June Lake Loop
June Lake (Hwy 158, north of Mammoth) · near June Lake / Mammoth Lakes · Eastern Sierra
Kayaking & SUP · Road Cycling
At a glance
- Best season
- June–September · Calm mornings are stunning · Afternoon winds can build
- Distance
- medium
- Best season
- Late spring–fall; glorious in fall; snow-affected in winter
Permits and booking
- Permit
- No permit. Public launches on June, Gull, Silver, and Grant Lakes along the Hwy 158 loop. Inyo National Forest. Small, calm alpine lakes ideal for beginners and families.
What is here
- Wildlife
- Ospreys · Bald eagles · Trout (June Lake is a famous fishery) · Mule deer on shore · Waterfowl
- Scenery
- mountain
- Amenities
- Four sparkling alpine lakes · Dramatic Sierra peak backdrop · Brilliant fall aspen color · June Lake village services
- Best for
- A scenic alpine-lake loop
- Features
- Four alpine lakes in one loop · Dramatic Sierra scenery · Spectacular fall aspens · Charming June Lake village
Worth knowing
- Good for a first timer
- Yes
- Hazards
- High altitude (~7,500 ft) — sun & thin air · Summer & fall-color tourist traffic · Cool mountain weather; afternoon storms · A couple of moderate climbs
- Beginner friendly
- No
Kayaking & SUP detail
- Nickname
- Carson Peak's Alpine Mirror
- Water types
- alpine-lake
- Exposure
- sheltered
- Sup friendly
- Yes
- Wetsuit
- Alpine water is cold even in summer (50s–low 60s°F). Most summer paddlers go without, but a spring suit adds comfort and safety. A dry bag for layers is wise — mountain weather shifts fast.
- Tidal note
- No tides. ALTITUDE (7,600ft) and afternoon wind are the considerations — mornings are glassy and calm, ideal for reflections of Carson Peak; winds often build by midday. The June Lake Loop's four lakes (June, Gull, Silver, Grant) each offer paddling.
- Intl tip
- June Lake is 20 minutes north of Mammoth Lakes on Hwy 395 — the whole Eastern Sierra basecamp is here: Mammoth's lakes and resort (skiing guide), the hot springs (swimming guide), and Mono Lake just north. The Tiger Bar and Ohanas 395 are June Lake village institutions. Pair with the Mammoth Lakes Basin for more alpine paddling.
Road Cycling detail
- Ride types
- loop
- Road
- mixed
- Climbing
- 3
- Ride notes
- A gorgeous alpine loop off Highway 395 — Highway 158 curves past four sparkling lakes (June, Gull, Silver, and Grant) beneath dramatic Sierra peaks, a scenic, moderate ride spectacular in fall aspen color
- Stats note
- ~16 mi loop, moderate rolling; four alpine lakes; fall aspen color
- Seasonal
- No
- Intl tip
- One of the most scenic moderate rides in the Eastern Sierra — a ~16-mile loop on Hwy 158 curving past four sparkling alpine lakes (June, Gull, Silver, Grant) beneath dramatic Sierra peaks, with June Lake village for services. At ~7,500 ft it has thin air and intense sun but is far more moderate than the region's monster climbs, and it's spectacular in fall aspen color. Tourist traffic in summer/fall; cool mountain weather with afternoon storms. Ride early, carry layers.
The guide
June Lake is the Eastern Sierra's most convenient alpine paddling — a picture-perfect lake backed by the crown-like summit of C…
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
- 37.769, -119.073