Hiked up to #5 on 7/4 free fishing day and our group caught 6 nice Golden trout kept a couple to taste- amazing! Just five miles to the third lake, but you get to see two before that Creeks and streams a half hour in to the hike Cottonwood Lakes Loop starts from Horseshoe Meadow and travels from the Golden Trout Wilderness into John Muir Wilderness. 6.1 … Deet worked perfectly so lather up and they leave you alone. Beautiful singletrack leads you south on the Colorado Trail from Cottonwood Pass on a rarely hiked section of trail that contours across the base of Sheep Mountain (11,939 ft.). It was memorable trip to this day. Spectacular loop with tough climb over Old Army Pass. Roots Rocks Rhythm Trail Guide. The trip begins on a mostly sandy trail leading you North into the Golden trout Wilderness. This is a difficult one way trail to Mount Langley in Sequoia National Park. Getting to the Cottonwood Lakes Campground Trailhead, The Golden Trout is only native to the waters of this area and is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful trout in the world. No major incline for the most part, except for nearly vertical rock scramble in the middle of the hike.
Cottonwood Lakes Trail Path alongside a wooded creek, climbing fairly gently above the timberline, past meadows and boggy areas, to a high basin containing several beautiful lakes, directly beneath the Sierra crest. Once on top head South to find New Army Pass. See park page for more information. I’ve always heard of the beauty in the Cottonwood Lakes Basin. They formed into their own species of trout by becoming isolated in these mountain lakes thousands of years ago by volcanic activity. The trail connects the Crag Crest and the Lake of the Woods trails. My GPS estimated 17.5 miles and it took us 9 hours round trip. Beautiful meadows and plenty of water Please choose a different date. Before of the CA forest fires if hiking this month, it is nearly impossible to breath up there after noon and will NOT be a fun trip. Proceed with caution along Forest Road 5480 as it runs parallel to the Iron Horse Trail, a popular path for hikers, bikers and cross country skiers. Book. There are camping areas around the Cottonwood Lakes and I've heard you can catch some nice fish there. Located south of Mount Whitney and west of the city of Lone Pine, the trail travels through the Golden Trout Wilderness and the John Muir Wilderness to end at the border of Sequoia National Park. This trail is hard. It starts off fairly level then descends a bit to the golden trout camp area. Phone: 760-876-6222
The Cottonwood Lakes trail heads northwest through pine forest, ascending a small rise on gentle grades. The summit of Langley was pretty tough as it was our first 14er, but as long as you follow the cairns, pack enough water and food, it's doable and not very technical. It's a walkup campground, $6 cash. Quite buggy at dusk and dawn. Had the lake to ourselves! The first lakes going counter-clockwise are worth stopping at! Chicken Spring Lake via Cottonwood Pass Trail [CLOSED], Horseshoe Meadow to the Kern River [CLOSED], Horseshoe Meadows to Mount Whitney and Whitney Portal Trailhead via New Army Pass, Mount Langley Loop via Cottonwood Pass [CLOSED], Cottonwood Lakes Campground to Mount Langley, Mount Whitney via Cottonwood Lakes Walk-in Campground, Trail Pass to Trail Peak via Pacific Crest Trail, Horseshoe Meadows, Pacific Crest Trail, High Sierra Trail, Golden Trout Loop [CLOSED], Cirque Peak Via Cottonwood Lakes and New Army Pass Trails, Cottonwood Lake and Long Lake via Cottonwood Lakes and New Army Pass Trail, Cottonwood Lake #3, #4, #5 via Cottonwood Lakes and Army Pass Trail, John Muir Trail - Cottonwood Lakes Trail Head to Happy Isles [CLOSED], John Muir Trail: Horseshoe Meadow to Happy Isles [CLOSED], Horseshoe Meadow Loop via Trail Pass Trail [CLOSED], Horseshoe Meadow to Haiwee Creek [CLOSED], Trail Pass to Cotton Wood Lakes Loop [CLOSED]. Next time. The mosquito situation was manageable. The trail begins to gain elevation and you will want to avoid a turn off toward Golden Trout Camp. Rewarding and beautiful hike. Located 1 mile south of Lone Pine, at the junction of Highways 395 and State Route 136. Higher lakes are a bit marshy. Post a … The trail varies from 4-wheel drive