Big Pine Lakes by the North Fork

The walk starts at the hiker parking lot on Glacier Lodge Road, about 10 miles west of Big Pine and half a mile below the end of the road. The trail crosses a sunny slope of sage high above the road and enters the canyon of the North Fork above First Falls. It climbs beside the creek past Second Falls, near the wilderness boundary, and on past the cabin built for the actor Lon Chaney. A long, steady climb leads to First Lake, then Second Lake, with Temple Crag rising across the water, and Third Lake a little higher. Return the same way.

It is 11.1 miles (17.8 km) round trip with 2,560 feet (781 m) of climbing; allow about 6½ hours. The grade is Hard: a long day, uphill all the way to lakes at about 10,000 feet.

No permit is needed for a day hike. The lower trail has little shade, so start early and carry plenty of water; treat any you take from the creek. Keep food, trash and anything scented in the bear-proof lockers at the trailhead, not in the car. Campfires are not allowed. The lakes get their color from rock flour ground by the Palisade Glacier.

A small day-use lot at the very end of the road, by Glacier Lodge, gives a slightly shorter start past First Falls, but it fills early.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.