California · Hiking · Ansel Adams Wilderness · Near Mammoth Lakes

Fish Creek

Fish CreekPhoto: waterarchives, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
4.9 mi
round trip
560 ft
climb
7,432 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Sep
best months

Is Fish Creek 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.

Fish Creek is a 4.9-mile out-and-back hike in the Ansel Adams Wilderness, part of the Mammoth Ranger District of Inyo National Forest in California. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail sits within designated wilderness. The route gains about 560 feet, from a low point of roughly 6,900 feet to a high of about 7,400 feet. It is a natural-surface trail, and it is not accessible. Horses are allowed, but bikes are not. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Mammoth Lakes show July highs around 78°F with lows near 49°F, while winter highs stay around 41°F. The Rainbow Falls Wagon Trail and Lower Rainbow Falls Trail both start within a quarter mile. Reds Meadow Campground is about 1.3 miles away, and the Middle Fork San Joaquin River offers canoeing about 2.1 miles off.

Around this trail

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

    Reds Meadow Campground

    Campground

    Campground · 1.3 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Outpost 14

    Restaurant

    On your way back · 3 mi
  • If it rains

    free natural hot pool

    Hot spring

    On your way back · 1 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 · May–Sep

    Best time to visit Fish Creek

    Best months: May–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° / 17°

    2. Feb

      41° / 18°

    3. Mar

      45° / 22°

    4. Apr

      51° / 27°

    5. May

      60° / 35°

    6. Jun

      70° / 42°

    7. Jul

      78° / 49°

    8. Aug

      77° / 47°

    9. Sep

      71° / 40°

    10. Oct

      61° / 30°

    11. Nov

      49° / 23°

    12. Dec

      41° / 17°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Mammoth Lakes Rs, CA, 7.3 mi away at 7,804 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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