We made good timing on the hike back, and found the trail to be much more crowded as the day had progressed. There are additional side trips that can be taken to both Mono and Morgan Passes, which will add more miles and more lakes, or you can come back and make those trips separate hikes! Little Lakes Valley to Gem Lakes is a 7.2 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Bishop, California that features a lake and is rated as moderate. Pine Glen Group Campground. As fishermen, we know there are times when our favorite spots are just not active so we built our Hot Spots feature to show you where the fish are biting in the area of Gem Lake. Long Lake was up next, followed by a short walk down to Chickenfoot Lake. This hike offers a close up view of Carson Peak, access to Agnew and Gem Lake, and give you a sneak peek of the high Sierras. A short while later, we met up with Marsh, Heart, and Box Lakes, making a stop at each of them. Hikers will pass under the 13,000+ ft mountain peaks of Bear Creek Spire, Mt. The town is surrounded by forests and mountains. So you're interested in fishing Gem Lake. June lake Ca, August 5 2020, – SCE will replace the Gem Lake gate valve assembly with a new valve to maintain the safe operation of the dam. Your email address will not be published. Mammoth Lakes; Landmarks. Garnet Lake, Mammoth Lakes: See 16 reviews, articles, and 7 photos of Garnet Lake, ranked No.27 on Tripadvisor among 37 attractions in Mammoth Lakes. Whitewater Near Gem Lake: San Joaquin River - Middle Fork , Madera County, 8 miles away Class V+ - 32.5 miles long (Devils Postpile Nat'l Monument to Mammoth Pool Reservoir) Emerald Lake. This hike is also accessible to beginner hikers, since it … The mountains, having received a dusting of snow the week prior, made for a picturesque backdrop over the duration of our hike and we frequently stopped to enjoy the views. Chatting with a hiker who was coming down, he mentioned that there wasn’t much of a view from the top, and I was persuaded not to add the extra distance, which was probably for the best. From there, retrace your steps back to the parking lot. Highly rated hidden gems in Mammoth Lakes: Top hidden gem activities. Conservatively, if you hike to Gem Lakes at the end of the trail, as we did, you can anticipate seeing seven to nine lakes. Little Lakes Valley sits just 45 minutes south of Mammoth and 50 minutes north of Bishop in the Eastern Sierra. We followed the signs to Gem Lakes, crossed the creek over a small series of stone steps and climbed up to a view overlooking the lake. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from September until October. Be sure to take some time to enjoy the peaceful and scenic setting at Gem Lake. Hiking to TJ Lake & Barrett Lake This 8.5-mile out-and-back hike passes by six alpine lakes and provides side trail options to quite a few more. Here is the thing about Mammoth Brewery – it is right next to SO MUCH GOOD HIKING. Lodging There are plenty of lodging options but we’ve always stayed at the Westin Monache Resort in town, or Tamarack Lodge for cross country skiing. Gem Lake is a lake located just 12.3 miles from Mammoth Lakes, in Mono County, in the state of California, United States, near June Lake, CA. From Mammoth, take Highway 395 south from 15 miles and then turn right on Rock Creek Road which dead ends at the trailhead parking lot. Hiking Little Lakes Valley to Gem lakes is one of the best moderate hikes in the Mammoth Lakes area in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. It doesn’t take long to see why this trail is so popular, and we were quick to fall in love with it. Wildlife, Create Recommended Route or This lake is a hidden gem. So grab your favorite fly … If you feel up to it, you can continue on the trail all the way to Waugh Lake. On our return trek, I briefly toyed with the idea of hiking up Morgan Pass. Mammoth Lakes August 23rd – 29th, 2020. Little Lakes Valley is easily accessible as it sits between two relatively good sized towns: Bishop and Mammoth. The water was calm, and the mountain reflected perfectly, making this an ideal lunch spot. Gem Lake weather forecast updated daily. Camp here if you can - the only negative is the camping