4 min
Overview
The hike into Little Lakes Valley (sometimes called Rock Creek Valley or Canyon) is a beautiful, surprisingly approachable high-altitude trek filled with towering Sierra Nevada peaks, a series of stunning, picturesque alpine lakes, and lovely fall foliage if you can time it right. This trailhead from Mosquito Flats Campground is your gateway to destinations like Gem Lakes and Treasure Lakes (but not these Treasure Lakes) or longer backpacking routes through Mono Pass or Morgan Pass — or you can also use this for the route described, which is a moderate day hike along a series of lakes in the aptly named Little Lakes Valley — Chickenfoot Lake, Hidden Lakes, Long Lake, Heart Lake, Box Lake, Marsh Lake, and Mack Lake. Although this route as described heads to Chickenfoot, any one of those lakes is a worthwhile destination. The trail begins at Mosquito Flats past Rock Creek Lake, which can fill up fairly quickly on weekends and during foliage season, so you’ll want to get here early. Bear canisters are provided for anyone with food or scented items in their cars — and remember to err on the side of caution here. The hike kicks off on a wide, sandy path that roughly parallels the creek you’ve been driving along on your way up to the trailhead. Low-growing groves of aspen provide some fall color (and sound), while taller pines frame the epic view of the mountains you’ll be facing for most of your route — most prominently Bear Creek Spire, Mount Date, Mount Abbot, and Mount Mills. It’s gentle going for the first 0.3 mile with only a slight incline, but after that you’ll reach a short but noticeably steeper section of iconic Sierra granite steps. By the 0.5 mile mark, you’ll have mostly crested this steep section, revealing the first of the impressive lake views you’ll have on this route at Mack Lake. Mount Morgan forms the large, darker-colored mass on the left. Around this point, you’ll also encounter a junction with a trail leading to Ruby Lake and Mono Pass. You’ll keep heading straight toward Morgan Pass. If the
Trail Stats
10.0 km
292 m
3287 m
3118 m
—
Photos
Trail photo
No caption provided.
Trail photo
No caption provided.
Trail photo
No caption provided.
Trail photo
No caption provided.
Trail photo
No caption provided.
Trail photo
No caption provided.
Trail photo
No caption provided.
Trail photo
No caption provided.
Trail photo
No caption provided.