Mono lake, June lake & Mammoth lakes ~ Lakes of the Eastern Sierras

After setting up our base camp at Bishop creek we set out for a day of exploring some of the Lakes of the Eastern Sierras. One of my bucket list items has always been to swim in Mono lake. This was a short 45 min drive from our campsite. Mono lake is known for it’s high salinity and it’s healing powers. There are several places to access the shore of the lake. Just 5 miles north of Lee Vining there’s plenty of parking with a picnic area and restrooms and a boardwalk through the marsh to the North shore of the lake. We decided to access it on the South side so we took the 120 east to the South Tufa/Navy beach area.

The Tufa’s here are other-worldly. Tufa is essentially common limestone. These Tufa’s form exclusively underwater. They are made by a chemical reaction between calcium and carbonates and become calcium-carbonate limestone. The reason you can see so much tufa around Mono Lake today is because the lake level fell dramatically after controversial water diversions began in 1941.

The Tufa’s are home to a family of Ospreys who live atop them. Because of the salinity in the water, there aren’t any fish in the lake so they fly over to June lake to fish and then fly all the way back with the fish in their tallons. They thrive here due to a lack of predator access.

We spent several hours here, soaking up the incredible views and playing in the water.

Exploring the Ansel Adams Wilderness

From here we headed south on the 395 to the 158 – and to another of the Lakes of the Eastern Sierras, the June Lake loop. The whole loop takes about an hour with no stops but you’re going to want to stop a lot. This area sits at the base of the 10k+ ft Carson peak. There are numerous hiking trails and so many things to do here that include horseback riding, world-class fishing, camping, boating, kayaking and paddle boarding. You can spend a whole day here or make it your destination as there are several resorts.

The first stop is Silver Lake, the oldest trout fishing retreat in the Eastern Sierras. The Silver Lake Resort here has cabins, campgrounds, rv hook ups, kayak and boat rentals. You’ll cross over Rush creek another great place for trout fishing. The views here with the combination of the color of the lake waters is really breathtaking.

Next up is Gull Lake and the Gull Lake marina. The Marina has boat rentals and is the perfect opportunity to get out on the water. If you follow the Gull Lake trail you’ll find two awesome rope swings. This is a great place to hang out and have a picnic. June Lake is up next and has an awesome swimming beach and the perfect place to cool off.

Mammoth Lakes

Heading South on the US 395 you come to Mammoth lakes, a year-round adventure area with everything you could ask for in an unforgettable setting.

A couple of the best hikes in the Easter Sierras are Devils Postpile and Rainbow Falls. Catch the scenic shuttle from Mammoth Adventure Center to Reds Meadow (no private vehicles allowed), where  you’ll find Devils Postpile monument. This geological formation was formed by lava flow over 100,000 years ago, with crumbling hexagonal towers of basalt forming a massive cliff-face. This is an easy 4.5 mile r/t hike with a 700 foot elevation gain. About 2.5 miles down the trail past the Postpile, you’ll find the 101-foot Rainbow Falls.

Top 5 hikes in the Eastern Sierras

• Devils Postpile/Rainbow Falls: 4.5 mi r/t. Easy with stunning views.
  • Convict lake loop: 2.5 mi r/t. Easy hike around the lake. Great for families.
• Inyo Craters: 1 mi r/t. Easy. To get there, take the Mammoth Scenic Loop a few miles west from the 395 Highway. Turn right on the Dry Creek Road Spur and follow the signs to a small parking lot.
• Crystal Lake: 3.1 miles r/t. Moderate.  Enjoy views of iconic Crystal Crag, Lake George, and Lake Mary.
• Thousand Isle Lake: 17 mile r/t. Challenging hike but you’ll see some of the most spectacular views of this part of the Sierras.

No trip to Mammoth would be complete without a trip to Toomey’s restaurant. Their signature dishes like smoked trout, lobster taquitos and delicious fish & chips will make you do a happy dance! Be sure to take home some of Matt Toomey’s famous seasonings.

For more bucket list things to do in the Eastern Sierras, check out our blogs on the ghost town of Bodie and camping at Bishop creek.