Trails in the June Lake Loop

There are several trailheads into the backcountry originating from within the June Lake Loop. The Rush Creek Trailhead originates near Silver Lake, and is also served by the Frontier Pack Station, where you can hire horses and mules to help with the load. Rush Creek follows the historic hydroelectric project, past the Agnew, Gem and Waugh Lake reservoirs, into the high elevations of the "Range of Light" area in the Ansel Adams wilderness. It joins with the John Muir Trail (a section of the Pacific Crest Trail), providing access to the entire length of the Sierra Nevada. Branching off from the Rush Creek Trail are the Spooky Meadows trail, which leads to the Clark Lakes in the Agnew Pass area, and the Gem Pass Trail which goes to the Alger Lakes and connects with Koip Peak Pass.

The Yost Creek Trailhead is on Fish Hatchery Hill, near the Double Eagle Resort, and provides access to Fern Lake on the southern shoulder of Carson Peak, as well as Yost Lake and Yost Meadow. From Yost Meadow another trail returns through the June Mountain Ski Area to the June Lake Village at the June Lake Loop Trailhead near the famous Balanced Boulder at the Fire Station.

The Parker Lake and Walker Lake Trailheads are accessed via a dirt road starting just north of the Grant Lake Dam. Parker Lake is a beautiful, pristine mountain lake, in a steep box canyon with cascading waterfalls beyond, at the foot of Parker Peak. The Parker Lake trail provides a good starter hike for the area, as it is not as steep as other trails, and only about two miles to the lake. Walker Lake is located at the base of Bloody Canyon, and the Mono Pass which extends above it, past the Sardine Lakes into Yosemite was a trade route for the native Mono Paiute people. One can also access the Parker Pass and the Parker Peak / Koip Peak areas from the north, via Mono Pass trail.

The Reversed Peak Trailhead is along Northshore Drive, northeast of Gull Lake. This is prime territory for many different kinds of wildlife, although there are no fishing opportunities, and water may be scarce. The "Snow Lakes," a collection of small basins which retain water in the spring, are a major feature of this hike which can eventually access the Aerie Crag area and the top of Reversed Peak.