The drive to get here from downtown Bishop was an hour! It was looping around the mountains and we…read morehad to drive slowly at the curves. The views were so gorgeous that we did make a few stops. We parked in front of the Visitor Center and went on the Discovery Trail. It took us an hour to complete. We started on the right side of the loop, and I was just gasping for air. We saw the beautiful Bristlecone trees on the trail. As we continued on to the left side of the loop, we had to walk on the big red rocks. That part was not enjoyable at all as we had to be careful not to trip. However, the views were so wonderful. It's a clear trail, so there is no getting lost.

A few notes for others trying to get to the Patriarch Grove this month. Locals already know this,…read morebut...you're not going to get here with anything but high-clearance 4WD right now. It's already a little slushy near the Schulman Visitor center, but beyond that, it's deeper, messier, and just not possible without an offroading vehicle. And even that might be a little dicey. So you might make it as far as the visitor center until it snows again, but it is now closed for the winter. A few other things to note: the elevation will make you THIRSTY. Bring more water than you normally would. And a hat/sunscreen, because the sun is more intense up here! Lastly, it takes a little *more* than an hour to get as far as the visitor center but is absolutely worth the drive!

This is one of my favorite hikes in Nevada! There are a few trailheads from which you can start…read morethis hike. But one of the most popular (if you want to use that word in the Toiyabe Range) is the Stewart Creek Trailhead at the Columbine Campground. The Columbine Campground, a high altitude campground in an aspen forest, is a nice destination in and of itself. And you would be hard-pressed to find a better place to camp. The only downfall is that it only has about five spots, so it could potentially be full on weekends despite its 'middle of nowhere' location. Of course, you don't have to drive anywhere to start your hike - you are already at the trailhead when you are ready to hike. The hike is about seven miles each way and starts out in an aspen forest with running streams. You climb up through the aspen forests and through subalpine pine forests until you reach the cool, treeless alpine plateau along the ridgeline of the Toiyabe Range. Just before the peak, you unfortunately have to drop down about 600ft before making the final climb to the summit of Arc Dome. But the scenery makes it all worthwhile. The summit is downright spectacular! Views include the spine of the Toiyabe Range, the Toquima Range (and Mount Jefferson) to the east, and the surrounding valleys all around. Far to the west, you can see the Sierra along with the imposing White Mountains to the southwest. To the south, you can see the bright, concentrated sunlight on the central receiver of the Crescent Dunes Solar Plant in Tonopah. And, of course, you are unlikely to encounter the hordes of people that are so common on many hikes elsewhere.

Sitting here in my apartment overlooking Lake Michigan, I am thinking of places I've been that have…read morereminded me I am alive. The Arc Dome is one such place. It's the highest point in central Nevada's little known (among Midwesterners) Toiyabe mountain range, in the Toiyabe National Forest. You have to walk in or go in on horseback, which is how I've done it the two times I've been there. No vehicles allowed. (Horseback saves a lot of time!) Here is what the Arc Dome looks like: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/FFJAvdYJcMUICOOHhz78Qg?select=sb5HDUINfJ94hQIi6D0HXA Arc Dome is the centerpiece of the Arc Dome Wilderness Area. It towers over very lush, alpine canyons which could fool you into thinking you are in the Alps or Canadian Rockies. They are a stark contrast to the desert below. You can climb the Arc Dome in a day from the edge of the Wilderness Area, but it's more fun to pack in and camp the night before among the thick Aspen trees. The hike up to the summit is so worth the view of thousands of square miles of scenery. Both times I've been there it was clear enough that I could see the Sierra shimmering in the distant West. Check out this view: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/FFJAvdYJcMUICOOHhz78Qg?select=rOvTT3csiKmjWSoUZL2QxQ At the summit there is jar in which people have left notes of their experiences and feelings once atop the summit. There is one note in the can left by an 80-something year-old retired judge who says he still climbs the Arc Dome once annually to remind himself that he is alive. Here is a picture of the summit, in the middle of which if you look closely you can see the jar where I found this man's note about being alive, and it stuck with me. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/FFJAvdYJcMUICOOHhz78Qg?select=spH72L7PyodvD1X5Tjbpxg

