California · Hiking · Near Shaver Lake

Grouse Creek

13.7 mi
round trip
4,645 ft
climb
7,955 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Oct
best months

Is GROUSE CREEK open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Sierra National Forest. It doesn't name GROUSE CREEK, so check the source for the area it covers (3 listed).

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

Grouse Creek is an out-and-back hike in the High Sierra Ranger District of Sierra National Forest in California, managed by the Forest Service. The route is 27.4 miles long, with a total elevation gain of 4,645 feet, and it is rated expert. The climb is steady, with the steepest stretch at about 1.8 miles in, where the grade reaches 25 percent. The high point is 7,955 feet, and the low point is 6,638 feet. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the nearby Huntington Lake weather station, which sits about 935 feet lower than the high point, show July and August highs around 74°F with lows near 49°F and only one or two wet days a month. Winter is cold, with January highs around 43°F and lows near 24°F. The trip takes about 11.5 hours. The Dowville mountain biking area is just 0.2 miles away, and the Coarsegrass Meadow Trail and Lower Billy Creek campground are both within a mile. Climbers can find the Sloth Area about 4.6 miles off.

Around this trail

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

    Lower Billy Creek

    Campground

    Campground · 0.9 mi from the trail

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors

More in Shaver Lake

Local outfitters

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

  • Best time to go · May–Oct

    Best time to visit GROUSE CREEK

    Best months: May–October. 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

      43° / 24°

      11 wet

    2. Feb

      44° / 23°

      11 wet

    3. Mar

      46° / 26°

      10 wet

    4. Apr

      50° / 29°

      8 wet

    5. May

      56° / 36°

      6 wet

    6. Jun

      66° / 42°

      3 wet

    7. Jul

      74° / 49°

      2 wet

    8. Aug

      74° / 49°

      1 wet

    9. Sep

      68° / 44°

      2 wet

    10. Oct

      58° / 37°

      4 wet

    11. Nov

      49° / 31°

      8 wet

    12. Dec

      44° / 25°

      10 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Huntington Lake, CA, 1 mi away at 7,020 ft. The station sits about 900 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

Nellie LakePhoto: waterarchives, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Nellie Lake

~6 min drive

2.12-mile out-and-back trail to Nellie Lake in California with 550 ft of elevation gain.

KAISER LOOPPhoto: ilya_ktsn, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

KAISER LOOP

~9 min drive

9.52-mile out-and-back trail in California with 4,232 ft elevation gain and loss.

POTTER PASS CUTOFFPhoto: niiicedave, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

POTTER PASS CUTOFF

~9 min drive

2.96-mile out-and-back trail in California with 1,002 ft elevation gain

HIKE

COYOTE LAKE

~5 min drive

25.76-mile out-and-back trail in California with 3,483 ft elevation gain.

Huntington ShorePhoto: Tom Hilton, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Huntington Shore

~6 min drive

1.00-mile out-and-back trail in California with 99 ft elevation gain.

Idaho LakePhoto: GSEC, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Idaho Lake

~12 min drive

4.62-mile out-and-back trail to Idaho Lake in California with 873 ft of elevation gain.

Potter CreekPhoto: niiicedave, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Potter Creek

~9 min drive

3.82-mile out-and-back trail in California with 1,335 ft elevation gain.

HIKE

FOSTER RIDGE

~14 min drive

16.14-mile out-and-back trail in California with 3,788 ft elevation gain/loss.

George LakePhoto: GSEC, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

George Lake

~11 min drive

2.24-mile out-and-back trail to George Lake in California, 708 ft elevation gain.

FrenchPhoto: Jesse Wagstaff, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

French

~13 min drive

Challenging 15.18-mile backcountry hike with 3,122 ft elevation gain.