Don’t Miss These 7 Incredible Lakes in Mammoth Lakes, CA
California is huge. As southern California locals, it’s easy for us to forget how much beauty there is in this state all the way to the Oregon border up north. Deserts, mountains, central valley, and the coast stretch across this vast landscape making it one of the most diverse states in the country.
Just outside of Yosemite National Park is a rare treasure that still blows our minds to this day. We’re talking about stunning forests, massive mountain peaks, tons of hiking trails, and of course several pristine lakes. You can find all this and more at Mammoth Lakes near central California.
🌻 Our content may contain affiliate links. If clicked through to make a purchase, the price remains the same for you and we will earn a small commission. This helps us to continue creating useful and valuable content for you and other visitors. 💜What Exactly is Mammoth Lakes?
Mammoth Lakes is actually a small town located in Inyo National Forest surrounded by acres of dense forest and a huge selection of natural lakes.
Technically the lakes of the area reside within the “Mammoth Lakes Basin,” which is partially located within the John Muir Wilderness and only a few minutes from the town of Mammoth Lakes. Basically when you hear someone say they went hiking in Mammoth Lakes, you know they’re referring to the surrounding area of Mammoth Lakes Basin.
The combination of towering pine forests and impeccable lakes along with the cozy mountain town makes this a popular spot for any outdoor adventurer.
For those traveling from out of town, you will find a large selection of lodging within the town of Mammoth Lakes or at the nearby campgrounds. We prefer camping, but sometimes I do enjoy a warm and comfy place to relax at the end of the day.
To our surprise, we landed the chance to camp over the long holiday weekend during our last visit to Mammoth Lakes. This gave us loads of time to see the many lakes of the area. More specifically, 7 of which we highly recommend you see if you have the opportunity to explore this magical woodland paradise.
Know Before You Go
Some of the following lakes below you can simply drive up to see while others are only accessible by hiking. We will specify how to see each below. Keep in mind though that the best ones on this list are found off of actual trails.
If you choose to hike, make sure you bring proper hiking shoes and enough water to stay hydrated while on the trail. If you’ve never hiked before we highly recommend you brush up on the top 10 essentials for hiking.
Once you’re out of the tree line in Mammoth, the sun can be relentless. Protect yourself from harmful UV rays with these 6 articles of sun protection.
It’s always smart to plan ahead and prepare for the unexpected when hiking in the wilderness.
The following list is not ranked in any particular order.
1. Lake George – Accessible by Car and Trail
First on our list is the beautiful Lake George. This body of water sits below the iconic Crystal Crag, which is a unique rocky formation of Mammoth that tops out at a whopping 10, 364 ft elevation.
This is the second largest lake on this list and can be accessed by car or by hiking along Crystal Lake Trail. It’s also the highest road-accessible lake in the Mammoth Lakes Basin.
For those not looking to hike, simply drive up and park near Lake George Campground where you walk down to the lake at the base of the parking lot.
Although, for a different (and slightly more epic) view of the lake, we recommend you hike Crystal Lake Trail. Doing so will take you up to see incredible views from atop the lake. Standing at the top of a cliff, overlooking Lake George, offers a completely different perspective. An insanely gorgeous view that will surely leave you breathless.
2. Crystal Lake – Accessible by Trail Only (Crystal Lake Trail)
An absolutely stunning lake, the hike to get to Crystal Lake is totally worth the the trek. You can access Crystal Lake from the Crystal Lake Trail. This is the same trailhead to see Lake George which begins in the parking lot from the Lake George Campground.
Gratefully, the trail itself is only around 3 miles roundtrip. Meaning you don’t have to dedicate your whole day or more to see this amazing lake. Although there is an elevation gain of around 800 feet. Expect some puffing as you climb up some switchbacks over the mountain.
Once we arrived lakeside we were in awe of the beauty of this place. This peaceful lake sits below the towering wall of the Mammoth Crest, which divides the Lakes Basin from the San Joaquin River.
You can easily spend an hour or more here just taking in the view. A perfect spot for an afternoon picnic.
