California · Hiking · John Muir Wilderness · Near Mammoth Lakes

Pika Lake

Pika LakePhoto: tobo, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
2.2 mi
round trip
297 ft
climb
10,743 ft
high point
Out and back
route

Is Pika 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.

Pika Lake is an easy out-and-back hike in the John Muir Wilderness, part of the Mammoth Ranger District of Inyo National Forest in California. The trail is about 2.2 miles long, with a one-way climb of roughly 300 feet from a low point of about 10,440 feet to a high of about 10,740 feet. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is natural-surfaced, not accessible, and allows horses but not bikes. The closest neighbors are Duck Pass, a mountain biking area about a mile away, and the Duck Pass Trail, a hike about 1.4 miles off. Climbers can head to the Talladega Nights Area and Seam Area, both about 2.2 miles away. For an overnight stay, Coldwater Campground is about 3.4 miles from the lake.

Around this trail

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

    Coldwater Cg

    Campground

    Campground · 3.1 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Lakefront

    Restaurant

    On your way back · 5 mi
  • If it rains

    Art Gallery at Twin Lakes

    Gallery

    On your way back · 5 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

Woods LakesPhoto: GSEC, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Woods Lakes

~2 min drive

2.23-mile out-and-back trail at Woods Lakes in California with 575 ft of elevation gain.

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

Sky Meadows

~4 min drive

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

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

Duck Pass

~4 min drive

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

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

Emerald Lake-Skelton Lake

~4 min drive

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

Purple LakePhoto: Leif, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Purple Lake

~4 min drive

5.73-mile out-and-back trail to Purple Lake in California with 629 ft of elevation gain.

LAUREL LAKE TO EDITH LAKEPhoto: GSEC, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

LAUREL LAKE TO EDITH LAKE

~6 min drive

8.5-mile out-and-back hike from Laurel Lake to Edith Lake in California

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

Heart Lake

~4 min drive

0.40-mile out-and-back trail to Heart Lake in California.

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

Coldwater Campground to Lake George Trail

~4 min drive

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

Laurel Lake to Edith Lake TrailPhoto: GSEC, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Laurel Lake to Edith Lake Trail

~7 min drive

8.16-mile out-and-back hike from Laurel Lake to Edith Lake in California, 3,162 ft gain/loss.

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

Coldwater Cg to Lake George

~4 min drive

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