Just a 20 minute or so drive outside of Mammoth Lakes California, the trail to Big McGee Lake is an incredible, though almost unknown, gem of a hike. Starting in the high desert, the trail quickly enters subalpine pine and aspen forest before finally reaching the alpine lakes in the high Sierra.
Surrounded by 12 and 13 thousand foot peaks, this hike provides hikers with constant good views and awesome hiking with a fraction of the traffic found on other nearby trails. Maybe it’s the 1 mile gravel road to reach the trailhead, or the knee deep creek crossing, but for whatever reason, you’ll have large chunks of this awesome hike all to yourself!
Miles/Elevation:
15.5 miles
2,871 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 the McGee Creek Trailhead.
About the John Muir Wilderness:
There is no greater conservationist than John Muir, and there is no greater wilderness than the one which bears his name! Containing over 650,000 acres of wild lands, this protected region lies along the Sierra Crest near the eastern edge of the range. The eastern escarpment of the Sierra rises up to 8,000 feet in extremely dramatic fashion, which allows for incredibly dramatic views in the area.
The John Muir Wilderness is bounded by the Ansel Adams Wilderness in the North, the Golden Trout Wilderness in the south, and the Sequoia and Kings Canyon Wilderness to the west. To the east lies more accessible land in Inyo National Forest and the deserts beyond. There is a minor branch of the wilderness which juts south along the western edge of Kings Canyon National Park.
With nearly 600 miles of hiking trails, this wilderness truly is a hikers paradise. This region contains many of the highest peaks in the Sierra Nevada, including Mt Whitney, the highest peak in the lower 48. Beyond Mt Whitney, there are 57 peaks with an elevation of 13,000 feet or more in the wilderness!
For day hikers, mountaineers, rock climbers, or fishermen, this place is magical, but it may be at its best when used for backpacking! The John Muir Trail, a 200+ mile backpacking route traverses the wilderness along with the trio of Sierra Nevada national parks, and a major chunk of the Pacific Crest Trail passes through the wilderness as well!
The John Muir Wilderness experiences heavy use and is the second most visited wilderness in the U.S.. Overnight access is strictly limited, and permits are required for all overnight use, as well as some day use areas like the Mt Whitney Trail.
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 and outdoor recreational opportunities. 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:
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 Big McGee 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:
Take highway 395 south from Mammoth Lakes. Follow 395 for about 8.5 miles until you reach the McGee Creek Road turnoff. Turn right onto McGee Creek Road and continue straight through the intersection. Follow the road as it climbs up through the high desert towards the peaks. You’ll be on McGee Creek Road for about 3 miles, the final mile of which is gravel. Continue to the end of the road past the pack station, and park at the looped parking lot at the end of the road.
The Big McGee Lake Trail:
To The Creek Crossing:
At the McGee Creek Trailhead, you’ll be at the bottom of a steep walled valley with McGee Creek running through the woods just off to your left. The hike follows McGee Creek up the valley as it heads out straight in front of you, and then as it turns left beyond the mountains on your immediate left.
At the trailhead, you’ll be in the high desert. There are trees along the creek itself, but the trail does not follow the water’s edge. You’ll be largely totally exposed to the sun for the first couple of miles, so it helps to start early! Getting on trail early will seriously make a huge difference.
There are a couple of trails that head of the valley from the trailhead but it doesn’t really matter which you follow. They all link up later on higher up the valley. We stuck to the rightmost trail which is the highest up on the side of the valley.
The hiking early on is good, and the views ahead are very cool. The multi-colored peaks ahead make for a scenic backdrop to start the day, and while the high desert isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, I find a cool setting! Although it is nice when you get into the alpine!
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As you hike through the valley, you’ll pass through small stands of trees where water flows downhill. There’s not a ton of flowing water in this valley, but where there is water, stands of aspens make themselves home!
At around the mile and a half mark, the trail will begin a long gentle turn to the left as it follows the valley uphill and to the left. Around this point, you will begin leaving the high desert and enter the subalpine forest of the Sierra Nevada. The transition to the true alpine is gradual, but the transition from no trees to trees is actually pretty abrupt!
Always be sure to follow the 7 Leave No Trace Principles when in the outdoors!
About a mile after entering the forest, you’ll come to a creek crossing. The creek is McGee Creek, the same you’ve been following the entire day, but there is no easy way across. The trail abruptly ends at the water’s edge, and there are no stepping stones or logs to get across.
The most straightforward way across is to simply wade through. It’s not ideal, but simply walking across is the quickest way across. I crossed it once without shoes and once with shoes, and either was fine. I prefer keeping my shoes on because mine dry out quickly and I hate walking on rocks, but to each their own.
This is bear country so make sure you’re bear safe!
If you really insist on not fjording the river, you can search up and down stream. I have looked pretty extensively up stream, and while I did find a couple of precarious spots that may have worked, they seemed a little risky. There is a marked trail on Alltrails just downstream, but I haven’t seen anything there. It would be worth checking in the future though!
However you get across, be careful as fast moving water is extremely dangerous. Even knee deep water can sweep you downstream, and we both felt a little unsteady as the water pressed on our feet and legs. During high water, I wouldn’t even try getting across here.
