Picture Worth a Thousand Words

Backpack to Thousand Island Lake in Ansel Adams Wilderness

thousand island lake backpacking

Ingredients for a stellar backpacking trip: an idyllic destination, stupendous views along the way, and the chance to catch a mirrored sunrise on a lake. A trip to Thousand Island Lake in the Eastern Sierra’s Ansel Adams Wilderness has this magical trio. The High Trail (a section of the Pacific Crest Trail) is a 10-mile entrance into this beautiful slice of the Sierra, with a setting that’s (of course) straight out of an Ansel Adams photograph: a 9,500-foot-high glacier-fed lake in a granite bowl backed by iconic Banner Peak.

backpack thousand island lake

backpack to Thousand Island lake

backpack to Thousand Island Lake

The trek in is Sierra spectacular as far as meadow and mountain scenery, but it's not easy! Altitude can make it a bit more of a huff and puff, but take plenty of breaks en route, hydrate, and keep your spirits up! The reward at 9,500 hundred feet is the sanctuary of solitude as you soak in the sunset on the lake with beautiful Banner Peak reflecting on the water. and reflecting on the water.

You’ll need a wilderness permit to camp at Thousand Island Lake. Make a reservation ahead of time for your permit. There is a quota and spaces fill up. You'll start at the Agnew Meadows trailhead. The High Trail is often used as the most reliable route to the lake, though you can consider hiking in on the combined Shadow Lake Trail, River Trail, and John Muir Trail. The best thing to do is consult the Mammoth Welcome Center in Mammoth Lakes for current trail information and maps for the hike. No campfires. No dogs.

thousand island lake backpacking

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles

    Light This Way

    Hidden in the bucolic hills of Paso Robles lies one of the greatest light shows on earth. The lighted art exhibition, Sensorio, is as if the rainbow magic of the aurora borealis was plucked from the sky and planted in the fields.

    View
  2. Bikers and walkers on the Bay Area Ridge Trail with the Golden Gate Bridge behind them

    National Park City Walk

    See San Francisco the way locals do by hiking the Presidio, a national park right in the city! Wooded trails, secluded beaches, and epic views of the Golden Gate Bridge feature on this 5.5-mile out-and-back on the Bay Area Ridge Trail. It’s a lovely slice of the City by the Bay.

    View
  3. Bucks Up!

    Come on in, the water is beautiful. Whether you like swimming, kayaking, stand-up paddling, or heading out on a bigger boat, Bucks Lake is a high mountain haven that’s easy to access, blissfully uncrowded, and surrounded by sandy beaches, picnic areas, pines, and aspens.

    View
  4. Surfboards and tents for shade are set up on the beach at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area in the Swim Lagoon Area

    Switchbacks and Swimming Holes

    Hike hard, play hard! This 7-mile out-and-back in Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area is a great workout with payoff vistas and a relaxing post-hike picnic and dip in the water.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Bear Hug

    This 5.5-mile loop through Coyote Lake-Harvey Bear Ranch County Park explores one of the newest segments of the acclaimed Bay Area Ridge Trail, one redolent with trees ranging from madrone and manzanita to buckeye and blue elderberry (with a bubbly post-hike bonus).

    View
  2. Two kayakers on Upper Klamath Basin on tour with Sky Lakes Wilderness Adventures

    Zen & the Art of Kayaking

    It’s the most meditative and relaxing experience you’ll ever have on a kayak. Yes, you read that right, a Zen experience on a kayak. It all happens in beautiful Klamath County when you head out on a guided tour with Sky Lakes Wilderness Adventures.

    View
  3. A Rose in the Pines

    A crackling fire, a bottle of wine, a bubbling Jacuzzi tub with a waterfall … now the big question: Marvin Gaye tunes or not? In the morning (ahem) it's breakfast in bed and a leis

    View
  4. Alex Villicana, Villicana Winery and Re:Find Distillery

    Locals' Feature: Alex Villicana

    Tech booms, AI revolutions, okay that’s all fine, but you wanna know what else is really cool? Being a pioneer in a world-famous industry that—in Paso Robles—remains solidly down to earth. When Alex Villicana established Villicana Winery in 1993, he clearly had grape expectations...

    View