Activity Type: Hiking Nearby City: Mammoth Lakes…read moreLength: 13 total miles Elevation Gain: 1,700 feet Trail Type: Out-and-back Skill Level: An overall elevation gain of about 1,700 feet makes this a challenging hike. Duration: 7 to 8 hours, though 2 days is preferable. Season: Late June through mid-October. Trailhead Elevation: 8,300 feet Top Elevation: 9,300 feet Other Uses: Equestrians and leashed dogs are welcome. Bikes are not allowed in the Ansel Adams Wilderness. In a region of exceptionally stunning lakes, Shadow and Ediza are two of the loveliest. Both harbor views of the Ritter Range that are among the finest mountain landscapes in the Sierra Nevada. Rolling through green meadows, conifer forests, and rocky outcrops, the trail rises by gradual degrees up the valley of Shadow Creek in view of Volcanic Ridge, to the left (south). Some stretches have been finessed through rocky benches by the vigorous application of picks, shovels, and maybe a surgical stick or two of dynamite. The best of company, frolicsome Shadow Creek entertains us with music and assorted pretty little tricks, including a very clever cascade around an island of polished granite

Ah-May-Zing! I…read moreheard about Lake Ediza last year while on my way to Garnet via Shadow Creek. Fortunately I had a chance to trek up to Ediza this year. I was told that between the split off from the JMT to go towards Garnet and Lake Ediza there was a piece of Heaven on Earth. Truly the scenery was enlightening. Shadow creek was booming (even in this drought). Like all the high elevation lakes it's quite a trek to get there but the payoff is well worth the pain. When we arrived there wasn't too many good camping spots. We had to go around the lake towards the southwest section and camped a little off the trail. If we had just gone a bit further crossing a small creek to the "island" we would have found an even better spot by the beach area under the cover of some trees. My advice: Get there early and grab a good spot. As beautiful as Lake Ediza is it can get busy. Not Thousand Island Lakes busy, but busy nonetheless.

Camped on Spetember 16th at Berlin Ichthyosaur state park and the experience was lack luster at…read morebest. First and foremost, the fly problem was off the walls this year. As soon as we got to the ranger station, we instantly were swarmed by flies everywhere. The park is pretty an all, but we were not expecting to have to wage a war against flies. We looked this park up online and thought the ghost town was open to explore, as well as the ichthysaur exhibit however, everything was locked and closed. We were still able to camp and it was nice that each site had covered picnic tables. The plus is that as soon as the sun set, we could have a fire and the smoke got rid of the flies. The stars were amazing with no nearby light pollution. I would recommend using for day use on the weekends as tours are going and you won't have to endure the onslaught of constant flies. The secluded nature of the park is really nice. The ghost town is beautiful but I wanted to see more. Great 4-wheeling opportunities. The park rangers never spoke to us or gave us any tips, even when we first showed up and were right next to them, not even a greeting. Love the history, but expected more.

On a cross country road trip and we drove almost 2 hours out of our way to visit this park after…read morereading the great reviews on Yelp. We were very disappointed. Yes, the Ichthyosaur is cool from what you can see through a viewing window and I enjoyed reading the display and learning about these great beasts. However, the drive out here is long and the roads are TERRIBLE. You will be playing slalom with potholes for hours while everything in your car is tossed back and forth. Parts of the road were completely washed out and we even had to drive through huge puddles.There is literally nothing else to see but the fossil. The ghost town and old mill are there but honestly there is nothing of interest so if you do make this trek, make sure you do it when the park is giving tours. The $10 fee might have been worth it if someone was working or something was going on but I'm honestly not sure at this point. Again, it was cool to kind of make out a fossil through dirty glass but if I could do it over again I would skip this park for sure.

White Mountain Peak is the highest peak in the White Mountains of California, the highest peak in…read moreMono County, and the third highest peak in the state after Mount Whitney and Mount Williamson. Elevation 14,252 ft Distance: 14 Miles roundtrip. Out and back. You start at an elevation of 12,000, so you're only going up around 2,000 - 3000 in elevation. It's kind of tricky for me to figure out since you're going up and down a few times on the trail. The hike is pretty easy for the first 3 -4 miles. There isn't too much of an elevation gain. This part of the hike reminded me of the opening scene from the Sound of Music. The last 2-3 miles are tough. You're basically just going UP. The terrain is similar to hiking West Mt Baldy (lots of loose gravel, tons of rocks). But not as bad. I only say this because I'd slip more hiking Baldy, and I didn't slip once hiking White Mountain Peak. You can see the summit from far away. And on a majority of the hike the summit is in your sights. This could either motivate you or de-motivate you... knowing how much further you had to go. Hiking this trail was an experience. When we were there, it was pretty windy. We didn't see too much wildlife. I only saw groundhogs. *I think*. And we saw a lot of sheep at the Research Station 2 miles from the beginning of the trailhead. Since the elevation at the top of White Mountain Peak is at 14K, you may experience elevation sickness. There is no bathrooms at the top of the mountain but there is one clean one at the start of the trail. Getting to the hike was pretty difficult as well. For 22 miles, before you get to the trailhead you're driving on extremely rocky off-roading type of roads. If you're in a small four door sedan it'll take you an hour to drive that. I would suggest taking an SUV.