3. Twin Lakes – Accessible by Car (next to Twin Lakes Campground)
For those looking for a quick stop in Mammoth Lakes, make sure you see Twin Lakes. These two lakes are just 10 minutes from downtown and easily accessed by car. Simply park and step out into the water. Just kidding, but it feels that way.
Twin Lakes is basically two lakes that are connected by Twin Falls (a waterfall). They’re also the lowest lakes in the Mammoth Lakes Basin.
Many visitors park or camp near the lakes at Twin Lakes Campground making these 2 lakes more popular compared to others. Fishing being a common activity at the lake, there is also a historic lodge, restaurant, wedding chapel, and general store all located right next to the lake shore.
Luckily, we were able to grab a camping spot during Labor Day weekend at Twin Lakes Campground. We had a fantastic time camping in Mammoth and it was great being walking distance from such a pretty lake.
If hiking isn’t your thing and you’ll only have a little bit of time to sight see, Twin Lakes is the answer to your inner wanderlust.
Lakes #4-6 – Along Duck Lake Pass Trail
For the next 3 lakes on our list, these are all only accessibly by trail on Duck Lake Pass. As we said before, some of the best lakes on this list you have to work for! To see any one of these lakes, you’ll be starting your hike from the same place – Duck Lake Pass Trailhead.
Mileage below is from start of trailhead to the lake and back.
- Skelton Lake – 3 miles roundtrip
- Barney Lake – 5.4 miles roundtrip
- Duck Lake – 9.5 miles roundtrip
Obviously you don’t have to hike 9.5 miles if you don’t want to. This is only if you wish to see all 3 lakes. Many simply hike to Skelton or Barney Lake and return for a shorter hike.
Word of Advice – if you choose to hike in the winter, plan ahead and bring the correct winter gear as this trail is a long one. Stay warm with layers using these 12 articles of cold weather clothing. Great for any winter hiking but essential for long trails such as these!
4. Skelton Lake – Accessible by Trail Only (Duck Lake Pass / 3 miles roundtrip)
Skelton Lake is the first of the 3 popular lakes located off Duck Lake Pass. Well, there are more than just 3 lakes along this trail, but we’ve highlighted the 3 main ones you’ll directly pass off the trail.
After hiking 1.5 miles on Duck Lake Pass, you will see the trail split with a smaller path heading left into the trees. Follow this for a few steps and you will quickly be at the foot of Skelton Lake.
This lake alone was enough to make me feel completely satisfied with our hike. Skelton Lake is surrounded by beautiful cascading mountains with crystal clear blue water. There was also a small sandy beach along the shore, making this a wonderful place to swim if you visit during summer.
My only wish, being able to stay here longer.
5. Barney Lake – Accessibly by Trail Only (Duck Lake Pass / 5.4 miles roundtrip)
After Skelton Lake, you can either choose to head back or continue onward. If you continue onward (which we hope you do!) then follow Duck Pass Trail for another mile and a half to reach the dazzling Barney Lake.
It’s hard to choose a favorite lake on this list, but Barney Lake does come close to being my favorite. This lake appeared to have a more greenish hue to the water compared to the soft blue of Skelton Lake.
You can sit near the lake’s edge and gaze up at the neighboring rocky cliffs or head up the trail a bit more for a higher vantage point of the lake. We actually enjoyed this view better than down below.
By standing atop the hillside, you really get a full picturesque view of the lake and the surrounding mountains and forest. Pretty sure this view alone topped all other views we saw while at Mammoth Lakes.
6. Duck Lake – Accessible by Trail Only (Duck Lake Pass / 9.5 miles roundtrip)
Now if you’re really feeling adventurous, you can continue hiking up and over a peak to reach Duck Lake. This is the biggest of the lakes on this list.
Make sure you bring a flashlight should you choose to hike to Duck Lake. You can calculate how much time a hike will take, but side quests happen and you don’t want to be caught in the dark. This is just one of our top 5 travel essentials for the outdoor traveler.
