California · Hiking · John Muir Wilderness · Near Mammoth Lakes

Big Mcgee Lake

Big Mcgee LakePhoto: Miguel Vieira from Redwood City, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
0.8 mi
round trip
159 ft
climb
10,678 ft
high point
Out and back
route

Is Big Mcgee Lake 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.

Big Mcgee Lake is a short, easy hike in California's John Muir Wilderness, within the White Mountain Ranger District of Inyo National Forest. The trail is about 0.8 miles long, with a one-way elevation gain of 159 feet, and it makes an out-and-back trip from the low point at 10,495 feet to the high point at 10,678 feet. The route is natural-surface and open to horses, and it is not an accessible trail. Bikes are not allowed. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is open year-round. Hopkins Pass Trail lies just 0.2 miles away, and Baldwin Canyon is about 1.5 miles off. Climbers can head to Convict Lake & McGee Creek, roughly 3.7 miles away, and McGee Backpacker Campground sits about 4.7 miles from the lake.

Around this trail

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

    McGee Backpacker Cg

    Campground

    Campground · 4.7 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    The Restaurant at Convict Lake

    Restaurant

    On your way back · 7 mi

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors

More in Mammoth Lakes

Local outfitters

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

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Hopkins Pass TrailPhoto: Miguel Vieira from Redwood City, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Hopkins Pass Trail

Next door

2.04-mile out-and-back trail in California with 1,053 ft gain and 11,411 ft max elevation.

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

Hopkins Pass

~1 min drive

0.07-mile out-and-back trail at Hopkins Pass in California.

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

Baldwin Canyon

~4 min drive

3.40-mile out-and-back trail in Baldwin Canyon with 978 ft gain

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

MONO CREEK

~6 min drive

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

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

Mcgee Mountain

~9 min drive

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

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

BALDWIN CANYON

~3 min drive

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

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

Steelhead Lake

~3 min drive

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

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

Convict Creek

~7 min drive

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

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

Red Slate Mountain

~8 min drive

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

Third Recess LakePhoto: feverblue, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Third Recess Lake

~7 min drive

2.90-mile out-and-back trail to Third Recess Lake in California with 863 ft of elevation gain.