Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
hikes to
Steelhead Lake
(10 miles round-trip) via an easy walk to subtle
Horsetail Falls
(four miles round-trip).
On the drive up, the
McGee Creek Pack Station
( 760-935-4324, 800-854-7407;
reservable sites at 7600ft with sun-shaded picnic tables along the creek and stunning
mountain vistas.
At the intersection after you leave the highway, don't miss the coffee and homebaked
EastSideBakeShop
; 1561 Crowley Lake Dr; mains $8-15; 6:30am-3pm Wed-Sun, to 9pm Fri & Sat)
;
check its calendar for fun local music on the weekends.
Rock Creek
South off Hwy 395 and roughly equidistant between Mammoth Lakes and Bishop, Rock
Creek Rd travels 11 miles into some of the dreamiest landscapes in the Sierra. At roads'
end, the Mosquito Flat trailhead into the
Little Lakes Valley
(part of the John Muir Wil-
derness) clocks in at a whopping 10,300ft of elevation. Mountaintops seem to be every-
where, with the 13,000ft peaks of Bear Creek Spire, Mt Dade, Mt Abbot and Mt Mills
bursting out along the southwestern horizon and lush canyon meadows popping with
scores of clear blue lakes. Ecstatic hikers and climbers fan out to explore, though most
anglers and hikers just go as far as the first few lakes. An excellent day-hike destination is
the second of the
Gem Lakes
(7 miles round-trip), a lovely aquamarine bowl and five-star
lunch spot.
At the Rock Creek Lakes Resort, nine miles from the highway, don't put off a visit to
late-May-mid-Oct, shorter hours early & late season)
. Its scratch-baked confections go on sale at
10:30am and usually sell out by 2pm. The slices of chocolate mud pie are gargantuan.
sites $20)
line the road; most are along Rock Creek and a few are reservable. In wintertime,
there's a sno-park seven miles in, and during summer, the
Rock Creek Pack Station
(
760-872-8331;
www.rockcreekpackstation.com
;
Rock Creek Rd; trail rides from $45)
offers trail rides
from its location just before the trailhead.