To reach Duck Lake, it requires 9.5 miles of hiking round trip complete with a steep climb up the pass. Make sure you’re aware of the miles back before you make the trek. I’ll admit, completing a 10 mile hike in one day is tough if you aren’t used to long, rigorous hikes. I had sore legs and feet for at least a couple days after.
Continue up Duck Lake Pass trail from Barney Lake to reach Duck Lake. You’ll soon be met with a steep rocky climb up the side of the mountain. What’s great though is that you’ll continue to see fantastic views of Barney Lake from below as you climb.
Once over the pass, you’ll quickly see Duck Lake peeking over the horizon in front of you. Ah, what a sight to see after all that climbing!
Experience Duck Lake from Above
We were pretty tired by this point so we chose to stay and have a picnic at an earlier point on the trail. If you wish to continue further along Duck Pass Trail you’ll see the entire length of Duck Lake.
Take a left at the junction and you’ll find yourself on the Pika Lake Trail. Pika Lake is a smaller neighboring lake where many backpackers camp. Camping is not allowed within 300′ of Duck Lake and the shores are way too rocky and steep to set up any sort of comfortable camp site.
After you’re done enjoying the epic view, head back the way you came to reach the parking lot. Hopefully the trek back isn’t as rough for you as it was for me! Still worth it nonetheless.
7. Convict Lake – Accessible by Car (Convict Lake Campground)
If you’re looking for the lake with the most dramatic scenery with no hiking involved, Convict Lake is your go to lake. This lake is found furthest away from Mammoth Lakes. To get here take Convict Lake Road right off of Highway 395.
If you’re road tripping down Highway 395, check out this list of fun road trip stops off Highway 395 by travel blogger Josh of California Through My Lens.
Park at any of the parking lots near the lake and make a quick 5 minute walk to the shoreline. As you drive in, you’ll immediately be taken back at the breathtaking scenery of the area. Colossal, colorful mountains overwhelm the senses as soon as you exit the freeway.
To enjoy Convict Lake, you can either walk the 2.5 mile loop trail around the lake or simply take in the view from the shore. The loop trail is practically flat, so it’s an easy trail for most to complete.
Since this was the last lake we visited (after the intense Duck Lake Pass trail), we were exhausted and decided to take it easy and enjoy the lake from the rocky beach front. Still, this lake was nothing short of a jaw drop paired with the magnificent mountains behind.
Convict Lake sits below the encompassing Mount Morrison and Laurel Mountain, both towering high over this blue reflective lake. Adding to the already impressive scenery. The shore itself is made up of small rocks, not sand. Still comfortable enough to rest and relax on.
You Will Easily Fall in Love with Mammoth Lakes – An Adventure for Everyone
If you’re looking for an escape into the wilderness, along with legendary forest and lake views, then you need to make a trip out to Mammoth Lakes. This wonderful woodland region is packed with insanely beautiful lakes, each one with its own unique charm.
What’s terrific is that you can enjoy these lakes by means of a challenging hike or just by parking your car lakeside. A perfect place for both the outdoor adventurer and for those who are just looking to relax in nature.
These are our top 7 lakes we’ve experienced in Mammoth Lakes. It’s hard to not fall in love with all of them! We especially love the ability to see lakes along a trail or by car. This means we can still see yet another lake the day after an exhausting hike.
In Mammoth Lakes, there is beauty everywhere you step, making this area our favorite forest getaway in California.
If you have more time in the area, check out Devils Postpile National Monument & Rainbow Falls right next door. A beautiful park with a unique geological formation only 20 minutes away from Mammoth Lakes.
Looking for something different to do in Mammoth? Did you know you can take a gondola ride 11,000 ft up to the top of Mammoth Mountain? Perfect for families or those wanting to enjoy the mountain landscapes without breaking a sweat. Buy your ticket from Viator.com, a trusted touring website we use when scouring for unique things to do in the area.
Have you been to Mammoth Lakes? What was your favorite lake? Maybe it’s something not on this list! Share with us below in the comments!
Like this? Pin it!
