California · Hiking · John Muir Wilderness · Near Mammoth Lakes

Ruby Lake

Ruby LakePhoto: feverblue, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
0.5 mi
round trip
84 ft
climb
11,106 ft
high point
Out and back
route

Is Ruby 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.

Ruby 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 half a mile long, with a total elevation gain of about 84 feet, and it makes an out-and-back trip from the low point at 11,019 feet to the high point at 11,106 feet. The Forest Service manages the land, and the route is natural-surfaced, so it works well for horses and is not accessible. The trail is open year-round, and it is not a route for bikes. The surrounding area is a hub for climbing and mountain biking. Little Lakes Valley & Mono Recesses, a climbing area, is about 0.6 miles away, and the Little Lakes Valley mountain biking area is about 0.9 miles off. Ruby Peak, another climbing area, sits about 1.2 miles away. For an overnight stay, Mosquito Flat Backpacker Campground is about 1.4 miles from the trail.

Around this trail

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

    Mosquito Flat Backpacker Cg

    Campground

    Campground · 1.4 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    The Restaurant at Convict Lake

    Restaurant

    On your way back · 13 mi
  • If it rains

    Hot Spring

    Hot spring

    On your way back · 17 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

Little Lakes ValleyPhoto: GSEC, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Little Lakes Valley

~2 min drive

6.18-mile out-and-back trail in California with 1,207 ft elevation gain.

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

Long Lake

~2 min drive

0.23-mile out-and-back trail to Long Lake in California.

Mount AbbotPhoto: GSEC, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Mount Abbot

~3 min drive

Route to the summit of Mount Abbot (13,701 ft) from Mosquito Flat Trailhead.

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

Morgan Pass

~6 min drive

3.45-mile out-and-back trail to Morgan Pass in California with 830 ft gain.

Hilton Lakes TrailPhoto: Moo.The.Cow, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Hilton Lakes Trail

~5 min drive

10.88-mile out-and-back hike in California with 1,965 ft gain/loss

Eastern Brooks LakePhoto: GSEC, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Eastern Brooks Lake

~2 min drive

0.12-mile out-and-back trail to Eastern Brooks Lake in California

Ruby PeakPhoto: GSEC, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Ruby Peak

~3 min drive

Route to the summit of Ruby Peak (13,192 ft) from Little Lakes Valley Trailhead.

HILTON LAKESPhoto: inkknife_2000 (14 million views), CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

HILTON LAKES

~6 min drive

6.12-mile out-and-back trail to Hilton Lakes in California with 1,392 ft elevation gain

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

Third Recess Lake

~5 min drive

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

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

Chickenfoot Lake

~3 min drive

0.50-mile out-and-back to Chickenfoot Lake in California.