Optically pumped near ultraviolet lasing from single‐crystal GaN grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition has been achieved over a temperature range from 10 K to over 375 K by using a side‐pumping geometry on small barlike samples. The laser emission threshold was measured as a function of temperature and the threshold was found to show weak temperature dependence: ∼500 kW/cm2at 10 K and ∼800 kW/cm2at room temperature (295 K) for one particular sample studied. The longitudinal lasing modes were clearly observed. The characteristics of the temperature dependence of the laser emission threshold suggests that GaN is a suitable material for the development of optoelectronic devices required to operate at high temperatures. ©1995 American Institute of Physics.