Cathedral Lakes Trail is one of the easiest and most popular hiking trails in Yosemite National Park. This is a straightforward trail that visits two stunning alpine lakes with an option for overnight camping at both of them.
The trailhead is easy to spot off Tioga Road and follows a narrow path directly into the forest. The beginning section of this hike is very rocky and has multiple side trails so I recommend using an offline hiking map like Maps.
The first two miles of the Cathedral Lakes Trail are the hardest and gain nearly 1000 feet in elevation. But once you make it up this steep section, the trail flattens out for a bit giving hikers a much-needed break.
The trail to Cathedral Lakes is around 7 miles long round trip. There is an option to go on a loop around the Lower Cathedral Lake so you end up doing around 9+ miles altogether.