High Alpine Day Hike - Little Lakes Valley to Gem Lakes

Mammoth Lakes is a must see for anyone calling California home. One of our last adventures before moving was a a long weekend hiking trip to the Mammoth area. We car camped at Mammoth Mountain campground and took day trips to put dirt under our feet.

Our first hike was Little Lakes Valley to Gem Lakes. In the John Muir Wilderness, this 7 mile hike started above 10,000 feet elevation and has very little elevation gain, so we were able to cover a lot of distance without a tremendous amount of effort. The hike was beautiful, passing multiple lakes before ending at Gem Lake, a backcountry lake that truly earns it’s name.

The rocky terrain was fitting for the High Sierra mountains, passing through a high alpine valley surrounded by towering 13,000 foot mountain peaks.

Images are available for purchase through the print shop or by emailing me at jcarr@jennifercarrphotography.com.