On what would end up being a rainy afternoon in Mammoth Lakes California, I set out in search of a short hike I could finish before the clouds rolled in. What I decided on was a hike to Heart Lake.
This short 2.4 mile trail is located in the Mammoth Lakes Basin and climbs about 500 feet up to a small hidden lake. While it is short at a bit over 2 miles, this ended up being one of the better short hikes I’ve done!
Miles/Elevation:
2.4 miles
564 feet vertical gain
About Inyo National Forest:
At nearly 2 million acres, Inyo National Forest is a massive area of soaring peaks, desert, ancient forest, and incredibly rugged alpine terrain. Inyo contains the Big Pine Lakes, Mt Whitney, the lower 48’s highest peak, along with some of the world’s oldest living things, the ancient bristlecone pines.
Covering large swathes of the Eastern Sierra Nevada and White Mountains, as well as much of the Owens Valley, Inyo National Forest actually is one of the least forested national forests in the country. First protected by president Theodore Roosevelt in 1907, the forest was initially created to facilitate the creation of the Los Angeles Aqueduct.
Nowadays, Inyo National Forest is much more well known as a world class outdoor destination. With renowned wilderness areas such as the Ansel Adams Wilderness, the Golden Trout Wilderness, and the John Muir Wilderness, many of the best backpacking routes in the country pass through Inyo.
In addition to backpacking, there are many other amazing locations in Inyo National Forest that can be easily accessed in a day, either by hiking or by car. These include Mammoth Lakes, Convict Lake, the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, June Lake, and Mt Whitney.
Much of Inyo National Forest does not require fees for day use, though some limited access locations may require fees. There is no fee to park at Convict Lake.
About Mammoth:
Located on the eastern edge of the Sierra Nevada, Mammoth is a small mountain community known for great skiing, alpine lakes, and world class hiking. The town itself, Mammoth Lakes, named for the numerous nearby lakes, has about 7,000 people, and is one of the largest communities for hours in any direction.
At around 8,000 feet of elevation, Mammoth lies just above the desert treeline. Head out of town and within a mile you’ll be in the scrubland of the high desert. Head towards the high peaks of the Sierra and you’ll very quickly enter the alpine pine forest!
Mammoth Mountain is home to the area’s top ski resort. At just over 11,000 feet, this volcanic complex gets great snow in winter, and in the summer is converted into a mountain biking mecca!
Above the town, the lakes basin offers tons of camping. Situated around Lake Mary, Lake George, Horseshoe Lake, Twin Lakes, and others, campgrounds like Coldwater and Lake Mary provide hundreds of wooded sites. Just don’t expect much for phone coverage up here!
Getting To Mammoth:
Make sure you have our ultimate road trip playlist if you’re driving to Mammoth!
The first challenge in getting to this trailhead is to get to the Eastern Sierra. The closest town is Mammoth Lakes, and that will be most people’s base camp when visiting Heart Lake.
Located in the high desert of eastern California, Mammoth is a surprisingly remote place considering it’s in California. The closest sizable city is Reno, about three hours to the north. Los Angeles and Las Vegas are both a bit over 4 hours away, and the Bay Area is about 6 hours away.
The main highway to access Mammoth and the broader Eastern Sierra area is highway 395. 395 runs from just north of the Los Angeles area all the way north to the Canadian border. Reno to Bishop is a straight shot down 395, and Los Angeles is a straight shot north on 395.
There are a couple of small airports in the area, namely Bishop and Mammoth Lakes. However, commercial flights are either sporadic or non-existent. Driving from a larger metro is the easiest way to access the Eastern Sierra for most.
Getting To The Trailhead:
From the town of Mammoth Lakes, continue through town and uphill on Lake Mary Road. This road will take you all the way to the lakes basin. Once in the lakes basin, continue to Around Lake Mary Road, and turn left onto this one lane paved road.
Continue on Around Lake Mary Road until you reach Coldwater Campground on the far side. The trailhead is actually in the back of Coldwater Campground, so you’ll need to turn into the campground and continue all the way to the back. There is a large parking area for day use visitors.
The Heart Lake Trail:
To Heart Lake:
From the parking lot at the far end of Coldwater Campground, take the trail towards Heart Lake and the Mammoth Consolidated Gold Mine. The trail quickly crosses a wooden bridge where you then reach an intersection. Going left will take you to the ruins of an old gold mine; however, you want to stay right to continue to Heart Lake!
Always follow basic trail etiquette when on trail!
Once on the Heart Lake Trail, you will quickly begin climbing. The trail alternates between crossing open meadows of grass, sage, and other hardy plants, and pine forest. You’ll spend time in both, so be prepared for a bit of sun exposure.
The nice thing about the open sections is you’ll have awesome views looking across the lakes basin and all the way north to the Minarets. The peaks in this part of the Sierra are awesome, and the ridgelines are severe, jagged, and brutally beautiful!
At Heart Lake:
After about a mile, you’ll arrive at Heart Lake. The immediate approach to the lake takes you back into the forest, so you won’t have the same huge views at the lake as you had on most of the hike. However, you will be able to look across the lake at the immediate face of the mountains directly above, but it’s more of a sloping pile of gravel as opposed to a jagged ridgeline in the sky.
Heart Lake itself is nice as well, though it is small. The lake is very clear, and even has a sandy bottom along the shore, making it a decent place for a swim if you were so inclined. Personally, I would just swim in Lake Mary or one of the other larger lakes, but Heart Lake definitely feels a bit more remote!
Finishing Up:
Mammoth has tons of bears so make sure to be bear safe!
Once you’ve had your fill of Heart Lake, head back down the way you came. Navigating is easy because literally all you have to do is follow the trail back to the lone intersection a few feet from the parking lot. If you want, a short addon to the Heart Lake hike is a trip to Emerald Lake, about a mile up a different trail. It’s a nice way to make the hike a bit longer, but Heart Lake alone is worth the visit too!
Topdown Lifestyle Rating: 8/10
When you compare this hike against other 2-3 mile hikes, this one compares pretty well. You get excellent views, hike to a mountain lake, and the trail itself is very nice. However, the lake itself isn’t anything special, and the trail is nice but uneventful. In terms of short hikes, this is a good one, and if you’re in Mammoth, it’s a nice short hike. Is it the best short hike? No. But, it’s worth doing if you’re looking for another easy hike in the Mammoth area!
Pros:
- Excellent views
- Easily accessible
- Hike from campsite
Cons:
- Lake isn’t anything spectacular
Alternative Hikes:
When To Hike To Heart Lake:
The Eastern Sierra in general have an excellent climate for hiking, and that holds true for the Mammoth area. Most days from spring until late fall you will have tons of sunshine, and storms are pretty sporadic, possible, but not daily.
The limiting factor with this hike is snow. Snow can linger into the summer, and early winter storms could snow this area in early in the year. As a general rule, I’d expect this area to be snow free from May until sometime in late October or November.
In terms of the ideal time to visit, I would probably lean towards spring, just after the trails are clear of snow, or fall. In spring, the trail should be clear of snow by May, but the mountains will still have lots of snow up high! In fall, you would be able to see some awesome colors as winter arrives!
I think the big one though is that early season fires are much less common than fires in late summer or fall, so you are more likely to have clear, sunny days that are not choked with smoke in the spring!
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