DESTINATION Generic 52 Photosets
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| Cottonwood Lakes Basin, CA | |
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| | Cottonwood Lakes Basin, CA | | | |
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Cottonwood Lakes Basin, CA
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| Hiking | 12.90 Miles |
1,626 AEG |
| | Hiking | 12.90 Miles | 9 Hrs | | 1.43 mph |
| 1,626 ft AEG | | 15 LBS Pack | | |
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| no partners | | Cottonwood Lakes Basin is a popular hiking destination for anglers pursuing the elusive Golden Trout as well as a route used to climb Mt Langley, one of the California Fourteeners at slightly over 14000 ft elevation. Golden Trout spawning in the stream flowing out of Lake #5 are milked for eggs to be used in Golden Trout fish hatcheries(based on info from a backpacker I encountered in the basin). The trail starts near the equestrian campground at Horseshoe Meadow.
This was a hiking destination recommended by the backpacker I had met several days previously while hiking in the Little Lakes Valley. There are several hiking trails originating at Horseshoe Meadow and I couldn't recall if he had recommended any specific trail. So the afternoon of the day before my planned hike I hung out at the trailhead and talked to a guy returning from a hike. He had done a day hike to the top of Mt Langley and told me about Cottonwood Lake Basin - it sounded like the most interesting of the hiking options. Mt Langley was beyond my day hiking range. So I had a plan for the next day.
The camping situation was another matter. There are two walk-in camp grounds and one equestrian drive in campground located near the trail head. I prefer the drive in type to the walk-in CG so I can sleep in my car. I had voiced my concern to a seasoned veteran of the eastern Sierras the previous day before leaving Onion Valley. He recommended using the equestrian campground - it seems equestrians are given priority at these campsites but there are no postings saying others can't camp there. It turned out to be a great place to camp if you don't mind the occasional odor of horse manure wafting through camp. I grew up on a cattle ranch so it was not a big deal to me. Besides, after almost 2 weeks of camping/hiking without a proper bath and running out of clean clothes I'm sure I smelled worse than the horses.
That afternoon while sitting in camp my campground neighbor from Onion Valley two days earlier strolled into camp. He would be leaving the next day but provided me with info from a hiking book on a loop hike in Cottonwood Lakes Basin. So I was all set.
The hike to Cottonwood Lakes was relatively easy since the trail starts out at 10000 ft elev and never goes over 11300 ft. The first 4 miles pass through forest and meadows but the views open up once you reach the basin. The mountains surrounding the western side of the basin appear completely barren of all plant life and are a very light gray, almost white, granite providing a stark contrast to the green lakes. I followed the approximate route of the loop hike I had seen in my friends ancient hiking book but much of the "trail" on the return part of the loop no longer exists. But no problem, the terrain is open enough to make off trail hiking fairly easy. Lake Muir was a worthwhile destination on the return loop. The water level was a little low revealing beautiful white sand beaches. On the way back to the trailhead I passed at least a half dozen backpackers headed up to the basin for the weekend. This was the last hiking day of my 2 week visit and I would start the drive back to Arizona the next day. |
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