September 22, 2025.
2.2 mi. |740′ ele. gain | 1:15 hr.
We raced to get to Yosemite National Park before dark. First, we secured a first come, first served campsite just outside the Tioga Pass entrance before driving into the park. We’d only have enough time for a short hike, so I suggested Lembert Dome. I found this route from the Dog Lake Trailhead on YosemiteHikes.com. It promised a quick hike up to a prominent viewport that we’d be able to complete before sunset. Plus, it involved some scrambling up the sticky granite stone that attracts climbers from all over.
At about 5:30pm, we started up the trail. A few stragglers were just finishing their hike as we walked uphill. The air was thin up there at 8700′. We were not used to that elevation yet! We felt sluggish and way out of shape, but I had to remind myself that it was just the elevation.
Several switchbacks took us up the bulk of the elevation gain, then we turned right onto a much gentler trail that dropped us at the base of the rock. Once we got there, it was a choose-your-own adventure to the top. What an introduction to Yosemite! We didn’t come here to do any technical climbing, so it was fun to find something accessible to do that would give us the feeling for the rock here. The scramble began as a pretty straightforward endeavor, but we soon separated to find our own paths up that felt comfortable for each of us. I was surprised at how steep the dome got.
Along the way, I found some tenacious little patches of buckwheat that I stopped to admire. Though the bloom season had passed, I imagined their little stems hanging on to clusters of bright pink flowers.
At the top of the dome, we gathered up and took a look at the beautiful view in all directions. I couldn’t name any of the chunks of rock rising above the trees, but I still appreciated getting to see them in the early evening light.
On the way back, we each again chose different routes that suited our preferences. I, for one, hate downclimbing. So I searched for the least steep line I could find. Aaron wandered off in roughly the direction I had come up. Once it flattened out a bit, we aimed for treeline.
Once we had the trail in our sights, I caught some movement on the stone: a frog! A tiny Pacific chorus frog, colored the same as the rock underfoot, hopped frantically away from us. Delighted, I crouched down to try and catch it. Must be some sort of primal reflex, as I’ve been catching frogs my whole life. After a quick photo shoot, we let him be and returned to the trail.
We saw no one on our walk down through the woods. It was such a peaceful way to end a frantic first day in Yosemite. And the kicker: we got to see the mountains turn wild colors as the sun set during our drive to camp.
Even if you’re not comfortable hiking all the way up to the summit, this is worth the hike. There are many areas to access the open rock faces from the trail that do not require any steep ascents. Just near the end of the trail, you can hike out to a wide, open slab that’s flat enough to bring a picnic blanket and a lunch and have a nice afternoon. The views are incredible from any point above tree line. And it gives you a nice introduction to what scrambling on the granite feels like, so you can make some good choices about what other hikes you’d like to do next!