Great view. This was my 3rd 14er…read more There is a simple trail all the way to the top. Probably easiest 14er. People seem to do this for training for Whitney. I did just because I wanted to do this! You can camp at the trailhead, the day before the hike to acclimatize. We camped on Sat, and started hiking at 4 a.m, and came back to the trailhead around 11 a.m. It is windy on the trail and the top. I put downjackt and hood all the way. For any purpose, it's a great climb.

Located in California's beautiful Eastern Sierra, the Inyo National Forest offers clean air,…read morecrystal blue skies, mountain lakes and streams, challenging trails, high mountain peaks, and beautiful views. With over two million acres, the Inyo National Forest is home to many natural wonders, including Mt. Whitney, Mono Lake, Mammoth Lakes Basin, and the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, as well as seven Congressionally-designated Wildernesses, comprising over 650,000 acres of land. This is a 3 nights 4days backpacking trip totaling 22.5 miles in the Ansel Adams WIlderness and the setting is amazing. We started at Agnews Meadow to John Muir Trail looping back thru Pacific Crest Trail. John Muir Trail Section: The John Muir Wilderness is massive in length - over 100 miles at its longest point. It covers the central/south portion of the Sierra Nevada range, on both the west and east side. The west side offers access from California's Central Valley and has many small towns and camper facilities. The east side is steep, very steep, and is accessible from the Owens Valley. Named after the father of environmentalism and champion of the national park system, this Wilderness has everything the Sierra Nevada has to offer -- lakes, meadows, streams, mountain peaks, forests and more. The John Muir Trail travels about 53 miles in the John Muir Wilderness. In terms of the John Muir Trail, this Wilderness essentially covers the area between National Parks/Monuments. The mid-point for the Trail lies here. Typically, it is at (or near) Edison or Florence Lakes that the through hiker will take a brief break and re-supply. The John Muir Wilderness also affords the hiker spots to soak their feet in hot springs, grab a warm meal, and "traverse" from "easy" east side access points to west side access points for the trail. As the trail begins a long set of switchbacks, one of the most panoramic views along the entire John Muir Trail is gained. Between the trees one can see the Minarets, Mt. Ritter and Banner Peak. Summer is an excellent time to see wildflowers along the trail. At higher elevations, even in late Summer the wildflowers are blooming due to the late snow melt. The order of the Lakes as we hiked in is as follows: Shadow Lake, Clarice Lake, Garnett Lake, Ruby Lake, Emerald Lake, Badger Lake and Thousand Islands. I can not choose which lake to mention as my favorite. They're all breathtaking. But Garnett Lake and Thousand Island stays in my mind the most. Ruby Lake is mysterious looking and Shadow Lake is rewarding in a sense since this is the first lake you will see after the final push in a difficult steep switchback leading to it. Mosquitoes are abundant during summer here that makes it not my favorite :( but it is beautiful nevertheless. As you ascend to over 9500 feet mosquitoes get lesser and you're back in a cooler condition. There are definitely snow on the trail and in some areas more than others as we started on the JMT above 9600 feet. One section between Ruby Lake and Garnett Lake the whole1000 feet of trail was covered in snow. I would recommend a trekking pole and crampons for faster crossing. You could definitely do it without but the snow will slow you down. Some areas are as deep as 5 feet of soft snow. Clarice Lake at 9600 was about 80% frozen. We took a break here and listened to the frogs complain :) The trail from Clarice Lake to Garnett Lake was covered with snow. I decided to throw my pack down and follow it by sliding down the hill on my behind. It was fun! The majestic beauty of both the Minarets, Banner Peak(12,936 ft) and Mt Ritter (13,143 ft) is the backdrop on most of my pictures of Shadow Lake. Awesome! Lots of wild flowers on the way down thru the PCT. Had a semi encounter with a bear on the trail. We heard him but never got to see him from about 20 feet from us. Hope this review will somehow encourage Yelpers to explore Ansel Adams Wilderness! Enjoy my pictures. I walked uphill to 10,1000 feet and and a total of 22.5 miles to snap them :)!

Very beautiful and calming. Sometimes being with nature helps you realize that our lives need to be…read moremore laid back.

Learning and the hands-On was well choreographed. Have taken many of these classes over the years…read morethis was by far the best strongly recommend to family friends and your organization.

