A globally renowned trek past a massive wall of symmetrical basalt columns, then down-canyon to a 101-foot waterfall that casts vivid rainbows in the afternoon mist. Wide accessible trail with minimal elevation change.
A brief high-reward woodland trek through a haunting ghost forest killed by volcanic CO2 venting, opening to a pristine white-sand alpine beach at McLeod Lake. The ideal first high-country hike.
Starting at 9,800 feet, this Hoover Wilderness trail threads past five beautiful lakes framed by multi-hued volcanic peaks before climbing to Burro Pass — a wide-open saddle with panoramic views deep into the backcountry.
One of the most underrated hikes on the 395 corridor. Aspen groves, beaver ponds, mining ruins, and three cascading waterfalls in a canyon that feels completely removed from the road. Fall color here rivals anything in California.
The uncrowded alternative to the always-jammed Little Lakes Valley, accessed from the same Rock Creek Road. A chain of nine alpine lakes in a spectacular granite basin above treeline with views of Bear Creek Spire and Mount Huntington.
The northern gateway to the Hoover Wilderness — tunnels of yellow aspens along West Fork Green Creek, massive old-growth junipers, and a rewarding climb past Green Lake to the multi-hued shores of East Lake.
The highest paved road trailhead in California at 10,087 feet opens into a chain of 20 glacial lakes just below the Yosemite boundary. Minimal elevation change for maximum high-alpine scenery.
The Eastern Sierra’s most rewarding high-alpine lake progression. Starting at 10,230 feet, this trail strings together five stunning glacial lakes beneath serrated granite ridges.
A lung-busting climb from the Mammoth Lakes Basin that passes Arrowhead, Skelton, and Barney Lakes before cresting to a sweeping view of wind-swept Duck Lake on the Sierra crest.
A flat accessible loop around one of the most visually dramatic lakes in the Mono Basin. Twisted sedimentary bands rise directly from the waterline in a rare geological contrast to the region’s typical granite.