Big Pine Creek Trailhead - Bishop, California

Courtney V.

Absolutely incredible trail. Would hike this place over and over and over again. I tend to go here or in this region around June or July and there's usually still some snow. We camped and Big Pine Creek Campground nearby and this is a trip I will never forget and have recommended to everyone. The views are absolutely unreal, I am so great to live in California.

sanchit P.

It was an amazing place. It was my first backpacking trip and the backpackers were saying I was keeping my expectations high for my future backpacking trips by selecting such a beautiful place for first backpacking and no wonder they were correct. We camped at lake 5 as we made our way thru lake 1,2 and 3. All lakes were beautiful with clear water. It was September but I could still see some snow in the mountains that were on the behind the lakes. We camped in lake 5 for the night. It was very windy and was cold. Earplugs saved my night by not having to listen to sounds of tent flapping from wind. We spoke with other campers who camped in lake 2 and they told that they couldn’t sleep because of wind. So, be prepared for strong wind if you plan to camp near lake. Overall this place is beautiful. You have steams everywhere so you don’t need to carry a lot of water. Carry water filter and you should be good. Prepare for a nice day hike or backpacking trip with no cell phone network and to just be in the nature to appreciate the nature. Have a safe trip.

Fabian V.

This is an hard hike to do but totally worth it. This will take you 4 hours to do if you are out of shape. Even a wildland firefighter like me took me 3 hours to hike up.

The color of the lake is different each year. My photos attached here are from early September 2024. However, the color of the lake the year before was an ugly green.

The best time to visit the lakes for the color and temperatures would be between mid August through October.

YOU MUST BRING ENOUGH WATER. There were too many families, teenagers, and inexperienced people that ran out of water before even getting to the first lake and they got dehydrated begging other people for their water. At least bring 3-4 liters of water for yourself and each person. I personally bought 9 liters of water in my personal fire pack because I knew I was going to have to help the inexperienced people and I did

B I.

Beautiful peaceful natural surroundings.
Very clean well kept campground in all aspects. Dry camp, no hook-ups or water (be prepared bring supplies) suitable for small camping vans and tents. 7,700’ altitude above sea level. Great hiking access from campground trail head into the Eastern High Sierra.
Close (1 hour) to the White Mountains and Ancient Bristle Cone Pine Forrest.

1371Bosparamedic

Great trail. Moderate for me. The lakes are absolutely beautiful.

Damon T.

One of the best trails in the Eastern Sierra Nevada and that is saying a lot. Great place to backpack, but if you can’t get a permit you can day hike the loop all the way out to lake 7, pick up summit lake and only end up doing about a 26 mile day. Lakes 1-3 are glacial fed so have a wonderful aquamarine color to them. Lake 4 and 6 are wonderful for all of the dramatic cliffs around them. Summit Lake is peaceful with wonderful mountain peaks as backdrop.

Tammy N.

Big Pine Lakes Trail is a beautiful trail to hike. Rocky and steep, but along the trail has many waterfalls and creeks running. Some are shaded area and some are not so keep your body hydrated. I hike up to lake 5, started at 6am and fished at 1:15pm with many breaks in between bcuz of the heat (it was from 97⁰F -101⁰F on Aug 28). All forests are closed now due to fires.

Anthony P.

Possibly the most beautiful hike in all of the U.S. The trail is extremely well maintained with steps and bridges. It’s a tough hike with about 2,700 ft elevation changed to lake 3 and higher if you really want to go all the way to the glacier. Took me about 7 hours total and 12.23 miles to get to lake 3 and back. The view is so worth it.