To The First Lake:
Beyond the first exciting creek crossing, the trail enters an area of small loose rock, evidence of a past rock slide. Through this rocky stretch, you’ll climb up the hillside and be rewarded with some of the first truly alpine views of the day. Below you in the valley is McGee Creek where it spreads out into a large open meadow, and beyond are the rocky slopes of Mt Baldwin.
After a pleasant mile of hiking, you’ll reach another creek crossing. This crossing is again over McGee Creek, but here you have the benefit of a small makeshift bridge made from some very old boards and old dried branches. It’s a bit precarious, and the crystal clear water looks very cold from this lofty crossing, but at least there’s a bridge!
Always follow basic trail etiquette when you’re hiking!
Now back across McGee Creek, the trail enters dense pine forest and continues climbing along a moderate incline. After a mile or so of pleasant walking through the woods, the trail kicks up as you enter a steep area of granite boulders and stairs. Over the next ¾’s of a mile, the trail climbs about 450 feet as it travels through these steep granite staircases.
Really this trail isn’t all that steep, but it is an increase from the hiking earlier on. Once above the stairs, the trail levels off as you approach the first lake of the day. After a bit under half a mile of easier hiking, you’ll arrive at this first lake!
I haven’t been able to find a name for this first lake. It is quite small, so I get that it doesn’t receive the same level of attention as larger bodies of water, but being right next to the trail it feels like it should at least be named! Anyway, the lake is nice. Nothing special, but there’s a mountain in the background so that’s cool at least. We didn’t stay long and got right back on the trail.
To Big McGee Lake:
From the first lake to Big McGee Lake is about 600 vertical feet of climbing. The trail immediately trends up past the first lake and enters a short set of switchbacks as you head up a forested hillside.
Driving up 395? Make sure you have the Top Down Lifestyle playlist!
After the brief climb, you’ll emerge at the foot of a large open meadow. This alpine setting is incredibly photogenic, and is stunningly beautiful. The high peaks beyond Big McGee Lake will now be visible, and you’re truly in the alpine now! Even looking back towards the trailhead the views are excellent!
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Hike through the meadows towards the wooded hill directly in front of you and up the valley. Climb the short distance up the hill. I was expecting to see the lake from here, but you’ll have to keep going!
The final approach to Big McGee Lake teases you as it feels like the water will be just over the next rise, and it feels like there’s dozens of little rises to crest before reaching the lake! In reality it’s probably like two, but it feels like a lot!
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Before you know it you’ll arrive at the shores of Big McGee Lake. I wasn’t totally sure what to expect with this hike since it’s not really that popular, but I was incredibly pleasantly surprised by this lake. It’s beautiful!
The water of Big McGee has an incredible deep blue hue, and on the perfectly clear day we had the deep blue of the lake and the bright blue sky was a beautiful pairing. Beyond the far shores, the peaks are rugged, jagged, and even multicolored! There’s some areas of the far ridges that are beautiful white Sierra granite, and some areas of orange and red and brown coloration!
Emerald Lake is another nice and easy hike in Mammoth!
Even with the great views, one of the best things about this lake is the fact that we had it to ourselves! I’ve been to a fair number of alpine lakes, and while having them to yourself isn’t that rare, it is pretty rare to have one this nice all to yourself! This may not be the most spectacular alpine lake in the Sierra Nevada, but it is really nice, and totally underrated!
Whenever you’re ready for the return hike, you’ll have a simple retracing of your steps back down to the trailhead. The incline is never all that steep, and for the most part the trail is smooth and easy going, so progress comes quickly. The obvious highlight is the lower creek crossing. I elected to just walk through it with my shoes on, but you’ll have to navigate that for yourself! After a long but awesome day on the trail, you’ll be back at the trailhead having done one of Mammoth’s most underrated hikes!
Topdown Lifestyle Rating: 9/10
At first I was going to give this hike an 8/10. Maybe the final destination, Big McGee Lake, isn’t the most incredible alpine lake. Maybe the trail quality could be better. Perhaps there could be more exposed sections of trail. However, the more I thought about it, the more I realized how much I thoroughly enjoyed this hike!
There may not be anything that is truly 10/10 about this trail, but it’s consistently really really good. Big McGee Lake is beautiful, and the scenery getting there is excellent the whole way. Is it a 10/10? Nope, it’s not, but man this is a really good hike, and it’s way less busy than every other awesome trail around Mammoth! From start to finish it’s just really enjoyable hiking!
Pros:
- Not very busy
- Beautiful alpine lake
- Excellent views throughout
Cons:
- Tough water crossing
- Lots of sun exposure
- Desert section gets hot
Alternative Hikes:
When To Hike To Big McGee 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 June until sometime in late October or November.
In terms of the ideal time to visit, I would probably lean towards early summer, just after the trails are clear of snow, or fall. In early summer, the trail should be clear of snow by June, but the mountains will still have 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 early summer!
Links For Further Reading:
Big McGee Lake | Map, Guide – California | AllTrails
Big McGee Lake via McGee Creek Trail: John Muir Wilderness – Beyond Limits on Foot!
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