Eastern Sierra Seclusion

Set at 10,000 feet and surrounded by the alpine wonders of John Muir Wilderness, Rock Creek is an eastern Sierra treasure in the Inyo National Forest. It’s where you can hike among some of the best scenic lakes surrounded by the serrated drama of the Sierra Nevada mountains.

Week: 08.11.2016
Regions: Southern CA

Sleep Like a Rock

Rock Creek Lake Hike at Mosquito Flats

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No crowds, no cell phone service—now that’s a wilderness getaway! The hugely underrated Rock Creek Lake in the Inyo National Forest of the eastern Sierra is known for its peaceful lake scenery and stunningly beautiful alpine valley hike at Mosquito Flats. Opt for a little-used tr
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Chain of Alpine Lakes

Little Lakes Valley hike in Rock Creek Eastern Sierras

There are six and a half good reasons to do this 6.5-mile (out-and-back) hike in the eastern Sierras’ Inyo National Forest. The Little Lakes Valley hike is an oasis-hopping, mountain-flanked gem that’s absolutely waterful, connected by a trio of half-mile stretches! Begin at Mosq
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Rocky Alpine High

Rock Creek Lake in Inyo National Forest

Set at 10,000 feet in the Inyo National Forest of the eastern Sierras, Rock Creek Lake is idyllic, with its sandy shores and the colorful rainbow trout easily spotted in the transparent blue water. An easygoing 1.75-mile loop around it lets you sneak in some alpine scenery, too.
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    Dragon Quest

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  2. Keough's Hot Springs

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    Tucked back beyond the residential ranch-style homes and golf courses of Novato in the North Bay is a wild and wondrous 30-foot waterfall that springs to life in the rainy season. Buck Gulch Falls in Novato’s Ignacio Valley Preserve is in peak flow right now, and it’s a short and Middle-earthy hike to reach it.

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  1. A woman stands at Dante's View in Death Valley, looking out to Telescope Peak and Manly Lake, Badwater Basin below.

    Sunset Hike at Dante's View

    It’s one of the world’s best places to watch a sunset. Dante’s View is a 5,476-foot vantage of the whole southern basin of Death Valley from the top of the Black Mountains. Right now there's a banner and bonus view of a rare lake formation that appears only after big rains.

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    Live in California long enough, and you’ll come to know the rite of passage called “going to the snow”–when we ditch our fair-weather cities and towns in search of winter weather. Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks deliver a winter wonderland worth a visit if there’s been a good dose of snow.

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