Skelton Lake Trail

You will see a couple of trailheads starting by parking at the Coldwater Creek Campground parking lot. This one is specifically marked Heart Lake. There will be a couple of forks in the trail, but if you stay right and on the more obvious path, you will be up to Heart Lake in no time. (Going left will take you on a short half-mile loop around some old mines.) Just over a mile on a fairly easy ...

The hike to Skelton Lake in Mammoth Lakes, CA starts off at the Duck Lake Pass trailhead just past Lake Mary. The hike starts off with quite a few switchbacks as you climb through the John Muir Wilderness. About one mile up the trail, you'll see an option to veer off to Arrowhead Lake. Continue on the Duck Lake Pass trail for another mile and you will reach the shore of Skelton Lake. Skelton ha...

If you make your way to the Goldwater Campground there is plenty of parking. The trailhead you take leads to many lakes but the Duck Pass trailhead is the on you want to take. This is a easy trail to follow and walk with very little obstacles. You follow it along for around a mile and you won't miss the lake on your left. There are a few beach like areas along the south side or trail side of t...

As many of the other hikes start in this area, you start at the Goldwater Creek Campground where there is plenty of parking and restrooms. You will take the Duck Pass Trailhead for this hike. • I wanted to point out that this is not the easiest hike to do as a day hike. Many people do overnighters up here but for those who are in decent shape and hike often, it's a doable hike. I made it up th...

The Duck Pass trail in the John Muir Wilderness combines breathtaking views, wildflowers and plenty of icy mountain lakes for swimming into a trail that is moderate in both difficulty and distance. With multiple lakes along the way to pitch your tent and plenty of day hike options from a base camp, this trail makes a perfect weekend getaway or offers opportunities for longer expeditions into th...

Emerald lake is a relatively short 1.7 mile out-and-back hike. There is ample parking at the parking lot and trailhead. There is also overflow parking at the upper lot for Duck Lake and Skelton Lake.  The trail has a decent amount of uphill, but you should arrive shortly (<30 mins) at your destination depending on your group and how fast you're moving. The initial ascent is mostly switchbac...