Hike: Rush Creek Trail, June Lake, CA

Length: 4.2 miles
Type: Out & Back
Elevation Gain: 1256 feet
Highest Elevation: 8531 feet
Duration: n/a

 

Getting There

I hike this trail during my road trip to San Diego and back in May 2018. I'd been following the Sierra Nevadas & Hwy 395 since Lake Isabella/Kernville.

The Hike 

coming soon

Trail just below Agnew Lake

 

 

Interesting Tidbit

I actually hike this trail before in 2000-2001. Two friends and I had been camping near Mammoth for the weekend. We made it further up the trail to Gem Lake and possibly even Waugh Lake. 

 

The Map

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/rush-creek-trail-to-agnew-lake

 

Hike: Gem Lake via Rush Creek Trail, Mono County, CA

https://www.alltrails.com/explore/trail/us/california/gem-lake-via-rush-creek-trail

 

Distance: 6.6 miles
Route Type: Out & Back
Elevation Gain: 1,943 feet
High Point: 9,187 feet
Duration: 2 hrs

 

Getting There:

The Rush Creek Trail starts at the Silver Lake parking lot on the June Lake Loop, just passed the June Mountain Ski Area. I was camping at the Sherwin Creek Campground in Mammoth Lakes with two friends from San Diego. We got to the parking lot in mid morning of the hike.

I think we drove back to San Diego afterwards.

The Hike:

The first two miles has a grade of 17% and climbs steadily above Silver Lake, no switchbacks. At the top of this section is a railway track that looks like stairs from a distance is not. It's pretty technical and you'll want to take it slow and carefully.

A little further along you reach Agnew Lake and the dam. 

The trail hugs the north side of the lake to another dam for Gem Lake.

From what I remember, we hike pretty far up the East side of Gem Lake and had lunch. The map at the top of this post is bit shorter of a hike.