Wow!! Just got back from a two night backpacking trip. I stood at lake one and lake two and it…read moredidn't disappoint. This is my third time here and first time as an overnight. I got to explore, fish, swim, relax, and wake up to an amazing view. This hike is hard especially with a 35-40lb backpack. Plenty of tent site if you got a permit.

Stayed couple days in mid-May at the Upper Sage campground and did the hike to the first two lakes…read more Due to snow, it's where most people turned around. It was the perfect distance for a nice day hike, at about 10 miles. Nice reward of picturesque lakes at the end, and you turn around head back. I went down to touch the water, but some people went swimming in the ice cold water! This was a very popular trail and seemed like everyone brought their dogs. Out of maybe 20 parties with dogs, 1 actually had it on a leash. I would recommend starting this hike early so you can grab a parking spot at the trailhead and avoid the heat.

Majestic falls accessible to all. If you're in Lone Pine, just take Whitney Portal Road 'til it…read moreends in a campsite (which is also the trailhead if you plan to hike Mount Whitney) and there's the waterfall to the right. We parked in one of the many available spots and were able to just walk up along the waterfall to get a closer look. It was really beautiful, surrounded by tall evergreens. Just needed a bear fishing, off to the side, to complete the National Geographic cover. Seemed like the trees along the water had cement to resemble bark, which I noticed while trying to steady myself standing on one of the boulders taking pictures. I've seen pictures of the falls frozen over in the winter, so hopefully I can make it up here again before the close off the road near the end of the year.

Incredible waterfalls that are continuously overflowing. A group of friends, my husband, our…read moredaughter and I went here for camping this past weekend and had an incredible time exploring this gorgeous area. Not only was it peaceful and serene, but it was 20 degrees cooler than down the mountain where we had set up. We enjoyed every minute of it and plan on making a camping trip in this area.

Clean, cozy and quiet cabins. Staff is very friendly, check…read morein and out was easy. Dog friendly as well. Definetely recommend

Cute little cabins at the very edge of town under the the towering eastern escarpment of the Sierra…read moreNevada. The place is run like a tight ship. It's very clean. The bath towels are plush and blue, rather than the usual institutional white. The bedspreads have georgeous patterns and the mattresses are comfortable. There are no motel cleaner and perfume smells. One can bring the car right up to the front door, making unloading and loading a breeze. On the downside: Our cabin was small, not a lot of space to move around. There was some traffic noise from highway 395 which abated overnight. The place had a friendly vibe of cyclists, hikers, and outdoorsy folks. We will be back!

Being in the high Sierras is one of the best things in the world. Like many trails on the eastern…read moreside of the Sierras, this 9.7-mile roundtrip hike with 2500' elevation change wanders past a series of natural lakes (not fake dammed up reservoirs) before reaching the superlative view at Kearsarge Pass. The trailhead (0.0 miles in and at 9240') is next to the Onion Valley Campground - although Kearsarge Pass can also be reached from Kanawyers at the end of road in Kings Canyon National Park. The trailhead had plenty of parking, many bear lockers, and exceptionally well-maintained outhouses. Little Pothole (1.6 miles, 9960') is a crescent-shaped and somewhat marshy lake. The least attractive and smallest of the five lakes, it benefits from an easy-to-reach shoreline and visible cascades feeding it water. Gilbert Lake (2.3 miles, 10,320') is superior to Little Pothole with its larger and rounder shape. With vegetation at the water's edge, continue to the western side of the lake where standing on a massive boulder provides a clear view of the lake. With heavy winter snowfall in both 2017 and 2019, Gilbert Lake was half covered in snow on 6/18/17 (see pic) but was clear on 8/19/19. Flower Lake (2.7 miles, 10,470') is also bushy at water's edge but oddly not with flowers. If at Gilbert, take the rewarding effort to reach nearby Flower. Flower is a good turn-around point if not going to Kearsarge Pass. Heart Lake (3.6 miles, 10,960) is truly heart-shaped. The pond at 3.4 miles is not Heart Lake. Reaching the shoreline requires a steep scramble that needs a healthy heart. Big Pothole (4.3 miles, 11,420') is the best-looking pothole I've seen. Below a Baroque-rippled rock face, the lake has a pentagon shape. An extensive scramble is needed to reach the water but the trail wraps around the lake and delivers plenty of bird's eye views. The bluish-green water also provides motivating sights while making the final ascent to the pass. Kearsarge Pass (4.8 miles, 11,760') is an absolutely phenomenal vista - not necessarily looking back towards Independence but forward to Kings Canyon with a broad basin filled with multiple reflective lakes in front of rows of piercing mountain ranges. I'd share a picture but I couldn't rightly capture the enormous beauty.

