Lake Eleanor, reservoir in Yosemite National Park
Lake Eleanor is a reservoir in Tuolumne County, California, surrounded by forested hills and rocky terrain. It has a calm water surface that mirrors the sky and trees along its banks, with trails leading around the lake and into the nearby woods.
The reservoir was created in 1918 by constructing an arched concrete dam as part of the Hetch Hetchy water system designed to supply San Francisco. This infrastructure was developed following debates about protecting the natural landscape, with conservationists like John Muir expressing concerns about the project.
The lake carries the name of an early settler in the area. Today, visitors use the place mainly for quiet walks and peaceful moments in nature, reflecting a deep connection to the untouched mountain landscape.
Roads leading to the lake are well maintained and parking is available nearby, making access straightforward for most visitors. Several campgrounds in the area have toilets and picnic spaces, allowing families and groups to spend multiple days outdoors.
The dam features distinctive arched concrete sections standing over 60 feet tall, an impressive engineering example for its era. This design was innovative and remains a rare example of this particular dam construction technique in the region.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
