Just east of Yosemite National Park, Saddlebag Lake is popular for day hikes, fishing and backpacking. Instead, we were the only ones at Shamrock Lake and had the whole place to ourselves. Fly fishers are big fans of the waters the lead into and exit the lake. We did our best to follow the cairns we could see above us, but this was definitely not our favorite part of the hike. Take the trail to . The true trail goes left at the pond and then descends to a river crossing as the outlet of Steelhead Lake. At Saddlebag Lake, some leakage happens through existing naturally occurring cracks in the bedrock under the dam. Trail clear of snow except for one 20ft patch near Shamrock Lake. It's a little quieter than the lake's campground. Inyo National Forest SPYDER F3, GV250 Looking forward to coming back here again soon for some other hikes in this area. Bishop, CA 93514, https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/inyo/recarea/?recid=20612. We arrived to the parking lot on a Saturday around 1030 am with plenty of parking still available. The General Store and Cafe provides ;fresh coffee, a delicious meals, and plenty of fishing gear, licenses, and . Be prepared for good shoes that have ankle support. Slim, Rebel Water level in Saddlebag Lake is very low so the ferry is not running. We had read that Shamrock Lake was a good place to make camp, so we looked around and found a relatively flat site above the lake. Mt. Augusta Scavenger Hunt: Americas Dearest Capital. 2000, VN2000, Vulcan Small RV's or short trailers only, no RV hook ups. The rather small Saddlebag Lake Campground is located near the dam, offers basic campsites, potable water, pit toilets and does not take reservations. We said goodbye to fall and hello to winter, which arrived overnight. 825 were here. Be prepared for the elevation as it did have me out of breath with even the most gradual hills going up. Hiking/backpacking from Saddlebag Lake to Cascade Lake and back was epic. This is Bear Country. A pretty chill hike with a few fun little maneuvers through rocks and across streams. 1700 Classic, Vulcan Plenty of space for all. There is also a water taxi from the marina at the Saddlebag Lake Resort that goes to the far end of the lake. Food, trashand scented items must be stored in. Trolling is the most popular way to fish the large, 340-acre lake. A lovely long walk with plenty of variety in the scenery. We want your experiences too! Guiding in Hoover wilderness is by Yosemite Mountaineering School. Until I crossed the gangway over the dam enroute to the Hall Natural Area in the Mt Conness drainage, I wondered why Saddlebag Lakehad been drawn down to little more than a creek below the base of the dam. 1200 Low XL1200L, Sportster Saddlebag Lake is home to rainbow and brook trout. Iron 1200 XL1200NS, Sportster However, Shamrock Lake is beautiful and expansive making the slow trek to reach it that much more satisfying. Your email address will not be published. It used to be an American plan resort but was sold as individual cabins/condos in the mid '80s that are for rent seasonally. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. A few days late, but 2022 was a big year for us! This waterbody is located within: Kissimmee River - Above Lake Hatchineha Watershed. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock LockA locked padlock Saw a few groups of day hikers and One other group camping at Shamrock. For day use, you can continue on closer to the lake. Trail in good shape. Inyo National Forest Pleasant Lake. Save the tax, we pay you back, instantly! 883 Custom XLH883C/XL883C, Sportster Beyond Saddlebag Lake trails extend into what is commonly called the 20 Lakes Basin. Shaw Lake. 1,739 Samples. An alternative for reaching 20 Lakes Basin from the Bay Area is to take the Sonora Pass. In the fall of 2017, an increase in leakage was observed. Mountainsmith K9 Dog Pack, Adjustable Chest and Back Harness Canine Backpack, Saddle Bags with Zippered Pockets for Camping, Travel, Outdoors, Backpacking, Hiking $74.95 At the conclusion of our hike, we were happy to be back at the car with a chance to wipe off some of the dirt from the previous 18 hours. Begin to rub the shampoo into the saddlebags while paying extra attention to areas with excessive dirt or stains. As it turns out, this side was as rocky as advertised, but also slightly shorter than the east side. I cannot imagine a better day hike anywhere.. Saddleback is tucked away in an old fishing camp in Dallas Plantation. Improve this listing Full view All photos (3) Top ways to experience nearby attractions Rangeley Lakes Region Seaplane Tour 25 Recommended Adventure Tours from $174.00 per adult Mountain Explorer Seaplane Tour Rangeley 9 Adventure Tours from 9 Sampling Locations. Elevation 10,000 feet. Once into the 20 Lakes we changed to a clockwise direction for that loop, but I can't say that was any better than going counterclockwise. 351 Pacu Lane I wish I could spend a week there. The shortest route from here to the summit of Conness is approx. Activities include: fishing, hiking, and boating, in an atmosphere of relaxing tranquility. Reservations are only available for the large group site. Definitely have the map downloaded. Then, pour a quarter-sized amount of leather cleaner shampoo on the soft cloth. The expansive Saddlebag Lake and its surroundings offer plenty of space and seldom feels crowded. The Sonora Pass adds 40 miles and approximately 30-60 minutes to your drive as the road is windy and north of Yosemite. Williams Lake. While the size of the entry hole might be much larger than where water has to squeeze through, when the reservoir is at capacity as in 2017, there must be ~70 feet of head above the hole (more as it deepens)thats a lot of pressure against the mostly metamorphic rock underlying the dam. Beautiful lots of little lakes to explore. Thunderbird LT, Rocket III Mar 7, 2010. Next, the trail climbs a bit more bringing you back to Steelhead Lake. Rather than lugging necessities yourself, you may want to consider dog saddlebags so that your pup can help share the burden! As we left Shamrock, the trail was hard to follow and there was a fairly steep climb on loose rock after we left Lake Helen, and none of the scenery after Shamrock Lake was worth the effort. Rebel 500 ABS, Honda Rebel Tioga Peak is the rounded mountain just beyond Saddlebag Lake at the right edge of the picture. The resort has breath-taking views of the beautiful lake and mountains. Twenty Lakes Basin and Saddlebag Lake Loop. Wind, rain, clouds and a rainbow, all made for a pretty great evening! Getting to the Trailhead Saddlebag Lake Saddlebag Lake is the starting point for the 20 Lakes Basin trail and it is located just outside Yosemite's eastern entrance. Little windy on the ridge we chose. 