Got to the pass via the onion valley trailhead. Really pretty waterfalls and lakes along the way…read more Been awhile since I was there but remember it being beautiful.

A fun trail to walk with kids. There's plenty of free parking in the lot. The route to the hike is…read morereally just a dirt road. The trail is about a mile to and back. There are 2-3 porta potties available at the parking lot. There is very little to no shade. It's literally the desert and rocks. I do not recommend this hike during the summer. It's definitely too hot. Remember to bring a hat, sunscreen, and water!

+ Short, beginner-friendly hike. About 1.25 mile, 30 minutes…read more + Fantastic photo ops with vantages of arches circumscribing Mt Whitney. + Free access and parking. . One or two porta-potties. . Moderately crowded. . Minimal shade. - No water.

Great scenery. It gets Cold and Windy in Winter time. I've…read moreheard it's the same in summer time, too. Definitely recommend.

The Alabama Hills area serves as a steady transition from Lone Pine civilization to Whitney…read morewilderness. + Quiet, peaceful scenic area. Pleasant nature ambience. - Minimal shade, water, and restrooms. Dry climate. - Barely anyone around to ask for help or directions. . Tip: I recommend stopping by Nightmare Rock and Mobius Loop trail to see the photogenic Mobius Arch circumscribing Mt Whitney next time you're cruising through Alabama Hills. . Fun fact: many old western movies were filmed among these hills, including Django Unchained.

Beautiful stop. I've never been able to go inside, as it's always been closed when I've come by,…read morebut the grounds are well worth the stop on their own. Bring quarters to feed the fish :)

Unfortunately the fish hatchery was closed when we visited on Wednesday. But it was a fun stop for…read morea short walk around the pond & building. What made it worthwhile even though the information center was closed was the 25¢ fish pellet dispenser. Fortunately I had several quarters & polarized sunglasses/camera filter. I was able to feed the large trout in the pond & see them pretty clearly. The three ducks also competed for the pellet food but were no match for the swarming fish. The exterior of the building is beautiful & unlike any US fish hatchery I've ever seen. In college, I worked at our college fish hatchery so I can appreciate the unusual layout of this interesting place.

Mist Falls Trail is an absolute gem! The view was breathtaking, making every step of the hike worth…read moreit. Despite the hot weather, the trail is well-shaded by trees, which kept the route constantly cool and comfortable. Whether you're a seasoned hiker or just looking for a beautiful nature walk, Mist Falls Trail is a must-visit. Highly recommended! It is at an incline going up most of the way so be prepared!

Terrible. Really tough hike. If you hate yourself you'll love this hike. And if you thought you…read morecould reward yourself with food the park sells think again but the food is atrocious. Got a good tan though would come back

I think people are so consumed with summiting Mt. Whitney that they forget there's a beautiful lake…read morejust a short distance from the main trail. It's only 2.5 miles from the trailhead, but because of the high altitude it took us longer than we expected. The lake is at 10, 050 ft. and it is absolutely gorgeous! It was also very tranquil and had we not been pressed for time, we would've liked to sit on one of the tree trunks to just relax and enjoy the scenery more. The lake is also the only place you can hike to without a permit. Don't be stupid and think you can go beyond the lake without a permit! If you get caught by the wilderness police, i.e. Park Ranger, you'll be fined $5000 and a 6 month imprisonment!!

Lone Pine Lake is as far as you can hike via the Mt Whitney trail WITHOUT a permit…read more The hike is short. 5 miles roundtrip. Out and back. There isn't to much of an elevation gain. You cross across some rivers by stepping on big logs. And, there are nice views of waterfalls along the way, as well as the lake itself. It is a very fun and easy hike.

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.