hikespeak

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.

While Devils Postpile Formation is the reason you come to Devils Postpile National Monument, you shouldn't leave without seeing Rainbow Falls, an attractive 101-foot single drop waterfall that leaps over volcanic cliffs and flashes frequent rainbows. Luckily for hikers, both attractions can be seen on the very same trek. Devils Postpile Formation is less than half a mile from the park's... Read more.

The main attraction in Devils Postpile National Monument is, of course, the Devils Postpile Formation, which has striking 60-foot tall cliffs of exposed columnar basalt. From the park's main trailhead, it is a 1-mile round trip hike to the base of Devils Postpile on a wheelchair-friendly route with 40 feet of elevation change. A second trail crosses the top of Devils Postpile and allows... Read more.

Minaret Falls is a tumbling waterfall in the Eastern Sierra near Mammoth Lakes. The waterfall plunges a slope above Pacific Crest Trail in the Ansel Adams Wilderness of Inyo National Forest. Starting from the main trailhead in Devils Postpile National Monument, it's a 3-mile round trip hike to Minaret Falls (with the option to link this trail with hikes to Devils Postpile and Rainbow... Read more.

Near the entrance of Devils Postpile National Monument, and just half a mile from the Postpile formation, visitors can stay at a 21-site campground along the Middle Fork San Joaquin River. With sites backing up against a pine-covered ridge, Devils Postpile provides a fine camping experience in the Eastern Sierra near Mammoth Lakes with ample day hiking opportunities. The 21 sites at... Read more.