With the focus on all the amazing peaks the Sierra has to offer....

I was just curious what hidden gems are out there in the Sierra, with an emphasis on aesthetic appeal and value, for the purpose of leisure, swimming, and chilling.

I'll start first:

Unnamed lake in Leconte canyon near john muir trail:







Dragon Lakes in Rae Lakes Basin









Upper Horton Lake





Unnamed lakes in Ionian Basin:








Unnamed lake above Rambound Creek next to Devils Crag






Lake Aloha in Tahoe

Nice idea for a thread.

I'll add...

Upper Pine Lake


Honeymoon Lake


Alger Lakes (a beautiful sight to behold after 8+hrs with a 45lb pack, and with a big storm minutes from hitting)


Treasure Lakes (Hourglass Couloir and Mt. Dade in background)


Gem Lakes (Little Lakes Valley)

Hello Daria. Beautiful lakes are one of my passions and as a photographer that has been exploring the Sierra several decades, have seen a great many though most I didn't manage to take a photograph of that was impressive enough to put on my public web site. Many of my best lake images are on my website and a few of those are also here on summitpost.

Long before you were born, I found a beautiful nameless lake in Kings Canyon National Park:



And since then put away my fishing pole and have explored the vastness in those mountains, especially off trails, and sometimes where no climbers, fishermen, or hikers would have any reason to visit. There are many nameless bodies of waters that few or none have ever seen that are absolute jewels, often sitting at and above timberline. Few lakes are aesthetic from all shore perspectives and any are only most beautiful at certain times of the year and day, under limited weather and sky conditions. Thus one task of the serious photographer is to visit such lakes when they are so and be lucky enough to experience good conditions. There are several well known icon Sierra Nevada lakes like:

Thousand Island Lake, a lake I backpacked to 8 times over the years before I was lucky enough to see exceptional skies.

http://www.davidsenesac.com/images/print_05-q4-2.html

Ediza Lake, one of the few lakes where a blind person wandering its shores could take wonderful images.

http://www.davidsenesac.com/images/print_06-dd3-4.html

Vee Lake, here one must go deep into the Sierra wonder.

http://www.davidsenesac.com/Gallery_B/07-AA2-2.jpg

And some less well known large lakes like Peter Pande:

http://www.davidsenesac.com/Gallery_B/12-G2-1.jpg

And this lake with a name I won't divulge:

http://www.davidsenesac.com/Gallery_B/08-G4-3.jpg

And this little lake without a name that many people have walked by, surrounded by idealic wildflower covered turf.

http://www.davidsenesac.com/Gallery_B/06-DD9-1.jpg

And this little lake without a name that many many have walked near but never considered the perspective from this shore:

http://www.davidsenesac.com/images/print_06-gg9-3.html

And this lake at foxtail pine timberline without a name that very few have ever walked the shores of:

http://www.davidsenesac.com/Gallery_B/07-Y2-3.jpg

And of course there are many superbly beautiful little nameless ponds like this that are treasures for those Sierra enthusiasts who seek and explore.

http://www.davidsenesac.com/images/print_04-p6-2.html

David Senesac
http://www.davidsenesac.com

Artrock said honeymoon +1

also

Marie

Marie Lake by jhendersonphotography, on Flickr

Sandpiper

sandpiper lake by jhendersonphotography, on Flickr

Apollo

apollo lake by jhendersonphotography, on Flickr


Or just about any other lake in the Sierra in the right conditions.

Thanks for this thread! I'll be gazing at lakes year-round now.

Really, too many to list, but this will suffice for now:

Clearing Storm, Lake Reflection


Story: http://www.rangeoflightphotography.com/news/lake-reflection-2009-

Sierra Mountain Lakes http://www.summitpost.org/sierra-mountain-lakes/460179

Vee Lake


Nydiver Lake:


Lake 10232:


Nature's Rorschach Test (what do u see?):


Lower Par Value Lake:

Really, no one yet for Second Lake?? I don't think there's a much more beautiful place in the Sierra, but that's just me

V., love the second pic. Is that one of the Royce Lakes with Merriam Peak in the background?

Now here is a thread I can get in to.

Big Margaret Lake, Silver Divide


Moonlight Lake, JM Wilderness

I really need to get up to Desolation and see Aloha one of these years... Here are a couple out-of-the-way ones from recent travels. Muriel Lake:

Amphitheater Lake:

One of the coolest lakes in the Sierra is Precipice Lake near the Kaweah gap. Truly one of the most unique lakes in the sierra!!!



Vidette Lakes



golden lake (Vidette lake)



Vidette lakes




random pond in wonder lakes



Kearsarge Lakes



Unnamed lake in Grouse meadow (leConte canyon)




Lion Lake:

Cockscomb from Budd lake



Tenaya Lake



Steelhead and Cascade Lakes



Carson Peak from Silver Lake



Chickenfoot Lake



Skelton Lake