Getting There

The first part of the journey to Mattie Lake starts with a hike down to Glen Aulin High Sierra Camp. The trailhead to Glen Aulin can be reached at Tuolumne Meadows in the northeast of Yosemite. Make sure to get your wilderness permit! We parked along the road near the stables. The Ranger will tell you where to park if you are hiking into Glen Aulin High Sierra Camp like we did.

The Hike

It is a moderate hike to Glen Aulin. We traveled about 5.2 miles and it was relatively easy. The trail takes you downhill for most of the way as it follows the Tuolumne River northward. From the trailhead at Tuolumne Meadows, you will follow the road until the trail heads into the woods. There is a sign junction here. Be prepared for magnificent views as you climb your way down the valley and across the Tuolumne River two more times. The hike to Glen Aulin on the Tuolumne River makes for an excellent day hike, so expect to see many visitors coming and going.We made camp at Glen Aulin and prepared ourselves for the next part of our journey to Mattie Lake the next day.

When we set out the next day on our way to Mattie Lake, we found ourselves on a steady but mild uphill climb through Cold Canyon. We kept our eyes peeled for the turn off to Mattie Lake. We found the marker about 2 miles up the Cold Canyon trail. There was a cairn and a light trail. There are another two miles to go. We followed this trail to Mattie Lake even though we lost it many times. Eventually we headed towards the right (east) between the peak and a hill, through the valley, and down the granite slopes to Mattie Lake. What a sight!

The Fishing

First cast with my yellow Panther Martin hooked up at Mattie Lake! The fishing at Mattie Lake is hot! It is surrounded by green, turfy grass on one side and normal granite shore elsewhere. It has a peninsula to cast from thats easy to access. The water is warm enough to wade into and swim if you choose.

I used both wet and dry flies at Mattie Lake. I found that dry flies like grasshoppers or Humpys worked well at Mattie Lake. The nymphs I tried raised some interest but didn't produce like the hoppers. Mattie Lake is full of hungry Brookies in the 9-11 inch category. My partner had action casting yellow Panther Martins from the east shore. All in all, Mattie Lake is an amazing fishery. It is a bit challenging to get here for most folks though.

It must be noted that attempting to return to Glen Aulin Valley via the outlet stream from Mattie Lake is a bad idea. Seriously.