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. Important Minaret Lake Safety Tips Tips about the top hazards to expect along the Minaret Lake trail. Always store your food (and any other scented items) at night in either a bear box or bear canister. Only the leader or alternate specified in the reservation may pick up or use the permit. Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center: 1-(760) 924-5500, Mammoth Lakes Trail Systems: https://www.mammothtrails.org/, Inyo National Forest: https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/inyo/recarea?recid=20540, Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Deep blue waters, nestled in an alpine basin, below craggy spires that seem too jagged to hold themselves up is the reward for the long trek up to Minaret Lake in Californias Sierra Nevada Mountains. A per person recreation fee is charged for your group when reserving a wilderness permit for entry on Inyo National Forest trails. https://www.nps.gov/depo/planyourvisit/reds-meadow-and-devils-postpile-shuttle-information.htm, https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/inyo/recarea?recid=20540. This 24 mile, 6,200 elevation gain permit only hike leads to the tallest mountain in the contiguous US. Our only significant water crossing of the trip came at Minaret Creek shortly after exiting Devils Postpile. Trash, bathrooms, picnic tables, and bear boxes. Camping Near Minaret Lake Where to camp on and off the trail. It details all the key milestones of the hike including the trailhead start, summit, and more. 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! Then celebrate your adventure by heading to Mammoth Lakes for hearty burgers and excellent beers from Mammoth Brewing! Is hiking Minaret Lake dog-friendly? Description. Park here, use the restroom one last time, and be sure to lock away all scented items in the nearby bear lockers. Hike Type: Overnight. Be prepared before you go. Mammoth Lakes, CA (full service, hospital). He managed to snap a few photos of Minaret Lake from above though, and considered it all worth it for the views. Minaret Vista is the highest lookout point in the Mammoth Lakes area that motorists can drive to during summer months. After leaving Minaret Lake, follow the Minaret Creek Trail east to the PCT/JMT, where you can retrace your steps to Agnew Meadows. A permit is required year-round for overnight trips into John Muir, Ansel Adams, Dinkey Lakes and Kaiser Wildernesses, and Inyo National Forest, as well Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Yosemite National Parks. Minaret Vista. We didn't double check the map and followed the outlet all the way up a large ridge. Additional "walk up" quota will open for web reservations 2 weeks before the trip at 7am Pacific Time., No Show Deadline: Permit will be canceled as a no show unless issued or printed before the deadline, 10:30 am on the entry date.. Get off the shuttle at Stop #6, Devils Postpile. 11h 16m Hard 4.1 (9) John Muir Trail from Reds Meadow to Piute Pass John Muir Wilderness Length: 64.3 mi Est. Be empowered and take 100% ownership for yourself my friend. What to Bring on Your Minaret Lake Backpacking Trip The essential packing list for your Minaret Lakes hike dont hit the trail without these things! ha! 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. At the junction head right toward Minaret Falls (or continue straight to see Devils Postpile, then backtrack to this point), and take the bridge across the San Joaquin River. As always, all opinions are my own. Firstly stop at Burana Tower, a minaret that is the most visible remnant of the ancient city Balasagun. The Minarets are a series of jagged peaks located in the Ritter Range, a sub-range of the Sierra Nevada mountains. After waking up early to catch the sunrise over the lake the next morning, head back down the trail and hike out. Whitney, North Fork of Lone Pine Creek, and Trail Crest Exit). Located in California's beautiful eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains, Inyo National Forest offers challenging trails, high mountain peaks, and unparalleled views. A $6.00 non-refundable reservation fee is required for each permit reservation. After crossing the river youll take another right on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT)/JMT and steadily climb through pine trees along the river. Contact the wilderness permit office if you have questions or need to reissue a permit with corrections. What to eat while backpacking? Not to mention, you can also look down on Minaret Lake below. Dont ever risk getting lost, and dont rely on other people for your safety outdoors. Day 1 - Agnew Meadows to Rosalie Lake (12 miles), Day 2 - Rosalie Lake to Minaret Lake (7 miles), Day 3 - Minaret Lake to Agnew Meadows (11.4 miles). We are Brian and Julie, a Bay Area couple making travel work with full-time jobs. In the morning, get energized with strong coffee and yummy breakfast burritos at Stellar Brew. Although this probably wont cause altitude sickness, it could make the hike much more of a struggle if youre coming from sea level. Also, you will need to mark if this is a guided trip or not. A $5.00 per person recreation fee is charged for all other areas. After lunch we steadily climbed another ~600 feet over another two miles before turning a bend and seeing an enormous waterfall cascading down the side of the mountain! 48.3k members in the socalhiking community. No campfires at Minaret Lakes or Deadhorse Lake; and no campfires at all locations above 10,000 ft. Food, trash and scented items must be stored in. Leave trip information with a friend with instructions of when to report you overdue. by far the most popular hike in Yosemite National Park. Minaret Lake Trail, branching off the John Muir Trail from the Devils Postpile ranger station is the shortest approach, about 7 miles. I had done no training barring weekly hikes in LA and it took me 20 hours to complete it. We took our time enjoying the morning light in the trees, and we even happened upon a doe and a fawn. After heading left here, the trail steadily climbs up through the trees, gaining some slight elevation the entire time. 