Parsons Peak
Parsons Peak rises to 3,699 m in California. Mount Ritter stands 4,007 m to the southeast, 8.5 miles off. The nearest named place is Amelia Earhart Peak, a peak 1.2 miles away. Tioga Road/Big Oak Flat Road passes 7.0 miles off.
The story
Parsons Peak is a mountain in Yosemite National Park and the Cathedral Range of California's Sierra Nevada. The peak, located on the Madera–Tuolumne county line, rises to an elevation of 12,153 feet (3,704 m). The mountain has a ridge extending northwest from the summit. On this ridge is a point, referred to as Parsons Peak-Northwest Ridge, which rises to an elevation of about 8,848 feet (2,697 m) and at this point the boundaries of Mariposa, Tuolumne, and Madera counties meet. This point is the highest point in Mariposa County. Most of the precipitation that falls on the mountain is snow due to the very high elevation. The peak was named for Edward Taylor Parsons, who for many years was a director of the Sierra Club.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Wikidata Q8526046, referenced by the OpenStreetMap record.
What the record says
- Elevation
- 3699 m
How to reach it
- 7.0 mi off the Tioga Road/Big Oak Flat Road, National
Overlooks nearby
- Disappearing Meadows · 7 mi
- Lembert Dome · 8 mi
- View on Tenaya Lake · 10 mi
- Tioga Lake Overlook Info Site · 10 mi
Named places within 25 miles
- Amelia Earhart Peak: 1.2 mi
- Simmons Peak: 1.3 mi
- Fletcher Peak: 1.8 mi
- Vogelsang Peak: 2.3 mi
- Mount Florence: 2.6 mi
- Florence Falls: 3.0 mi
- Tenaya Creek Waterslide: 9.0 mi
- Bunnell Cascade: 9.2 mi
- Cascade Fall: 9.9 mi
- Horsetail Falls: 9.9 mi
- Ghost Cabin: 7.2 mi
- Soda Springs Cabin: 7.7 mi
- California Historic Civil Engineering Landmark: 12.2 mi
- Chetwood Cabin: 12.6 mi
- Legend of June Lake Slot Machines: 13.4 mi
- Soda Springs: 7.7 mi
- Iron Spring: 13.6 mi
- Hartley Springs: 14.6 mi
- Reds Meadow Hot Springs: 16.8 mi
- Mono Vista Spring: 19.1 mi
- Bunnell Cliff: 9.3 mi
- Cascade Cliffs: 10.5 mi
- Diving Board: 13.0 mi
- Panorama Cliff: 14.1 mi
- Glacier Point: 14.9 mi
- Gull Lake Park: 12.4 mi
- Gus Hess Community Park: 16.3 mi
- Mono Basin National Forest Scenic Area: 18.1 mi
- Mono Lake Park: 18.8 mi
- Community Center Park: 19.7 mi
- Perched Boulder: 12.8 mi
- Indian Arch: 13.4 mi
- Devils Postpile: 16.1 mi
- Upside-Down House: 16.2 mi
- South Tufa Area: 19.1 mi
- Nature Center at Happy Isles: 14.1 mi
- Yosemite Conservation Heritage Center: 15.1 mi
- Ansel Adams residence: 15.4 mi
- Yosemite Exploration Center: 15.4 mi
- Yosemite Museum & Library: 15.4 mi
- Aerie Crag Picnic Area: 10.8 mi
- Gull Lake Picnic Area: 12.1 mi
- Minaret Vista Picnic: 15.9 mi
- Swinging Bridge Picnic Area: 16.2 mi
- El Capitan Picnic Area: 17.4 mi
- June Lake Beach: 13.2 mi
- Danburg Beach: 18.9 mi
- Navy Beach: 19.3 mi
- Benson Lake Beach: 20.5 mi
- free natural hot pool: 16.8 mi
- Iva Bell Hot Springs: 22.9 mi
- Iva Bell Hot Springs: 22.9 mi
- Iva Bell Hot Springs: 23.0 mi
- Bennettville: 11.4 mi
- Mono Mills: 20.5 mi
- Dunderberg Mill: 22.8 mi
- Yosemite National Park: 13.5 mi
- Crestview Rest Area: 18.8 mi
- Arch Rock: 23.1 mi
Other summits around it
The highest named summits within 8.6 miles of Parsons Peak. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.
| Summit | Bearing | Elevation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Ritter | SE 136° | 4,007 m | 8.5 mi |
| Mount Lyell | SE 143° | 3,993 m | 3.3 mi |
| Kuna Peak | ENE 65° | 3,958 m | 6.0 mi |
| Rodgers Peak | SE 143° | 3,956 m | 4.5 mi |
| Koip Peak | ENE 66° | 3,954 m | 6.3 mi |
| Banner Peak | SE 132° | 3,940 m | 8.3 mi |
| Mount Maclure | SSE 147° | 3,933 m | 2.7 mi |
| Parker Peak | ENE 69° | 3,919 m | 7.2 mi |
When to go
Light through the year
| Date | Sunrise | Golden hour | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 07:02 | 18:35 | 19:09 |
| June solstice | 05:36 | 19:44 | 20:23 |
| September equinox | 06:46 | 18:21 | 18:56 |
| December solstice | 07:10 | 16:01 | 16:42 |
Local time (America/Los_Angeles).
Climate normals
Months averaging 50–80 °F: Jul–Aug.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg °F | 27 | 25 | 29 | 34 | 40 | 49 | 55 | 53 | 49 | 42 | 33 | 26 |
| Precip in | 6.2 | 4.0 | 4.2 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.7 | 3.1 | 4.5 |
1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Tuolumne Meadows RS, 7 mi away.
Inside the official boundary of Yosemite National Park. Quietest months by visitation: Jan and Feb; busiest: Aug.
NPS visitation statistics, monthly averages 2021–2025 (2020 excluded).
Where this comes from
Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.
OpenStreetMapWikipediaWikidataOpenStreetMap element node/358807066
Day trips start here
- Yosemite National Park · 14 mi
- Sierra Nevada · 15 mi
- Mono Lake · 23 mi
Take the scenic way to Parsons Peak.
Byway plans around your taste, verified places, real weather and opening hours — then opens every leg in Google Maps with one tap.