Epic Travel → North America → The West Coast → Northern California → Eastern Sierras → Lone Pine to Bishop → Bishop Pass Trail to Long Lake

Location: West of Bishop, Eastern Sierras, California

Distance: 5.5 miles roundtrip

Elevation Gain/Loss: 1800 feet

Time Required: 2-3 hours

Red Tape/Notes: Leave no trace principles apply; permits are required for overnight trips, though I’m not sure why you’d need to camp on a trail this short (quotas are in effect May 1 – November 1, reserve up to 6 months in advance and quotas fill quickly!); if you’re doing an overnight trip, bear canisters are also required. You can find details on the allowed bear canisters here (this is the 2017 list).

What’s Nearby?: Bishop, North Fork of Big Pine Creek, Bishop Pass Trail to Dusy Basin

The Bishop Pass Trail goes all the way to Dusy Basin (about 6 miles, one way), but there’s a shorter option to Long Lake that’s extremely rewarding. It’s popular, so you won’t have the area to yourself (unless you go in the winter), but it’s not likely to severely diminish your experience. The trail starts at South Lake, passing through some aspens and providing lovely views of South Lake right away. Then you’ll hike through some lovely pine forest, crossing various small streams and passing meadows, then climbing up for your first view of the Inconsolable Range just before reaching the outlet from Long Lake. Long Lake lives up to its name, and you’ll hike nearly a mile (I think it’s 0.8 miles) before you reach the inlet, marked by a small footbridge. Most of this time will be spent hiking along near the shore of the lake, with beautiful views across the water. If you can’t see the water, you’re probably staring at imposing peaks and craggy hills. Overall, a wonderful little jaunt in the mountains with a nice variety of stunning scenery – a great payoff for relatively little effort.

Epic Travel → North America → The West Coast → Northern California → Eastern Sierras → Lone Pine to Bishop → Bishop Pass Trail to Long Lake