Backpacking the North Fork of Big Pine Creek in Inyo, CA to the glacial Big Pine Lakes has been a bucket list item of mine for years, and I finally got to experience this breathtaking hike in July 2021.

Trail Stats

• Miles: 16.4
• Elevation gain: 3800 ft
• Peak hiking season: May 1 to November 1. If hiking during the winter and spring, note that the lakes may be frozen and there could be snow on the trail up until late May/early June.
• Permit required for overnight camping during peak season, none for day hiking.

Permits

Permits can be reserved via recreation.gov. This hike is one of the most popular in the Inyo National Forest so plan to book as early as possible, up to 6 months in advance. A portion of the permits are reserved for walk-up reservations.

2021 note: For this season, walk-up permits are made available 2 weeks in advance on recreation.gov, at 7am Pacific time. At the time of writing, there is a daily quota of 25 permits, 10 of which are available as walk-up permits.

We opted to drive in from the Bay Area the day before and stay the night so that we could get an early start on the trail. We camped at Volcanic Tablelands in nearby Bishop, CA, a beautiful but rugged free campsite on BLM land.

The Hike

The following morning, we rose before the sun and headed up the mountains to begin the trek. The drive to the trailhead offered breathtaking views of towering mountains bathed in rosy red alpenglow. A young deer darted along the road as we pulled into the overnight parking lot.

We hit the trail at 6:30 am — in retrospect, we could have started even earlier. The trail from the parking lot is an exposed dirt path and we could already feel the sun beating down on us.

After about a mile, the trail rounds a corner into a wide canyon and joins with the path from the day hiker parking from the true trailhead.

We continued climbing on the single track, which was shaded for a bit by a mountain to our right. Below us flowed First Falls on the north fork of Big Pine Creek.

Soon we re-emerged into the sun and struggled up a section of sandy switchbacks. At the two mile mark, the trail levels out and comes right up to Second Falls, a gushing cascade of flowing alpine water.

From here, the trail continues along the creek and then leads into a more wooded area. We passed through a peaceful grove of aspens and then arrived at Lon Chaney’s cabin, roughly halfway to First Lake.

Shortly after that is another waterfall (we unofficially dubbed it “Third Falls”), about three miles in to the hike. This was a great place to stop and rest.

In terms of scenery, this hike has it all. Miles four and five took us through shaded woody areas, green alpine meadows, and impressive rocky expanses. Around each bend was a stunning new landscape to take in.

There is a small pond near the four mile mark and then just a short ascent to the first of seven Big Pine Lakes.

First Lake

After five miles of hiking, we were rewarded with a gorgeous view of First Lake. I was awestruck by the shockingly electric blue water, the result of snow and glacial melt.

Second Lake

Just a short walk from First Lake is Second Lake, which is where we decided to set up our camp before continuing on to the remaining lakes.

Second Lake is backdropped by the towering granite cathedral Temple Crag. There were still small patches of snow tucked in between the jagged peaks jutting up into the skyline.

We selected a spot on the cliffs overlooking Second Lake with Temple Crag in the background, set up camp, and then enjoyed an early lunch nearby. Our go-to trail snack is pepperonis and tortillas (sort of like a low budget, minimalist pizza) and it did not disappoint.

Before heading out, we noticed it was getting a bit windy so we weighed down the corners of our tent with some rocks and hoped that we would not come back to find it in the lake below us.

After lunch, we hiked down to the shore and went for a short dip in Second Lake. The water was frigid but felt refreshing in the midday sun. It was also nice to be clean(-ish), if only for just a little while before hitting the trail again.

Third Lake

We dried off on some sunny rocks on the small beach and then packed up for Third Lake, about another half mile hike.

At the water’s edge, we found a nice rock to relax on for a spontaneous afternoon nap to recharge ourselves.

Third Lake is the last of the milky, turquoise colored lakes and many day hikers will opt to turn around after this point. There was still plenty of daylight left so we continued on to lakes 4 through 7.

Right after Third Lake, there is a short but killer section of switchbacks with a sweeping view of the lake at the top.

The entire trail is flecked with a multitude of wildflowers, dotting the landscape with splashes of red and orange and pink. We also saw a handful of butterflies!

There is quite a climb between Third and Fourth Lakes and we were definitely starting to feel the elevation during this portion.

Our favorite bits were when the trail opened up to these lush green meadows that gave us a chance to catch our breath.

These sections also had a few easily-navigable stream crossings.

The trail forks just before the seven mile mark and rejoins itself shortly after — the right path takes you to Fourth Lake while the left heads to Fifth Lake.

Fourth Lake

This lake had a very different feel from the first three but was beautiful in its own way. The glassy surface of the water reflected a near-perfect mirror image when the winds were calm.

We saw dozens of blue dragonflies flitting about the water’s edge and fish that flung themselves into the air, possibly attempting to eat aforementioned dragonflies.

Sixth and Seventh Lakes

The trail up to Sixth and Seventh Lakes was rocky and steep, topping out at about 11,200 feet in elevation.

These two lakes are located quite close to each other — as you are hiking to Sixth Lake, you can see the smaller Seventh Lake nearby. They were the most quiet and remote and had a lovely emerald green color.

After a much-needed rest at the top, we turned back around to check out Fifth Lake and return to camp.

Fifth Lake

Hiking down from Sixth and Seventh Lakes went much faster than the way up and before we knew it we were at Fifth Lake.

The crystal clear turquoise water was full of jumping fish that we just had to stop and watch for a bit.

At this point, we were getting quite hungry and so we retraced our steps back to our campsite and settled in for dinner as the setting sun bathed the ridge of Temple Crag in golden light.

I was (and still am) in awe of the diverse and pristine wilderness we were able to experience in just one day.

At the end of this perfect day, my partner got down on one knee and proposed! It was the most magical moment I could have imagined, and of course I said yes.

That night, the stars seemed to shine extra bright as the Milky Way was in full view. I even caught sight of a few shooting stars through the mesh top of our tent.

Waking up in the mountains is something I will never tire of. We were treated to the most spectacular sight of the sun peeking over the mountains and down into Second Lake.

It was hard to say goodbye to this incredible little slice of California backcountry but eventually we had to pack up our camp for the hike out and long drive back to the Bay Area.

The Eastern Sierras have a profound, unspoken beauty that is impossible to convey in pictures or words. I hope that one day, you too will be able to experience this unforgettable hike.

Gear Notes

• Within the Inyo National Forest, food must be stored in a bear-resistant container or counter-balanced.
• The elevation on this hike is no joke. We went through all four liters of water that we packed and made good use of our additional filtration system.
• Along similar lines, sunscreen and a hat are a must. Nearly the entire hike out is facing the sun, which is made all the more intense by the altitude.
• We saw lots of bugs on the trip, particularly near the water, but were able to escape relatively unscathed by pre-treating our clothes with Permethrin and diligently applying bug spray.
• Be prepared for cooler temps, especially in the evening. Though nearby towns of Bishop and Big Pine were 100°F+ during the day, it was much more temperate up in the mountains and got down to the mid 40s at night.