California · Hiking · Near Mammoth Lakes

Heart Lake

Heart LakePhoto: Jim Morefield, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
0.4 mi
round trip
22 ft
climb
9,595 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Jun–Sep
best months

Is Heart 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.

Heart Lake is a short, easy hike in the Mammoth Ranger District of Inyo National Forest in California, managed by the Forest Service. The trail is about 0.4 miles long, with a total elevation gain of 22 feet, and it makes an out-and-back trip from a low point of about 9,542 feet to a high of about 9,595 feet. The route is natural-surfaced and open to horses, and it is not an accessible trail. Bikes are not allowed. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Tuolumne Meadows, which sits about 900 feet lower, show July highs around 71°F with lows near 38°F, while winter highs there hover around 40°F. The trail is open year-round. Duck Pass is about 0.4 miles away, and Mammoth Lakes Pack Station is about 0.5 miles off. Climbers can head to the Talladega Nights Area, about 0.9 miles away, and Coldwater Campground is about 1.1 miles away.

Around this trail

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

    Coldwater Cg

    Campground

    Campground · 0.8 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Lakefront

    Restaurant

    On your way back · 2 mi
  • If it rains

    Art Gallery at Twin Lakes

    Gallery

    On your way back · 2 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 Heart Lake

    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, 28 mi away at 8,694 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

Heart LakePhoto: Jim Morefield, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Heart Lake

Next door

2.1-mile out-and-back trail in California with 445 ft elevation gain.

Duck PassPhoto: GSEC, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Duck Pass

Next door

7.22-mile out-and-back trail in California with 2,154 ft gain.

Coldwater Campground to Lake George TrailPhoto: Hike395 (talk · contribs), CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Coldwater Campground to Lake George Trail

~1 min drive

4.66-mile out-and-back hike from Coldwater Campground to Lake George in California.

Mammoth Lakes Pack StationPhoto: Plane777 (talk · contribs), Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

Mammoth Lakes Pack Station

~1 min drive

0.59-mile out-and-back trail at Mammoth Lakes Pack Station in California.

Sky MeadowsPhoto: Hike395 (talk · contribs), CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Sky Meadows

~1 min drive

Sky Meadows is a 4-mile out-and-back trail in California with 818 feet of elevation gain.

Coldwater Cg to Lake GeorgePhoto: inkknife_2000 (14 million views), CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Coldwater Cg to Lake George

~1 min drive

0.28-mile out-and-back trail to Lake George in California.

Mammoth CrestPhoto: inkknife_2000 (14 million views), CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Mammoth Crest

~3 min drive

4.4-mile out-and-back trail in California with 1,274 ft elevation gain.

Emerald Lake-Skelton LakePhoto: GSEC, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Emerald Lake-Skelton Lake

~1 min drive

1.67-mile out-and-back trail to Emerald Lake-Skelton Lake in California.

Mammoth CrestPhoto: inkknife_2000 (14 million views), CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Mammoth Crest

~4 min drive

Mammoth Crest is a 3.31-mile out-and-back trail in California with 1,213 feet of elevation gain.

COLDWATER CG TO LAKE GEORGEPhoto: inkknife_2000 (14 million views), CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

COLDWATER CG TO LAKE GEORGE

~2 min drive

1.1-mile out-and-back trail from Coldwater CG to Lake George in California