California – Lone Pine Lake Hike
Lone Pine Lake Hike
When doing the Lone Pine Lake Hike, you climb the same trail to Mt. Whitney. But the Whitney trail passes above the lake, so unless you wanted to add more distance to the 22-mile hike, I recommend you do Lone Pine Lake Hike as a warm-up to Whitney. It is a worthy hike to climb to Lone Pine Lake, which is beautiful high alpine lake with views of the eastern side of the Sierras. I loved spending the afternoon at the lake with a picnic lunch. The added benefit of doing the Lone Pine Lake Hike as a warm-up to Mt. Whitney is to see the views and beginning of the trail in daylight. You will also meet the wonderful, if not slightly crazy hikers that are heading up to their camps or coming down from the peak.
The Trail Head
There is a series of parking lots for all the people climbing Mt. Whitney. We snagged a spot in one of the further parking lots. It is wise to use the bathrooms in these farther lots, because there is less traffic than the ones right at the trailhead. You cannot miss the trailhead and signs for Mt. Whitney. There is also a shop with snacks, if you need any last minute provisions. Take a look at the maps and weigh your pack, if you want to before the hike.
We took some pictures here on the day of the Lone Pine Lake hike and I am super glad we did. When we left for Whitney, it was dark, and when we finished the hike, we were too loopy to function.
At a Glance:
- Rating: 4 (out of 4) stars, would absolutely do it again.
- Location: Eastern side of the Sierra Nevada Mountain range, nearest town is Lone Pine.
- Cost: Free! No permit required for the Lone Pine Lake Hike.
- Restrooms: At the trailhead, then nature pee.
- Duration: 5 miles round trip.
Highlights:
- Familiarity with the trail before doing Mt. Whitney.
- Beautiful high alpine lake.
Lone Pine Lake
Lone Pine Lake is still, peaceful, and picture-perfect. When the wind was still, the rocks and scattered trees reflected in the lake like a mirror. We visited in late-August, there was still snow in the shadows. We decided to walk around the right side of the lake to see the valley below. Although it required a bit climbing across the rocks, I loved the view of the valley and of the mountains across the lake.
We enjoyed our picnic lunch with the slow breeze through the trees and warmed ourselves on the rocks. It was so quiet. I couldn’t believe how different this was from Lone Pine and the dessert area we drove through only miles away.
Overall Thoughts on the Lone Pine Lake Hike
I loved the little hike to Lone Pine Lake. Although it should only be around 5 miles, after walking around the lake and checking things out, our tracking system said 6.9 miles. The lake is beautiful, the trail is well-maintained, and Mt. Whitney is a sight to behold. I recommend this hike for anyone looking for a shorter, but still challenging hike or those who are going to hike Mt. Whitney.
On the trail, we met many hikers that were camping that night and going to do Mt. Whitney the next day. There were also people who were completing their hike and told tales of glory. We were super excited to begin our trek the next morning. You can read about how it went on this post and how we trained for Whitney here. Or what the Mt. Whitney Day Hike was like in this post.
What is your favorite high alpine lake? I love visiting high alpine lakes because there is usually a beautiful view accompanying the hike in. Share your favorite, so I can add more to my bucket-list!
Follow me on Instagram and Happy Travels,
Hanna
