Early Intake Reservoir
Lake · Yosemite corridor
Early Intake Reservoir sits at 2388 feet in the Yosemite corridor of California's Sierra Nevada, a modest alpine lake fed by snow melt. Calmer than the open water downstream and less crowded than Tenaya or Pywiack.
Wind averages 6 mph across the rolling 30 days but gusts to 18 mph by mid-afternoon, funneled off the surrounding ridges. Morning glass water gives way to chop by 2 p.m. Expect cool temps in the low 50s and minimal shade on the shoreline.
Over the past month, Early Intake Reservoir averaged a NoGo Score of 13.0 with temperatures hovering around 51 degrees and average wind of 6 mph. The 30-day minimum score of 7.0 and maximum of 27.0 shows high day-to-day variability tied to Sierra weather systems. The week ahead will track typical spring patterns: calm mornings, afternoon wind pickup, and crowding that spikes around weekends as Highway 120 conditions improve.
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About Early Intake Reservoir
Early Intake Reservoir lies in the high-Sierra transition zone, roughly 15 miles west of Tenaya Lake via Highway 120. Access is via a short forest road from the Tioga Road corridor, near the Tuolumne Meadows gateway. The lake drains north into the Tenaya Creek system and sits below the Sierra crest ridges that dominate the surrounding landscape. At 2388 feet, it occupies the zone where lodgepole pine and fir mix with granite benches. The water is glacially fed, cold year-round, and typically accessible from late spring through early autumn depending on snowpack and road-maintenance timing.
Conditions at Early Intake Reservoir track the broader Yosemite corridor climate. The rolling 30-day average temperature is 51 degrees Fahrenheit, with annual lows dipping to 39 degrees and highs reaching 70 degrees across the full year. Wind averages 6 mph but gusts regularly to 18 mph, especially in afternoon hours when thermal flows off the Sierra peaks accelerate. Crowding sits at an average of 6 out of 10 during the rolling 30 days, far lighter than Highway 120 basin destinations. Late spring and early autumn see the mildest conditions and best access; mid-summer brings higher traffic and warmer afternoons; winter closure via snowpack typically runs from November through April depending on the water year.
Early Intake Reservoir suits paddlers, anglers, and swimmers who prefer low-key alpine conditions over the busier Tenaya or Pywiack lakes to the east. The small size and minimal infrastructure mean no motorboats and a quieter shoreline. Experienced visitors plan around the morning wind window; glassy water typically holds from sunrise to 10 a.m., after which thermal wind becomes consistent. Parking is limited and fills on weekends shortly after Highway 120 opens. The cold water and lack of developed facilities (no picnic areas, no ranger station) favor self-sufficient trips. Bring layers; the exposed ridgelines create chill even on warm days.
The nearest alternative is Tenaya Lake, four miles east on Highway 120, which is larger, warmer by a few degrees at altitude, and substantially more crowded. Pywiack Lake lies another five miles east and is shallower, warmer, and even more popular on weekends. Visitors planning a multi-lake tour often string Early Intake, Tenaya, and Pywiack together; doing so requires early morning departs to avoid afternoon wind across all three. The Yosemite corridor as a whole sits in a wind-prone corridor funneling Pacific storms and thermal afternoon flows; Early Intake is sheltered relative to the open eastern basin but still subject to Sierra pressure patterns.