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Amid the dog days of summer, Yosemite locals find cooling refuge in swimming holes in and near the national park.

Among the most easily reached is a hole at the Cascade Creek picnic area on the Merced Road (SR 140) a half mile east of the Arch Rock entrance station. Farther up Cascade Creek, near the Tamarack Flat campground is a brilliant-green pool. The road to the campground from the Tioga Road (SR 120) closes in mid September, but can be reached by mountain bike to the campground, then a hike along the El Capitan trail from there.

Perhaps the most visited hole is Emerald Pool above Vernal Falls. The three-mile hike up the Mist Trail so raises your body temperature that you’re eager to jump into the icy water. Natural water slides along polished granite at the east end of the pool provide a fun diversion, though be cautious about getting anywhere near the waterfall at the west end. Even at low flows, the current is strong and can carry swimmers over the edge. The trail to Chilnualna Fall near Wawona (SR 41) is a steep, 8.2 mile hike, but the reward is a many layered fall into pools that provide refreshing swimming.

Outside the national park, Diana’s Falls is 13 miles east of Coulterville near the confluence of Bean Creek and the North Fork of the Merced River in the Stanislaus National Forest. This classic hole is surrounded by rock walls and a picturesque waterfall that fills it. There’s good swimming and plenty of space to sit around the edges.

More about these and other Yosemite area swimming holes is found in “Swimming Holes of California” by Pancho Doll sold in area stores and online.