spots are hard to find. The neighboring town … Hiking to Heart Lake | Mount Shasta California, Backpacking Ediza Lake | Ansel Adams Wilderness, Delta Lake Hike | Grand Teton National Park Hiking, Alice Lake Hike | Sawtooth Wilderness Backpacking, Backpacking the 20 Lakes Basin | Eastern Sierra. Let us know in the comments! Little Lakes Basin Hiking Detail, Rock Creek, hiking trail near Mammoth Lakes, California. The largest of the three Gem Lakes had a brilliant aquamarine color and would be our home for the next 2 nights. It is a 5 hour drive from both Los Angeles and San Francisco. Welcome to Mammoth Lakes, where “no way” is never far away. Garnet Lake, Mammoth Lakes: See 16 reviews, articles, and 7 photos of Garnet Lake, ranked No.26 on Tripadvisor among 37 attractions in Mammoth Lakes. Always a nice reminder that getting an early start is the best idea you can make on a hike. June Lake is a quaint little lake with spectacular views. Finally, at around the 4-mile mark, you reach a rock outcrop and a beautiful view of Gem Lake below. June Lake is a hidden gem in the Eastern Sierra, just north of Mammoth Lakes. When we arrived at the trailhead at 8:00 a.m., it was 27 degrees, and we were the only car in the parking lot. The hike to Crystal Lake climbs straight up the hillside in less than a mile and the trail can be steep in some areas. This day hike quickly became one of our absolute favorites thanks to a collection of pristine alpine lakes that are surrounded by a series of jagged peaks. The new valve will allow for greater control over outflow and will serve as a stable discharge point to respond to high runoff seasons. We are Brian and Julie, a Bay Area couple making travel work with full-time jobs. Perhaps the biggest obstacle to hiking Little Lakes Valley is the starting elevation which is over 10,000 feet. Turn around whenever you like and return on the same trail. Have you been to Little Lakes Valley? However, we continued on to Gem Lakes (10,915 ft), only a mile further up the trail and 4.2 miles from the start of the hike. The drive from San Diego to California’s High Sierra is a long one (over 6 hours) and, following our 4 hour maximum drive time rule, would normally be broken up into a couple of stages. Pine Glen is a group camping facility that’s shaded by Jeffery pine … Written by Brian Callender | Photography by Julie Boyd. For our first Saturday in the area, we hiked to Gem Lake. This lake is a hidden gem. Ediza Lake, hiking trail near Mammoth Lakes, California. NOAA weather radar, satellite and synoptic charts. Required fields are marked *. This lake is a hidden gem. MAMMOTH LAKES, CALIFORNIA NO SMALL ADVENTURE NOTE: Mammoth Lakes is currently operating under California’s stay-at-home order, which prohibits non-essential travel and short-term lodging. The perfect place to find some solitude along the shore to soak in the wonderful scenery. About Fishing Hot Spots for Gem Lake near Mammoth Lakes. Less than 10 miles roundtrip, the Duck Lake area makes a great short weekend backpacking trip. Difficulty Level: Moderate (a high starting elevation is the biggest obstacle here). Garnet Lake, Mammoth Lakes: Address, Garnet Lake Reviews: 4.5/5. Gem lake is the “grand finale”, a blue-green oasis with easy for a swim and smooth rocks to relax on, meditate, or sit down for a peaceful snack. Follow along as we share our adventures at home & abroad. Highly rated hidden gems in Mammoth Lakes: Top hidden gem activities. Camp here if you can - the only negative is the camping spots are hard to find. We set up our tent on a nice flat area and filled and hung up our Platypus water reservoir on a nearby tree. Mammoth is tucked in the Sierra Nevadas and is a quaint resort and recreational town. The jagged spires of the Minarets and two 14ers, Mount Ritter and Banner Peak, form the dramatic backdrop for Ediza Lake, one of the most stunning lakes in the Ritter Range. Camp here if you can - the only negative is the camping spots are hard to find. See Tripadvisor's 5,742 traveller reviews and photos of Mammoth Lakes hidden gem attractions If you’re like us and spend most of your time near sea level, it can be a bit of a challenge without some acclimation ahead of time. I live just