Gaylor Peak

{{Short description|Mountain summit in California}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}

{{Infobox mountain

|name = Gaylor Peak

|photo = Gaylor Peak watching over Upper Gaylor Lake.jpg

|photo_caption = North aspect, from Upper Gaylor Lake

|elevation_ft = 11004

|elevation_ref = R. J. Secor, The High Sierra Peaks, Passes, Trails, 2009, Third Edition, Mountaineers Books, {{ISBN|9781594857386}}.

|prominence_ft = 484

|prominence_ref = {{cite peakbagger |pid=21330|name=Gaylor Peak, California|access-date=2022-05-08}}

|isolation_mi = 1.95

|isolation_ref = {{cite web|url=https://listsofjohn.com/peak/56197|title=Gaylor Peak - 11,004' CA|website=listsofjohn.com|access-date=2022-05-08}}

|parent_peak = False White Mountain (12,002 ft)

|etymology = Andrew Jack Gaylor

|listing = Vagmarken Club Sierra Crest List{{cite vagmarken |access-date=2022-05-07}}

|map = California#USA

|map_caption = Location in California

|map_size = 260

|label_position = top

|location = Yosemite National Park
Tuolumne / Mono counties
California, United States

|range = Sierra Nevada

|coordinates = {{coord|37.9190971|N|119.2655456|W|type:mountain_region:US-CA_scale:100000_source:GNIS|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

|coordinates_ref = {{cite gnis|id=224104|name=Gaylor Peak|access-date=2022-05-08}}

|topo = USGS Tioga Pass

|rock = Metamorphic rockMarc J. Soares (2003), 100 Hikes in Yosemite National Park, Mountaineers Books, {{ISBN|9780898868678}}, p.170

|type = Fault block

|age =

|first_ascent =

|easiest_route = {{YDS|2}}

}}

Gaylor Peak is an 11,004-foot (3,354-meter) mountain summit located on the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in northern California, United States. The peak is positioned on the boundary between Yosemite National Park and the Inyo National Forest, and it also lies on the border between Mono County and Tuolumne County. The peak rises prominently above Tioga Pass and Tioga Lake, with a notable topographic relief, as the summit stands approximately {{convert|1,400|ft|m|abbr=off|sp=us}} above the lake within a distance of {{convert|1/2|mi|km|spell=in}}.

Gaylor Peak is a popular hiking destination, particularly during the summer months, due to its accessibility. Hikers can reach the summit via the Gaylor Lakes Trail, a two-mile route that begins at State Route 120, which runs along the eastern base of the peak.Marc J. Soares (2003), 100 Hikes in Yosemite National Park, Mountaineers Books, {{ISBN|9780898868678}}, p. 170 The peak's geological composition consists of metamorphic rock, and it is classified as a fault block mountain.

The peak is named after Andrew Jack Gaylor, though detailed historical information about the naming is limited. The mountain is listed on the Vagmarken Club's Sierra Crest List, recognizing notable summits in the region.{{cite vagmarken |access-date=2022-05-07}}

The easiest route to the summit is a Class 2 hike on the Yosemite Decimal System scale, which indicates that the climb involves simple scrambling without the need for specialized climbing equipment.