June Lake Loop
June Lake · near June Lake · Eastern Sierra
Nordic & Snowshoe
At a glance
- Best season
- Dec–Mar; dependable eastern-Sierra snow (~7,600 ft)
What is here
- Activities
- snowshoe · backcountry · classic
- Setting
- lake
- Amenities
- Scenic June Lake Loop · Frozen lakes & peaks · Quiet village base · Rentals nearby
- Best for
- Low-key scenic lake touring
- Features
- Beautiful lakes-and-peaks setting · Gentle village touring · Uncrowded eastern Sierra · Cozy town base
Worth knowing
- Hazards
- Ungroomed — self-navigate · Backcountry avalanche terrain on slopes · Cold, wind, storms · Layers & navigation
- Good for a first timer
- Yes
Guides, rentals and operators
- Rentals
- Yes
Nordic & Snowshoe detail
- Venue
- backcountry
- Ability
- beginner
- Snow
- 4
- Trail notes
- Gentle snowshoeing and Nordic touring around the scenic June Lake Loop — frozen lakes, quiet forest, and dramatic peaks in a low-key eastern-Sierra village setting
- Terrain note
- ~7,600–8,000 ft; ungroomed & marked; dependable snow
- Intl tip
- A lovely, low-key eastern-Sierra destination just north of Mammoth: gentle snowshoeing and Nordic touring around the June Lake Loop's four frozen lakes, quiet forest, and dramatic peaks (like Carson Peak), far from crowds. Wander snowed-over roads, lake edges, and forest at your own pace, with a charming village base for lodging, food, and rentals. Low-angle valley terrain is beginner-friendly but ungroomed (self-navigate); steeper surrounding slopes are avalanche terrain. Dependable snow at ~7,600 ft — dress warmly, check conditions.
The guide
The June Lake Loop, a horseshoe of high-country lakes and villages tucked into the eastern Sierra just north of Mammoth, is a l…
In the Guidebook
Everything above is yours for free. The written guide to June Lake Loop — what it is actually like, and what we would tell a friend before they went — comes with the Guidebook.
Getting there
- Coordinates
- 37.78, -119.07