south of Mammoth in the little town of Bishop. This hike visits this alpine jewel, passing beautiful Shadow Lake and a series of pretty waterfalls on Shadow Creek along the way. Dade, Mt. Whether you’re baitcasting, spinning or fly fishing your chances of getting a bite here are good. Mammoth Mountain looms largely over the area. Trail, Friends of the Inyo’s 2020 Backcountry Ranger Intern for the US Forest Service. Even on this trip, where the Gem Lake trailhead is 25 miles from the brewery, it that isn’t that far (especially since we were headed that direction to camp). Technically the lakes of the area reside within the “Mammoth Lakes Basin,” which is partially located within the John Muir Wilderness and only a few minutes from the town of Mammoth Lakes. Abbot, and Mt. Side trips lead to Morgan and Mono Passes along with a number of other lakes. Discover this hidden gem tucked among the trees less than a mile from the Coldwater Campground trailhead by Lake Mary. We like to stay in the Mammoth area, simply because the town is a little larger, and there are more lodging and dining options. After throwing on our jackets and backpacks, we were ready to hit the trail. After enjoying our sandwiches, we spent some time exploring the area around the lake, before deciding it was time to head back. Love not having to deal with the snow in the winter But the summers up there are why I live in this part of the world. Crystal Lake, with bird’s eye views of the lakes below and the 10,700-foot Crystal Crag as a backdrop, is one of the area’s most popular destinations. Mammoth Lakes is located off of beautiful Highway 395 in the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains. It can easily be done as a day hike, but turning it into a overnight backpacking trip is the perfect way to experience the alpenglow on the surrounding mountain ranges and the sereneness of the multiple lakes in the basin. Mills. This is a good spot for a break. Just FYI, though, the hike to Gem Lake is actually 7 miles roundtrip, not 14… A well maintained and popular day hike in the June Lake area. Backpacking the Yosemite High Sierra Camps, Your email address will not be published. Mammoth Lakes is actually a small town located in Inyo National Forest surrounded by acres of dense forest and a huge selection of natural lakes. Rush Creek to Gem Lake. Despite the cold temperature to start the hike, it was a bright blue sky day and the sun warmed us up quickly, so we removed our jackets. Hello! After enjoying the views, descend back to the junction, and turn left at the junction to hike to beautiful Gem Lake. In years past I have hit up the old mammoth tasting room after hiking up towards Duck Pass and after backpacking to Lake Ediza.. Great post! See Tripadvisor's 5,762 traveler reviews and photos of Mammoth Lakes hidden gem attractions Convict Lake: 395 Hidden Gem - See 555 traveler reviews, 382 candid photos, and great deals for Mammoth Lakes, CA, at Tripadvisor. This hike gains a lot of elevation, but the waterfalls and lakes at the top are worth it. Hikers and Backpackers Can Expect Helicopter and Remote workers at Gem Lake Dam Staring August 10. ... Lower in elevation than most of the Mammoth Lakes, Sherwin Lakes make a great early season destination. The trail follows the north shore with plenty of ups and downs. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. Mammoth Reservoir Lake Colorado a true Hidden Gem - YouTube As we continued along the trail, there is a split to Mono Pass off to the right. United States ; California (CA) Mammoth Lakes ; Things to Do in Mammoth Lakes ; Garnet Lake; Search. Even if you can't finish the entire trail, go as far as you can and you can still enjoy a … We stayed left on the Little Lakes Valley Trail, and were greeted by Mack Lake almost immediately. A wonderful hike visiting a series of scenic lakes nestled in a gorgeous valley surrounded by 13,000-ft peaks. Visiting Mammoth Lakes was an excellent segue from what we had done and what we were going to do on a road trip through Nevada and California. Trail: Take the Mammoth Crest Trail to the Crystal Lake Trail Distance: 2.7 miles roundtrip Difficulty: Moderate. 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