road to single track; it passes through stands of spruce and poplar; crosses two mountain passes, and follows through open meadows. Make a Left on Horseshoe Meadow Rd. I took three 13 year old girls on this hike and it was more difficult than expected. I rate it as "hard" for a day trip. This trail goes by Cottonwood Lake #1, Cottonwood Lake #2, Long Lake, New Army Pass, and Old Army Pass. Cottonwood Lakes Trail [CLOSED] is a 16.1 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near Lone Pine, California that features a lake and is rated as moderate. New Army Pass coming down was very relaxing compared to the breathless, steep ascent. I did a solo backpacking 1 night. Langley, Cirque Peak and the Pacific Crest Trail. Side trails branch to Muir Lake, Hidden Lake, South Fork Lakes, Cirque Lake. Cottonwood Lakes Trail provides a scenic romp through the Southeastern Sierra with alpine lakes and mountain views. Hours: Daily 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Head to Lone Pine, CA. OMG. no photos have been added for Cottonwood Lake Trail yet, add a photo. Yes, 2 days The words: Cottonwood Lakes The Cottonwood Lakes Trailhead marks the start of a great adventure into beautiful meadows, lakes, and alpine terrain. Full trip report can be found on my blog: www.shedreamsofalpine.com Length 11 miElevation gain 1469 ftRoute type Out & back The trail rolls up and down with no major climbing as it crosses streams, winds through pine and aspen forests past beaver ponds. Though unmaintained, the Old Cottonwood Lakes Trail was easy to follow as it gently climbed, following the creek. Pass over the log bridge or rock hop, and proceed on the flat trail skirting a meadow that holds Cottonwood Creek. The Loop which can lead you to 5 lakes, starts from Horseshoe Meadow and travels from the Golden Trout Wilderness into John Muir Wilderness. The distance was closer to 18 miles when I did this on Friday (17 July 2020). As of September 2020, trails in this area are closed due to wildfire. Map showing trails to Cottonwood Lakes in the John Muir Wilderness, along with a trail elevation profile. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from May until October. The Cottonwood Trail generally offers a lot of peace and solitude for the hiker and it is a nice option for someone wanting to do a little backpacking. The hike to Lake #4 is extraordinary. Cottonwood Lakes Foot Trail is a 11 mile out and back trail located near Mesa, Colorado that features a lake and is rated as moderate. Cottonwood Lakes is a 10 km blue singletrack trail located near Whitney Portal California. We knocked off a few miles the first afternoon and camped short of the fork in the trail. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. Fairly easy hike in from the trailhead, minimal elevation gain over 6 miles. We saw a family of mountain sheep approach our campsite but they never threatened or came too close. You can chose to complete the loop section anyway you like. Pass the junction with the New Army Pass Trail at 3.5 miles. The six mile walk out the final day was again beautiful! So AMAZINGLY beautiful, so many lakes, great altitude gain. It was cold at night!! There are excellent views of Rainbow Lake below and excellent aspen viewing in the fall. Since we arrived after 5PM, we made prior arrangement with the park rangers to pickup our overnight permit at the late night pickup box outside Lone Pine. Continue about 20 miles up this precipitous two-lane to the signed parking area for the section of Cottonwood Lakes Trail leading to New Army Pass. Aug 27, 2017 - As of September 2020, trails in this area are closed due to wildfire. Wandering further, the trail all but disappeared with only a few cairns to mark the way as it climbed steeply to the next bench. To Muir lake and back. This is a difficult one way trail to Long Lake in Golden Trout Wilderness. The elevation and mileage was difficult for my skill level, but now looking back I know it is a fairly easy hike. Along the trail to New Army Pass are Long Lake and High Lake in the John Muir Wilderness. See park page for more information. The summit of nearby Mount Langley attracts adventurous mountaineers. Cottonwood Lakes Loop starts from Horseshoe Meadow and travels from the Golden Trout Wilderness into John Muir Wilderness. The Cottonwood Lakes Trailhead offers hikers an excellent starting point to explore areas/destinations such as the Cottonwood Lakes Basin, the Golden Trout Wilderness, Mt. