediately before travel.

Approach, parking, or service windows

Overnight parking restrictionOctober 15 → Road reopening in spring
Overnight parking is prohibited on Tioga Road and associated lots, and on Glacier Point Road beyond Badger Pass, beginning October 15 until the applicable road reopens in spring.
Official source

Mapped approaches

Choose a trailhead for Lower McCabe Lake camp area

Each option has a sourced trail route to this camp area. Choose one to open its itinerary builder with this destination in context.

Glen Aulin Trailhead13.8 mi awayView trailhead Build from here
Lyell Canyon / Rafferty Creek Trailhead14.6 mi awayView trailhead Build from here
Cathedral Lakes Trailhead14.8 mi awayView trailhead Build from here
Murphy Creek Trailhead15.4 mi awayView trailhead Build from here
Young Lakes Trailhead15.9 mi awayView trailhead Build from here
May Lake Trailhead17.4 mi awayView trailhead Build from here
Sunrise Lakes Trailhead22.5 mi awayView trailhead Build from here
Ten Lakes Trailhead28.5 mi awayView trailhead Build from here
White Wolf Trailhead30.6 mi awayView trailhead Build from here
Lukens Lake Trailhead31.8 mi awayView trailhead Build from here
Mirror Lake / Snow Creek Trailhead32.9 mi awayView trailhead Build from here
Happy Isles Trailhead33.4 mi awayView trailhead Build from here
Porcupine Creek Trailhead33.6 mi awayView trailhead Build from here
Yosemite Falls Trailhead35.4 mi awayView trailhead Build from here
Aspen Valley Trailhead35.7 mi awayView trailhead Build from here
Glacier Point Trailhead37.6 mi awayView trailhead Build from here
Poopenaut Valley Trailhead37.9 mi awayView trailhead Build from here
Smith Peak Trailhead38.0 mi awayView trailhead Build from here
Base Line Camp Road Trailhead38.7 mi awayView trailhead Build from here
Mono Meadow Trailhead39.0 mi awayView trailhead Build from here
Hetch Hetchy Trailhead40.3 mi awayView trailhead Build from here
Cottonwood Creek Trailhead41.0 mi awayView trailhead Build from here
Yosemite Creek Trailhead41.8 mi awayView trailhead Build from here
Old Big Oak Flat Road Trailhead46.9 mi awayView trailhead Build from here
South Fork Tuolumne River Trailhead48.1 mi awayView trailhead Build from here
Mono / Parker Pass Trailhead48.5 mi awayView trailhead Build from here
Chilnualna Falls Trailhead55.8 mi awayView trailhead Build from here
Bridalveil Creek Trailhead56.5 mi awayView trailhead Build from here
Ostrander Trailhead57.8 mi awayView trailhead Build from here
Alder Creek Trailhead59.8 mi awayView trailhead Build from here

Map

Loading map

Latitude: 37.994383° N
Longitude: 119.350924° W

Sources