The Easy Yosemite Hiking Trail That Reveals Mystical Mirror Images Of The Half Dome

There's no denying that there are some pretty darn tricky and even downright dangerous hikes in Yosemite. This land of 13,000-foot peaks and soaring granite ridges that cuts into the Sierra Nevada hosts fabled summits like the Half Dome — a behemoth of a mountain that becomes particularly treacherous during wet conditions. Meanwhile, just opposite, the zigzagging and notoriously difficult Snow Creek Trail involves ultra-steep ascents all the way up from the valley bottom. That said, beginner hikers need not despair, for there's also a gushing waterfall's worth of less-challenging routes in these parts — one of which is the path to Mirror Lake.

It can be as short as 2 miles or as long as 5 miles, depending on whether you want to complete a whole loop around the eponymous lake. Much of the hike is on paved roadways, and the path never clambers higher than 4,250 feet above sea level, so it's no lung-buster like its high-Sierra compadres. In addition to all that, the road up to Mirror Lake is also open to cars with disability placards, so it's accessible.

But don't go thinking that Mirror Lake isn't a looker. Just because you don't have to battle with high-alpine terrain doesn't mean you'll miss out on any of the ridiculously stunning scenery that this park is known for. Hikers here can be wowed by the shimmering reflection of the mighty Half Dome in the water, and spy the hulking outline of Mount Watkins looming to the northeast. There are also forests of soaring pines, timber bridges, and even swimming holes that are perfect for cooling off in the summer heat.

It's not just the Mirror Lake Loop that's easygoing — getting onto the path in the first place is a cinch, too! This one has its very own dedicated shuttle stop served by not one, but two shuttle routes. Alight at Stop 17 to begin your walk, where the trailhead sits right behind the bus station. Initially, it's a wide, paved roadway, which you can follow for an hour all the way to Mirror Lake itself if you like. Alternatively, there's an offshoot that promises something a touch wilder, going through pine groves and alongside gurgling creeks on a classic backcountry trail.

Eventually, all paths meet at the lake, which isn't really a lake at all — it's actually just a wide section of Tenaya Creek that swells in the springtime with snowmelt. It can even dry out entirely by the fall, creating sandy patches of meadowland hemmed in by forests of orange and yellow and ochre. At this point, the asphalt road is swapped for a rocky trail that completes the loop around the lake in a montage of dense woodlands and big granite boulders. It typically takes two more hours to nail this section.

The presence of swim spots along the creek means there's likely to be a crowd in the warmer months, when this hike is at its busiest. On the flip side, Mirror Lake can be alluringly deserted in the winter. Yep, although Yosemite is surely among the national parks in America you might want to avoid during the holidays, while key attractions like the Tioga Road and Glacier Point might be snowed in, this particular loop remains open. That said, a willingness to navigate patches of ice, as well as carrying all the proper winter gear, will be required.