June Lake & Mono Basin
Mono County · near June Lake / Lee Vining · Eastern Sierra
Gravel & Bikepacking
At a glance
- Difficulty
- intermediate
- Best season
- Late spring–fall
What is here
- Terrain
- mountain
- Amenities
- June Lake Loop alpine lakes · Mono Lake tufa scenery · Rustic resort-town base · Lakeside camping
- Best for
- Scenic alpine-lake and volcanic-basin riding
- Features
- June Lake Loop alpine lakes · Surreal Mono Lake tufa towers · Volcanic-and-alpine scenery · Cozy resort-town base
Worth knowing
- Hazards
- High altitude · Cool/variable weather · Some highway connectors · Short season
- Good for a first timer
- Yes
Gravel & Bikepacking detail
- Ride types
- day-gravel
- Surface
- mixed
- Remoteness
- 2
- Riding
- Scenic riding around a horseshoe of alpine lakes and the strange tufa shores of Mono Lake — mixed roads beneath the eastern Sierra with big volcanic-and-alpine views
- Terrain note
- 6,400–8,000 ft; mixed roads; cool alpine air; snow closes routes in winter
- Camping
- Yes
- Intl tip
- The June Lake Loop (a horseshoe of alpine lakes beneath the Sierra) plus the surreal tufa shores of ancient Mono Lake — accessible, jaw-dropping Eastern Sierra scenery. Mostly quiet paved roads with dirt options, a cozy resort village, and lakeside camping. High country (6,400–8,000 ft): cool weather, snow-limited season. Approachable riding with extraordinary variety — alpine lakes, volcanic craters, tufa towers. A delightful, easygoing base.
- Trip lengths
- day
The guide
The June Lake Loop, a horseshoe of sparkling alpine lakes tucked against the eastern Sierra, and the strange, beautiful shores …
In the Guidebook
Everything above is yours for free. The written guide to June Lake & Mono Basin — what it is actually like, and what we would tell a friend before they went — comes with the Guidebook.
Getting there
- Coordinates
- 37.78, -119.08