. Banner Peak, Thousand Island Lake can be reached in a single day's hike via three different trails, each with a completely different adventurous look & feel. It details all the key milestones of the hike including the trailhead start, summit, and more. Post includes free gear list printable for easy reference. In this post, we will cover the following topics to help you plan and prepare for your very own successful Minaret Lakes backpacking adventure: Minaret Lake Trail Stats - All the nitty gritty details for the trail in one spot. It takes approximately 8 hours to do this as a day hike. Deadlines. Our trails offer possibilities for hiking, photography, peak bagging, fishing, or simply enjoying the pristine beauty of the High Sierra. Fly Fish Guanaja began fishing around the Bay Islands of Honduras 17 years ago. Minaret lake to Nydiver Lakes going past Cecile lake, Iceberg Lake, and Ediza. But specialists are aware that the field is not easy to document, should they wish to go beyond the usual material provided by architectural journals in European languages. The lake was quite marshy, but there were some nice spots in the shade to relax and watch the dragonflies flying low across the meadows. At the 2.28 mile mark, Brian and I arrived at Johnston Lake. From the Main St/Minaret Road (CA-203) intersection in Mammoth Lakes, follow the Minaret Road northwest for ~4.1 miles to the Mammoth Mountain Village. Permits are required if you are backpacking & camping, but not for day hiking this trail. Depending on the season you choose to hike Minaret Lake, you could encounter snow on the trail, which would make the hike more technical and potentially treacherous. While we were both pretty exhausted at this point, it was worth mustering up the energy for exploration since the lake is irregularly shaped with lots of rocky coves. After crossing the river youll take another right on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT)/JMT and steadily climb through pine trees along the river. Beginning on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), the loop follows the Middle Fork San Joaquin River for approximately 5.7 miles. ( This 24 mile, 6,200 elevation gain permit only hike leads to the tallest mountain in the contiguous US. Your email address will not be published. Do you need a permit to hike Minaret lake? (Please note the below links may contain affiliate links). So worth the early wake-up call though. Again, this is not all the gear you need, so be sure to check out my backpacking gear checklist for my entire list of gear recommendations! The Minaret Lake trail is fairly easy to follow, but there are a few trail junctions along the way. Please Leave No Trace. On an overnight trip, it would definitely be worth it to try again. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Among the lakes featured in this section are Johnston Lake, Vivian Lake, Rosalie Lake, and Shadow Lake. While you are here, be respectful of water, woods, and wildlife. Check for open hours before you go to the visitor center for in person service. Minaret Lake Hike | Words By Julie Boyd |Photos by Julie Boyd and Brian Callender. This permit does not include Beck Lake, Fern Lake or northbound of Johnston Meadow on the John Muir Trail. The Minarets are a series of jagged peaks located in the Ritter Range, a sub-range of the Sierra Nevada mountains. How long is the hike to Minaret Lake:13.4 miles (If Reds Meadow Gate is closed, you will have to hike several more miles to reach the trailhead.). Minaret Lake Trail Red's Meadow Area Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546 Phone: (760) 924-5500 Overview Also called the Minaret Creek Trail, this is a 6.5-mile (one way) hike that offers a moderate to difficult challenge up to 9,500 feet. There is no better scenery in the Sierra. Travel lightly on the land. 2h 40m Easy 4.6 (412) Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 6 h 45 min to complete. Take time to enjoy the views as well as the pristine waters of Minaret Lake while walking along its shores. July and August are also good options, though it could get pretty hot then, and youll definitely want to bring your bug spray. If you're hiking outside of when the shuttle runs, you can drive to the trailhead yourself. Weather forecast for the Sierra Nevada region. The temperature is usually perfect, plus there are far fewer mosquitos. 