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. 4) If you find an available date that works for you, click on the date, then Book Now.. The glowing Minarets behind Youssif Wildflowers by Ediza Lake, even in July Not a bad place to sit bax and relax That day we decided to follow a fellow hiker's advice to hike up to Nydiver Lakes. You can reserve permits ahead of time online here, or try to get a last minute walk in permit as early as the day before at any of the ranger stations listed on their site here. Recreation.gov! Nice pics and description. Parking: Backpacker parking is at Mammoth Mountain Main Lodge. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. This is a popular trail for backpacking, camping, and fishing, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. 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! Pro Tip: Its totally worth it to wake up early to catch the sunrise hitting the Minarets in the morning! Hey, I did a three day Agnew meadows-thousand island lake via the pct and then looped back to agnew meadows with a stop at Minaret Lake off the JMT. Brian ended up going off the route and giving up on the adventure since we still had to hike back down and it was getting late in the day. There are permit here too and these tend to range from 15 to 25lb, although in favourable conditions there's a chance of a fish weighing 30lb or more. Let us know in the comments! | shedreamsofalpine.com, Hiking Mt. It was a chilly, fall morning when we set out on the trail. Please Leave No Trace. 3) You will then be taken to a long list of trailheads showing their availability and quotas. Trips beginning on Inyo National Forest may continue into the wilderness areas of Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon National Parks., As you plan your trip, remember that we must take care of this amazing place. The Shadow Lake Trail is easily the more scenic of the two approaches and highly recommended. Its not hard to do, but it does require a little planning ahead. Then youll hit the trail and hike to Minaret Lake, which shouldnt take you more than 4-5 hours, since its a pretty chill gradual incline up to Minaret Lake. 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. When traveling in the backcountry, you may with to carry an SOS beacon and communicator. At the 2.28 mile mark, Brian and I arrived at Johnston Lake. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 17 h 25 min to complete. At 1.6 miles veer right toward Johnston Lake. You can stop for water or to use the bathroom at the ranger center, then begin your hike right from there. Day three. LockA locked padlock Have you ever been to Minaret Lake? All Trips Outdoor Status. I scaled the ridge on the eastern shore to get a better vantage point of the multi-lobed lake and enjoyed some peaceful moments watching a fly fisherman steadily cast his line back and forth. Yes! Never leave any crucial items behind before you head out on a backpacking trip! Near the beginning of this trail, you will come to a stream crossing near Johnston Lake. Its a good idea to take a GPS map to navigate so you dont get off course. 1-Day Tours; 2-Day Tours; 3-4 Days Tours; Marathons! 2h 40m Easy 4.6 (412) If you dont already have an account on the site, you will need to create one in order to apply. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. July and August are also good options, though it could get pretty hot then, and youll definitely want to bring your bug spray. This area of the Eastern Sierras is filled with a variety of wildlife, but the biggest concern is black bears. I've been wanting to visit Minaret Lake for so long now, and I love that I was able to squeeze in a weekend trip from the Bay Area. Follow the trail to around 1.5 miles, where the trail veers away from Horsethief Creek and approaches Pine Valley Creek. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 6 h 45 min to complete. A $15.00 per person recreation fee is charged for trips entering the Whitney Zone (Mt. Starting at 7,562 ft, we headed south from the parking lot onto the JMT, crossed a bridge over the Middle Fork San Joaquin River, and then headed north through the trees. Turn right on Minaret Road and go to Mammoth Mountain Adventure Center (Main Lodge) for long term parking and to board the mandatory shuttle to the trailhead. Less than 10 miles roundtrip, the Duck Lake is the perfect overnight backpacking trip to experience classic Sierra lakes and mountains. new adventures through a one-stop shop for inspiration and ideation, trip planning, information sharing, Ive created a map detailing the whole Minaret Lake trail that you can explore, including a look at the elevation gain/profile of the hike. Come, take a deep breath of clean mountain air. Day Four. 1) Go to the Recreation.gov website and search for Inyo National Forest Wilderness permits. Sunset . This itinerary is packed with incredible hikes, waterfalls, rugged coastline, redwoods, caves, and lakes you wont want to miss. Food Storage: There is 1, two-sided bear box located at each trailhead (High Trail/Shadow Lake Trail). (Please note the below links may contain affiliate links). We switchbacked back and forth up the side of the mountain until we reached the top of the falls and headed over the ridge. Map Information. Permits required YEAR ROUND for overnight trips to Ansel Adams, John Muir, Hoover, & Golden Trout Wilderness areas, Group leader is responsible to ensure everyone in their group understands & obeys the conditions of the permit, All wilderness permits are reserved online. There is a water spigot and bathrooms near the Ranger Station here. As soon as I saw pictures of this location, I knew Brian and I had to see it in person. Distance: ~6.4 miles. How to Get a Minaret Lake Permit - The step-by-step process to get the required Minaret Lake permit for backpacking. Complete your camp locations and verify final group size before you print permit. This out and back trail is popular among backpackers and day hikers looking to explore into the Eastern Sierra. Its about building relationships with the outdoors and each other. 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