California · Hiking · John Muir Wilderness · Near Mammoth Lakes

Baldwin Canyon

Baldwin CanyonPhoto: Miguel Vieira from Redwood City, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
3.4 mi
round trip
701 ft
climb
9,819 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Jun–Sep
best months

Is Baldwin Canyon open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 3 alerts for Inyo National Forest.

As of · Source: USFS · Inyo National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Baldwin Canyon is a 3.4-mile out-and-back hike in California's John Muir Wilderness, within the White Mountain Ranger District of Inyo National Forest. The trail rises from about 9,250 feet to about 9,819 feet, a climb of 701 feet, and is rated moderate. The Forest Service manages the land, and the route is natural-surfaced, with horses allowed but bikes not. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Tuolumne Meadows, which sits about 1,100 feet lower, show July highs around 71°F and lows near 38°F. Winter is cold, with January highs around 41°F and lows near 13°F. The trail is open year-round. Steelhead Lake lies about 0.6 miles away, and Big Mcgee Lake is about 2.1 miles off. For an overnight base, McGee Backpacker Campground is about 2.6 miles away, and the Convict Lake & McGee Creek climbing area is about 3.7 miles away.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    McGee Backpacker Cg

    Campground

    Campground · 2.6 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    The Restaurant at Convict Lake

    Restaurant

    On your way back · 6 mi
  • If it rains

    Hot Spring

    Hot spring

    On your way back · 10 mi

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors

More in Mammoth Lakes

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · Jun–Sep

    Best time to visit Baldwin Canyon

    Best months: June–September. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      41° / 13°

    2. Feb

      38° / 12°

    3. Mar

      42° / 15°

    4. Apr

      45° / 22°

    5. May

      54° / 27°

    6. Jun

      65° / 33°

    7. Jul

      71° / 38°

    8. Aug

      70° / 36°

    9. Sep

      65° / 32°

    10. Oct

      57° / 26°

    11. Nov

      47° / 20°

    12. Dec

      40° / 12°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Tuolumne Meadows Rs, CA, 37.9 mi away at 8,694 ft. The station sits about 1,100 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Steelhead LakePhoto: Miguel Vieira from Redwood City, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Steelhead Lake

~1 min drive

2.04-mile out-and-back trail to Steelhead Lake in California with 1,173 ft gain.

BALDWIN CANYONPhoto: Miguel Vieira from Redwood City, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

BALDWIN CANYON

~1 min drive

5.76-mile out-and-back trail in California with 2,736 ft elevation gain

Red Slate MountainPhoto: Robert Gourley, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Red Slate Mountain

~4 min drive

Route to the summit of Red Slate Mountain (13,140 ft) from McGee Creek Trailhead.

McGee Creek to Hilton Creek TrailPhoto: Dcrjsr, CC BY 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

McGee Creek to Hilton Creek Trail

~6 min drive

2.8-mile out-and-back hike from McGee Creek to Hilton Creek in California.

Mcgee MountainPhoto: GSEC, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Mcgee Mountain

~6 min drive

1.02-mile out-and-back trail at Mcgee Mountain in California with 81 ft of elevation gain.

Big Mcgee LakePhoto: Miguel Vieira from Redwood City, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Big Mcgee Lake

~4 min drive

0.80-mile out-and-back trail to Big Mcgee Lake in California.

Mcgee PassPhoto: Seth Tisue, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Mcgee Pass

~4 min drive

10.45-mile out-and-back trail in California with 2,222 ft elevation gain.

MONO CREEKPhoto: feverblue, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

MONO CREEK

~9 min drive

9.34-mile out-and-back trail in California with 3,527 ft elevation gain/loss.

Convict CreekPhoto: Hike395 (talk · contribs), CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Convict Creek

~6 min drive

5.93-mile out-and-back trail in California with 1,286 ft gain.

McGee Creek SpurPhoto: Seth Tisue, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

McGee Creek Spur

~4 min drive

0.7-mile out-and-back trail in California with 140 ft of elevation gain.