2023 Availability. Whitney Trail Guide: How to Successfully Summit the Highest Peak in the Lower 48 | This Mount Whitney Trail Guide is your A to Z resource on any and all things involving the Mount Whitney Hike. Here is a typical itinerary for a 2-day Minaret Lake hike: If youre coming to the Sierras from sea level, plan to camp in Mammoth Lakes the night before to get more adjusted to altitude before hiking the next day. From Cecile Lake. Mount Whitney Summit from Trail Camp. I already have a permit for this trailhead. Minaret Lake - Cecile - Iceberg - Ediza - Nydiver - basin with little lake to the west of Garnet Lake - west side of Thousand Island Lake: 10 out of 10. The craggy Minarets surround the region. best gifts for rv owners, gifts for rv owners, Gift Guide, gift ideas for rv owners, gift ideas for rv campers, Backpacking, Camping, Hiking Related, Outdoor All, gifts for outdoorsy men, outdoorsy gifts for him, gifts for outdoorsmen, outdoor gifts for men, christmas gifts for outdoorsman, popular California hiking & camping permits. Get a permit to backpack Minaret Lake in Inyo National Forest. This backpacking checklist goes over everything you might need on a 3-5 day backpacking trip (with a printable checklist), plus my personal recommendations on the best gear for each of the different items. Familiarize yourself with the seven principles of Leave No Trace and review wilderness rules with all members of your group.. Itinerary for Hiking the Minaret Lake Trail - Ill walk you through a suggested itinerary for backpacking the trail so you can make your plans accordingly. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock If you are like us and hate crowds, we recommend doing this hike in the fall just before the Reds Meadow Road closes for the season. The Ediza Lake - Thousand Island Lake Loop is a top-tier backpacking circuit in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Bundled up in our puffy, down jackets, the two of us headed south on the John Muir Trail (JMT) toward Devils Postpile. The 231,005-acre wilderness is a spectacular setting of alpine meadows, lakes, and rugged peaks that encompass the headwaters of the San Joaquin River. When traveling in the backcountry, you may with to carry an SOS beacon and communicator. Outdoor Project may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers. Its not hard to do, but it does require a little planning ahead. Backpacking Isle Royale is an incredible experience, but it is logistically tricky to get to Isle Royale This trail guides breaks down all the details to make it easy to plan your own Isle Royale adventure. However, getting permits can be tricky, so in this post, we uncover all the ins-and-outs of grabbing a half dome hike permit or half dome backpacking permit so. Put on your pack and hit the trail. Since the road to this area is closed approximately Mid-October through Mid-June, it is a hike best done during the summer or early fall. After several series of switchbacks, coupled with a few false promises of arrival, youll get to the lake shore at mile 7.4. Reservations cannot be sold or transferred. Day two. Our first view of the entire Minarets, part of the Ritter Range. Please help protect this natural resource and leave it unmarked for future visitors. The cover photo for this post is from me waking up around 5 AM on my trip with my best friend to this area. Whitney area are expected to pack-out their solid human waste., In other areas poop should be buried six to eight inches deep and at least 100 feet or more from water sources, trails, or campsites., Pack out all your trash, help keep our wilderness areas pristine., Protect water quality, dont use soap in natural waterways, even biodegradable soap can damage aquatic life. Spent two beautiful nights camping on Minaret Lake, this recording is the hike back to the overnight trailhead. In Minaret Creek you will fish for Brook Trout. This backpacking starter kit is filled with 14 pages of my best hiking and backpacking tips to help you learn what it takes to become a safe, confident, and self-sufficient outdoor backpacker! You will apply for your Inyo Wilderness permit through Recreation.gov. This allowed us to drive down to the trailhead, and enjoy the trek with very few other hikers. The Trail Code youll be applying for is Minaret Lake - AA11. Choose a campsite at least 100 feet away from lakes, streams, or trails.. After leaving Minaret Lake, follow the Minaret Creek Trail east to the PCT/JMT, where you can retrace your steps to Agnew Meadows. Right in the town of Mammoth are Camp High Sierra, New Shady Rest Campground, and Old Shady Rest Campground, which offer paid sites with amenities including bathrooms and bear boxes. Phone: 760-873-2483Email: SM.FS.WildPmt_Inyo@usda.gov. Makes me want to slide down the entire thing, much faster than hiking back down the switchbacks! The Shadow Lake Trail is easily the more scenic of the two approaches and highly recommended. . We want to