125, BN125, YAMAHA Went on this hike as an alternative to the park when reservations were full. For visitors in 2020, be sure to check out our post on Yosemite and their reservation process. Stop it before it even gets to th. The views will be towards your back on the way over, but you can eat lunch at Shamrock Lake and then turn around and enjoy the final views on your way back to your tent or car! Star 1100 Custom, XVS11A, YAMAHA V Late season everything was dry and brown; no snow anywhere to add that high eevation charm. We took our time and really enjoyed this hike. Saddlebag Lake is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 3.091m (10,141ft) above the sea level, located in Mono County, in the east central portion of the U.S. state of California. Magna 750, 600 BALL, Triumph What is something youre looking forward to this year! Mosquitoes were present but if you have spray you should be fine. Make sure your brush is soft. Saddlebag Lake is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 3.091m (10,141ft) above the sea level, located in Mono County, in the east central portion of the U.S. state of California. Use your best judgment and you should be alright. Its one of the highest roads of California. If permits are unavailable, contact one of the Inyo National Forest Ranger Stations. 800 Classic, Vulcan Small RV's or short trailers only, no RV hook ups. This is Bear Country. more. Required fields are marked *. Want to report conditions for this trail? Saddlebag Lake Resort is located in the magnificent Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains. Winchester Mountain Saddlebags, C109 300, CMX250C 6.4 km. Low Rider, Softail Nicely situated on a corner lot, the home has a semi-circular driveway so there's no backing up to do. 20 campsites and 1 largegroupsiteat Saddlebag Lake near the Hoover Wilderness. Really great trail with amazing scenery. 883 Low XL883L, Sportster The satellite image below from June 10, 2018, shows what the dam area normally looks like. VINTAGE DARK HORSE, CHIEF Dog shoes recommended tons of sharp, loose rock. On the other hand, regular maintenance will extend the life of your saddlebags saving you money and frustration. But give it might be some time before we brave that road again. Street Bob FXDB, Dyna Unless youre heading out later in the season, its always good to carry some bug spray and a bug net, just in case! This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. I foolishly left them after a pit stop, and they were gone when we returned. Overall great trail. Shadow Aero ABS, 1500 Fat Bob FXDF/SE, Dyna The integrity and safety of the dam has not been affected. S ABS Cafe, Vulcan You can find our full trip report on our blog. It looks late July, and there is almost no snow on the 20 lakes basin trail Read more While the lake itself offers solid fishing and hiking, limited in part because the high elevation makes the season there shorter than elsewhere, the waters that lead to and from the lake are world class. This is a popular trail for backpacking, camping, and fishing, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. We grabbed the food we had left in the bear locker, changed into some clean clothes and headed through Yosemite and back home. Permit:Yes, for overnight trips. Shadow Sabre, 750 Considering some of the terrain here, we both agreed that a lighter pack, such as that of day-hike would make this a more enjoyable trek. Amazing scenery with little elevation gain. Did this trail many years ago and remembered it filled with dramatic snow capped peaks looming over brimming lakes and green green meadows. Directions to Trailhead. Active bear area, bear boxes are provided and must be used (typical bear box size 48" x 30" x 36"). Glide, Sportster See how your fees have made a difference! The trail is non-quota, but you are still required to purchase a permit through recreation.gov. Low Rider FXDL, Dyna Saddlebag Lake is located 4.7 miles east of the Tioga Pass Entrance of Yosemite. I barely saw anyone on the trail, maybe 5 people max on a beautiful Thursday afternoon. Im no dam engineer but it doesnt seem so simple to me to fill in a hole that burrows under a dam. Toggle menu The Saddlebag Lake Resort boat taxi operates July through early September. AQUILA, Sportster The views are incredible and the lakes look really clean (and cold). October 4, 2018 Tamarack Lake. DARK HORSE, CHIEF Going in the clockwise position is easier/faster IMO and easier than counter. This was also where we saw other hikers for the first time since we were near Saddlebag Lake the day before. Please Leave No Trace. #washingtonstate #pnwonderland #olympicnationalpark. dangerousroads.org is not responsible for the information contained in these pages. Not pictured: the crowds of people also taking photos here . Forty Eight, Sportster One of the most popular hikes in Olympic National Park! This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. Great day hike, not hard at all. As the road is windy and north of Yosemite National Park cabins/condos in the of. A rainbow, all made for a pretty great evening Pass adds 40 miles approximately... 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