hikespeak

The short hike from Castle Lake to Heart Lake explores a scenic part of Shasta-Trinity National Forest near Mount Shasta. The fun doesn't need to stop once you reach that endearing lake. Hike off trail up a ridge from Heart Lake to a summit with extraordinary views that has been given the unofficial name of Castle Peak. You will feel like royalty when you stand on this mountaintop, taking... Read more.

You are bound to fall in love with the hike to Heart Lake. This pint-sized heart-shaped attraction in the Castle Crags Wilderness of Shasta-Trinity National Forest boasts views of Mount Shasta, Black Butte, and surrounding Klamath Mountains. The hike to Heart Lake begins from a trailhead at Castle Lake, a larger mountain lake wrapped by pines and granite cliffs. For a two-lake trek, you can... Read more.

Oso Flaco Lake Trail in Oceano Dunes SVRA offers a hike with easy-going appeal. The nearly level trail takes a boardwalk over a 75-acre birdlife-boasting lake and across sand dunes to a tucked-away beach and a viewpoint overlooking the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes. These are the largest dunes on the coast of Southern California, but Oso Flaco Lake Trail is a short hike at just 2-miles round trip.... Read more.

Bailey Cove Trail follows an easy path that weaves along the edges of a roughly triangle-shaped peninsula extends into Shasta Lake. A hill rises over the center of the peninsula, which is framed by finger-like coves on two sides. Lake views are present throughout this 3.1-mile hike and are grandest during the second mile. Bailey Cove Trail is fairly level, with just 50 feet of elevation... Read more.

The Ediza Lake – Thousand Island Lake Loop is a top-tier backpacking circuit in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Covering about 25 miles with 2,110 feet of elevation change, the loop is usually done in three days of hiking (not including any additional layover days). The loop starts and ends at Agnew Meadows, located near Devils Postpile National Monument and the city of Mammoth Lakes. The... Read more.

Thousand Island Lake is regarded as one of the most spectacular lakes in the Eastern Sierra. Banner Peak, a towering 12,936-foot mountain above the lake's west shore, is reflected in its clear blue water. The lake has numerous (if not a thousand) small islands. Both John Muir Trail and Pacific Crest Trail pass Thousand Island Lake, giving hikers significant and scenic routes to consider. ... Read more.

Garnet Lake is located on John Muir Trail between Shadow Lake and Thousand Island Lake in the Ansel Adams Wilderness of Inyo National Forest. The lake is stunning, set below the 12,936-foot mass of Banner Peak and framed by ridges of bedrock and pines. Hiking directly there, Garnet Lake is 8.55 miles from the trailhead at Agnew Meadows, so most of the lake's visitors are backpackers (a... Read more.

Cradled below a jagged ridge of volcanic peaks called the Minarets, Iceberg Lake is a beautiful, potentially snow-bordered or ice-filled lake of vivid blue water. The backcountry lake is located deep in the Ansel Adams Wilderness of Inyo National Forest, 8.3 miles from the trailhead at Agnew Meadows. Iceberg Lake is just a mile from Ediza Lake and a nice extension for the hike to that... Read more.

With high summit-reflecting waters, Ediza Lake is beautiful to behold. The lake is wrapped by meadows and trees and sports massive views of Mount Ritter and Banner Peak, making it a popular destination for hikers in the Ansel Adams Wilderness of Inyo National Forest. Starting from Agnew Meadows near Mammoth Lakes, Ediza Lake is reachable on a rewarding full day hike of over 14 miles round... Read more.

Get ready for Shadow Lake to step out of the shadows on this scenic hike in the Ansel Adams Wilderness of Inyo National Forest. Shadow Lake is a beautiful mountain lake on Shadow Creek Trail about halfway between the trailhead at Agnew Meadows and Ediza Lake, a popular destination for backpackers and folks committing to a day hike of over 14 miles. Shadow Lake is a worthwhile target on its... Read more.