The trail skirts the north edge of the lake, passing into a beautiful forest of sugar pine and western yellow pine at the upper end. Just above the lake is ~Merced Lake Lodge~, with excellent accommodations. One may here rent a fishing outfit and some supplies may be obtained. ~Washburn Lake~ is three miles further up the canyon. TRAIL TRIP 8 YOSEMITE TO TUOLUMNE MEADOWS _via_ SUNRISE TRAIL (28 miles--12 hours) The ~Sunrise Trail~ has long been famous as one of the most scenic routes between Yosemite and Tuolumne Meadows. The walk is almost too long to be enjoyed in one day and is better taken in two. From Yosemite Village we follow the road south of the river, past Camp Curry to Happy Isles Bridge. There we turn left on the ~Glacier Point Trail~ and follow Trail Trip 1 to the junction at the top of ~Nevada Falls~. Again turning left we skirt the south base of ~Liberty Cap~ and climb 200 feet to the ~Little Yosemite Valley~. After following along the margin of the placid Merced we veer abruptly to the left at the first trail junction. Straight ahead is ~Little Yosemite~ (Trail Trip 13). Our route mounts the timbered slope to the northward and we now and then catch glimpses of the round dome of ~Mt. Starr King~ across Little Yosemite. A climb of 800 feet takes us to the junction where the ~Half Dome Trail~ (Trail Trip 14) turns northwest. We take the right-hand trail, which trends eastward along a gently sloping bench. The ~Clouds Rest Trail~ (Trail Trip 5) now branches northward directly up the slope. Our trail bears eastward and shortly crosses a small branch of Sunrise Creek. The trail now follows up the north bank of ~Sunrise Creek~, crossing about a mile above to the south side. One-half mile further is ~Hopkins Meadow~ and a junction where the ~Merced Lake Trail~ (Trail Trip 7) turns right. Horse-feed is here moderately abundant and camp sites fair. The ~Sunrise Trail~ continues up the canyon and is shortly joined by the ~Forsyth Pass Trail~ from the north (Trail Trip 5). Reaching the head of Sunrise Creek and ascending the east flank of ~Sunrise Mountain~ by long sandy zigzags, the trail emerges at several vantage points from which ~Mt. Clark~ is most advantageously seen to the south. The trail now leads almost level through lodgepole pine and fir forests, emerging suddenly at the foot of ~Long Meadow~. To the north is the sharp spire of ~Columbia Finger~ (Alt. 10,700) and ~Tenaya Peak~ (Alt. 10,300) at the left. Horse-feed is abundant here late in the season but the meadow is generally cold. There is no fishing in the creek. Just beyond the 400-foot ridge to the west is ~Mildred Lake~, in which are some very large trout.