return to the lake as well to explore more of the area! Make sure you take some time to enjoy what is sure to be a spectacular Sierra Nevada sunset. Although the scenery so far has been pretty typical of a high elevation Sierra forest - dried pine needles and lots of boulders, the portions near the creek were surprisingly lush. Groups cannot be larger than 15 people (includes day use). The one-way hike to Minaret Lake wont take the whole day, so this trip will still give you time to relax and explore the area further if you want. It covers both the Southbound Yosemite Wilderness Permits & JMT lottery and the Northbound Inyo Wilderness Permits process inside of this guide. Apparently the log bridge washed away a few years ago. First established in 1964 as the Minarets Wilderness, the Ansel Adams Wilderness lies immediately southeast of--and contiguous to--Yosemite National Park. The loop starts and ends at Agnew Meadows, located near Devils Postpile National . These common but avoidable mistakes are an essential part of your backpacking 101 foundation, so to speak. There were too many peaks to count, and I can see why this is popular climbing and alpinist spot. Call Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center for more information. Devil's Postpile Ranger Station. Click here for all important dates for booking CA backpacking permits. This is a relatively easy hike both into and out of the canyon, with easy access to water, making this a perfect backpacking trip for newbies to get their first taste of backcountry camping. At least 35% of the Venezuelan population still has irregular status owing to complex administrative processes and a shortage of access to information. This is a good choice if you dont have a lot of time in the area or if youre looking for a challenging day for training. Map Information. PLUS, I love to spoil my readers with a little bit extra as well, so Ive included a list of 20+ of my favorite backpacking food snacks and meals inside of this list for inspiration. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Hello! | shedreamsofalpine.com, The Ultimate 3-5 Day Backpacking Packing List (+ Backpacking Checklist PDF ) | Dont hit the trails without double checking if you have all the backpacking gear you need. Yes, there are creeks and lakes you can filter water from. 3) You will then be taken to a long list of trailheads showing their availability and quotas. Here are some of my favorite day hikes among the red rocks of Sedona, Arizona that are short enough to squeeze in on any trip to the area! You should also set up your camp in a spot where people have clearly camped before, in order to minimize environmental impact. Mammoth Lakes offers many camping options, from developed campgrounds to dispersed camping. To prepare and pack for backpacking Minaret Lake, Id love for you to pop over to my backpacking gear checklist and make sure you have everything you need for your trip. Minaret Vista is the highest lookout point in the Mammoth Lakes area that motorists can drive to during summer months. We switchbacked back and forth up the side of the mountain until we reached the top of the falls and headed over the ridge. Incredible contrasts of Son Kul; Express tours. that youre fully prepared. We didnt because it would have been an extra mile or so tacked-on to an already long hike, and our research showed us that it was just a small cascade. A valid Black Pass parking permit must be visible. In that case, its probably worth spending a night in Mammoth Lakes before the hike in order to give your body a little time to adjust. How difficult is hiking Minaret Lake? Hike Type: Overnight. It is located in the Sierra Nevada and provides stunning views of the Minarets, a series of jagged peaks in the Ritter Mountain Range, as well as numerous alpine lakes and lush meadows. How to Get a Minaret Lake Permit The step-by-step process to get the required Minaret Lake permit for backpacking. Backpacking to Minaret Lake in Inyo National Forest is about 13.4 miles. How long does it take to hike Minaret Lake? 7 Tips to Hiking and Summitting Your First Fourteener Mountain, California backpacking permit process for popular trails and campsites, Backpacking for Beginners: 15 Rookie Mistakes To Avoid Your First Time Backpacking | Consider this list of common backpacking blunders and backpacking tips as your introduction to backpacking basics. After 0.75 miles, we passed the North/South junction for the PCT. You can download the GPX files from the Minaret Lake trail map below. 47 6 thatphanom.techno@gmail.com 042-532028 , 042-532027 Shuttle stop #1 is Agnew Meadows. 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