Crystal Lake Mammoth Lakes Hike Guide
Crystal Lake Mammoth Lakes is a short out and back hike that brings hikers to a stunning high alpine lake in this California mountain town. The trail starts just minutes outside of downtown and is accessible year round so long as you are willing to hike some extra miles during the winter months. This is a great hike during later Fall when so many other hikes in the area become impossible to access due to seasonal road closures. Crystal Lake Mammoth Lakes is a family friendly spot and suitable for hikes of all levels.
Crystal Lake Mammoth Lakes Quick Facts
Virtual Trail Guide: Crystal Lake Mammoth Lakes
Crystal Lake Mammoth Lakes Rating: ★★★★ (4/5 Stars)
Distance: 3 Miles RT
Elevation Start: 9,055ft
High Point: 9,760ft
Total Elevation Gain: 770ft
Estimated Time to Complete: 1-2 Hours
Difficulty: Easy What does this mean?
Class: Class 1 – What does this mean?
Season: Mid April – November (Road is closed during winter months)
Directions to Crystal Lake Mammoth Lakes
Trailhead: Crystal Lake / Lake George
Getting Here: From Mammoth Lakes, California – take Lake Mary Road until you reach Around Lake Mary Road. Follow this until it ends at Lake George Campground.
Parking: The parking lot is fairly big but can fill up on busy weekends. There are a handful of bear food canisters in addition to non-plumbing bathrooms.
Fee: None
Summary
Dogs: Crystal Lake Mammoth Lakes is a great hike for dogs. As always, please pick up after them.
Camping: Seasonal campground, Lake George is located at the start of this hike. Find more information on this spot here.
Hike Xfactor(s): First Major Snow
The town of Mammoth Lakes, California closes the road to Crystal Lake after the “first major snowstorm”. When will that be and how much is a major snowstorm? Who knows! If you plan on hiking this one anytime in November, keep the road closures in mind. In the Spring, the road typically opens up after mid April so at least that side of things is predictable.
Hike Tip(s): Take some time to explore the shores of Crystal Lake. The views of Crystal Crag and the surrounding ridgeline are absolutely beautiful. There are a number of rock outcroppings to take a nap, read a book or have a picnic.
Best Views: My favorite views on this hike were on the West side of the lake with Crystal Crag towering above the bright blue waters. The views on the way up are also great as you get a number of great overlooks of Lake George and Lake Mary.
Crystal Lake Hike Route
Gear Needed
- Men’s Trail Runners
- Women’s Trail Runners
- La Sportiva Trango Hiking Boots (Men’s)
- La Sportiva Trango Hiking Boots (Women’s)
- Backpack (Summer)
- Food & Water
- Optional: Hiking Poles – 120CM
- Optional: Garmin inReach
- Optional: Garmin Fenix Watch
- Optional: Garmin Fenix Watch
- Optional: GoPro, Joby Tripod, GoPro 360
- Optional: Drone
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Crystal Lake Mammoth Lakes Trip Report: October 2022
Jackie and I were wrapping up our trip to California but still had some time to explore another new mountain town, Mammoth Lakes. We had a frustrating night before arriving when a 2 hour drive turned into a 5 hour one because of unmarked/non publicized road closure (seriously what the actual F Yosemite???). Seasonal road closures made finding other hikes challenging as well but Crystal Lake seemed like the perfect fit.
We arrived at the crowded trailhead in the later morning and started the hike up. The trail was easy to follow and had steady elevation gain. There were great views overlooking Lake George and Lake Mary with fairly minimal crowds. The climbing continued until the trail finally flatted out and actually lost elevation on the way down to the lake itself.
Crystal Lake was beautiful and the weather was perfect. We took some time to explore the shores and found a spot to chill for a bit. Jackie read her book and I just counted down the time in my head to find an acceptable amount of lapsed time before asking “are you ready to go?” The hike down was quick and uneventful. Crystal Lake is a great easy hike near Mammoth Lakes, CA and a perfect option for shoulder season.