Activity Type: Hiking Nearby City: June Lake…read moreLength: 20 total miles Elevation Gain: 3,580 feet Trail Type: Loop Skill Level: Difficult Duration: 3-4 days Season: Mid-July through September Trailhead Elevation: 8,200 feet Top Elevation: 10,300 feet Local Contacts: Ansel Adams Wilderness; Mammoth Lakes Visitor Center Let your own abilities determine which of these two hikes you will take into the spectacular country around the base of Mount Ritter and the Minarets. The Ediza Lake hike follows excellent trails to a beautiful destination. The traverse hike--which continues from Ediza Lake on a steep and sketchy route to Iceberg, Cecile, and Minaret Lakes--requires route finding skills, a bit of easy scrambling, and, for much of the summer, an ice ax for crossing the icy slopes around Iceberg Lake. At Minaret Lake, the traverse route rejoins well-maintained trails for the descent to Devils Postpile National Monument.

Amazing experience! Great ride options for all. Beautiful, healthy, and strong stock. Friendly and…read moreinformative team. We booked a day in the Sierra and it did not disappoint. Gaby was our guide and she was amazing. We rode Percy and Howdy. Forever memories!

From the first inquiry to the end of our trip, these folks were high quality. They provided a…read moredunnage drop into the Golden Trout Wilderness, allowed us to dry camp near the stables, allowed us to park near the stables, and were very helpful in making sure we made it to our destination into the Cottonwood Lakes corridor. J.P. and Chris, our wrangler, were absolutely outstanding with their customer service and performance.

Great place to visit for all family! We discovered this place by chance, but we fell in love with…read morethe natural beauty--clear water, drinkable air, and a pure, peaceful atmosphere!

Everywhere online says that this trail is a 6 miler, but it is most definitely 7 to get Blue Lake…read more Just keep that in mind when you don't reach the lake at 3 miles. Also keep in mind that this is a backpacking trail where you can continue beyond Blue Lake and reach numerous other lakes such as Dingleberry Lake, Hungry Packer Lake, Moonlight Lake, etc. However, my group of friends opted for a day hike since we aren't experienced backpackers. Soon after beginning the hike you get to Sabrina Lake which is neat in and of itself, but was not our final destination. If you wanted it to be, it could, as there are plenty of people enjoying the basin on their boats. Fun fact, Sabrina is pronounced SUH-BRAH-EE-NUH, not SUH-BREE-NUH, as one local informed us haha. Anyway, this hike was unlike any other I've been on due to the terrain. I've never been to the Sierras and it's so cool that it's like a dessert, alpine hybrid. There are beautiful alpine flowers (pink, purple, and orange) along the entire hike, two mini falls/streams that you have to cross, and plenty of rocky switchbacks. I would not call this a very intense hike as there aren't any portions that involve climbing or jumping. The only challenge I can imagine is if you didn't bring snacks/lunch to enjoy once you reach the beautiful Lake Blue. Lake Blue is crisp looking and crisp FEELING. You will definitely get hypothermia if you stay in for longer than a couple minutes. My feet were almost instantly numb, and my two friends that dared to (quickly) dunk their bodies in were extremely thankful for the hot noon sun that warmed and dried them fairly quickly. Make sure to bring bug spray because in the areas where you cross streams, there are HUGE SWARMS OF MOSQUITOS. Also there are bears and long-horned goats apparently, so be prepared in all situations. Happy hiking!

The most challenging part of Boundary Peak was the 4x4 road leading to the trailhead. You will…read moredefinitely need a high-clearance vehicle if you plan on reaching it without a lot of scraping! (I did it in a Jeep Patriot) The GPS coordinates for the Queen Mine, where most folks start, are: 37.889317, -118.317599 You can drive about another 0.5-1 mile past these coordinates and save yourself some hiking but I wouldn't do it unless you have a vehicle that is both High Clearance AND 4WD, the more clearance the better. (stuff like: Wrangler, Tacoma, 4runner, etc) I was too scared to do it with a Jeep Patriot. Anyway, Boundary Peak is the tallest mountain in Nevada and it's right next to the California border, but you probably already knew that. It's a fun and scenic hike. It's not really technical and the trail is surprisingly well-graded. I wish I had more time to traverse the ridge over to Montgomery Peak in California (which is slightly taller). I had to rush back to the airport though, and had to turn around. Views from the summit were great, dry desert all around and bluebird skies in all directions. Great little off-the-beaten-path activity Mid-Eastern California/Mid-Western Nevada. Just make sure you've got a gnarly set of wheels!