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. Several intersecting trails allow for different route options There is a small amount of rock scrambling but most of the trail is just sand/rocks. This trail goes by Cottonwood Lake #1 and Cottonwood Lake #2. Cottonwood Lake to the Poplar Gulch Trail starts from the scenic little log cabins around Cottonwood Lake, this trail follows South Cottonwood Creek up Green Timber Gulch and into the mountains – as if any of these trails go anywhere else. Make sure your barbs are pinched!! Awesome hike especially the view at New Army Pass. Occasional high wind gusts. We'll catch the trail at the junction we found on the map between Cottonwood Lakes 1 and 2. Lots of cool little wildlife running around. After hiking a little over 0.5 miles the trail curves to the north, tops a low rise and then descends on ease grades to a crossing of the South Fork Cottonwood Creek at 1.4 miles. You get a nice high start, and the trail is excellent. Cottonwood Lakes can be a first night stopping place for hikers setting out to connect to the John Muir Trail or a basecamp for local adventures from fishing to peak bagging. We camped at High Lake 2 nights and the sunsets were incredible. The trail head is close to the trail head to Mt Whitney. Located near Horseshoe Meadows, the Cottonwood Lakes Basin has many pristine alpine lakes and creeks located between Mount Langley and Cirque Peak. 4.5-hour drive to Lone Pine; 45-minute drive from Lone Pine to the trailhead; 3-hour hike to Cottonwood Lake #2 (8.6 km, 5.3 miles from the trailhead) We walked an extra mile because of the road closure The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from April until October. After a mile there is reliable water in the form of a creek. HOME Cottonwood Pack Station is located near Lone Pine, California and operates under permit by the Inyo National Forest and Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park.. We offer supported hiking trips as well as traditional horse packing trips. The trail is easy to follow and well marked. When … Read More Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center
The stats: Trailhead: Cottonwood Lakes Trail Passes: New Army Pass and Old Army Pass Trip odo: 17.6 miles Elevation Gain/Loss: 3,900/3,900ft For Days? This was my second backpacking trip. The half dozen Cottonwood Lakes are clustered in a basin at the foot of 14,032-foot Mount Langley. It has 2 main sites, at the Cottonwood Pass Trail #3505, and also at Cottonwood Lakes Trail, they are not far, if one site fills, try the other. 4.2 miles into this section, go straight on the middle road and pass Lost Lake. There are bathrooms, bear bins, garbage, informative displays, and potable water. The trek up the pass was pretty gradual, though there were really steep grades on some spots but after coming down on the other side of the mountain, we were glad we … The Cottonwood Trail is an 85 km partial loop that can be started at either Kathleen Lake or the Mush Lake Road. Completed this with my dog over the weekend. All Rights Reserved, Cottonwood Lakes Walk in Campground, Lone Pine, CA, 93545, camping gear recommendations on my gear page, restored their habitat in Cottonwood Lakes, hiking tricks and tips that I’ve learned over the years, what hiking gear works and what gear doesn’t, Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Hikes, please erase and block them using your web browser. Use trail reports to comment on trail conditions. Reviews / Comments. Do not attempt to do the entire thing in one day unless you regularly do really long hikes. Sorry, there are no tours or activities available to book online for the date(s) you selected. Going counter clockwise (from the East thru Old Army Pass as this route shows) was incredibly steep. Cottonwood Lakes Trail Itinerary Day 1: Huntington Beach → Lone Pine → Cottonwood Lakes Trailhead → Cottonwood Lake #2. There are trails that shoot off from this loop that head to Muir Lake, South Fork Lake and New Army Pass. 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