Southern California Cottonwood Lakes Trail

My sister and I had an amazing time backpacking the Cottonwood Lakes Trail in the Inyo National Forest. The pandemic has grounded me in southern California for the foreseeable future, so I decided to explore nature in my own backyard. An easy 5-hour drive from Orange County takes you to the edge of the Sierra Nevadas and reveals some of the most beautiful scenery in California. I completed the hike to Mt. Whitney a few years ago, and I was very excited to explore a different section of the Inyo National Forest! 

View of the Cottonwood Lakes Basin

Most recently I traveled in South America and spent a few months backpacking through the Patagonian wilderness. It was an amazing experience and I fell in love with backpacking. I love exploring the most remote places, where you have to walk and carry all your supplies and shelter with you. It’s challenging, exciting, and incredibly rewarding. I learned about the Cottonwood Lakes trail through a friend’s Instagram, and immediately knew I needed to check it out! 

Cottonwood Lakes Trail – Inyo National Forest

We spent two nights in the Inyo National Forest and camped near multiple lakes. This is an awesome backpacking adventure, especially for those who are beginners. You can even complete the trail as a day hike, but I recommend staying at least one night so you can take in the beauty and relax around the lakes. A lot of my friends have asked me for information about the Cottonwood Lakes Trail so I decided I needed to make a blog post. This is an awesome Southern California hike and I hope the rest of this post will help you plan your own adventure! 

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Long Lake – Cottonwood Lakes Trail

Read Next: Complete Backpacking Gear Checklist

Cottonwood Lakes Trail Itinerary

Day 1: Huntington Beach → Lone Pine → Cottonwood Lakes Trailhead → Cottonwood Lake #2

• 4.5-hour drive to Lone Pine
• 45-minute drive from Lone Pine to the trailhead
• 3-hour hike to Cottonwood Lake #2 (8.6 km, 5.3 miles from the trailhead) 
  • We walked an extra mile because of the road closure
• We followed New Army Pass to the left when the trail forks 

Day 2: Cottonwood Lake #2 → Long Lake → Cottonwood Lake #3 → Cottonwood Lake #4 and #5 → random camp in the woods **

• .6 mile walk (1 km) to Long Lake
• 1-2 mile walk Long Lake to Cottonwood Lakes 3,4,5
• 3-mile walk (1.5 hours) to our ultimate camp spot (we meant to camp at lake #5, but the weather turned bad)
• We returned on Cottonwood Lakes trail

Day 3: Forest Camp → Car

• 3 miles return walk to the car (1.5 hours)

Cottonwood Lake #2

Key Tips

• Bear Canisters are necessary (we rented from Elevation Sierra Adventure) $5 for 24 hours or 7.50 for 48 hours
• Marmots and Bears will smell your food if you don’t use a bear canister
• You can pretty much camp anywhere you’d like as long as its far enough from the water sources and trail
• Permits are necessary to visit recreation.gov 
• The permit office is hard to get ahold of so start calling in advance of your arrival ( I finally heard back from the Mammoth Lakes office)
• BUG SPRAY is a must
• Pack in pack out – don’t leave any trash behind – not even used toilet paper
• Download maps.me for offline GPS Navigation 
• Bring a water filter
• Be prepared for the weather to change in an instant
• Don’t leave food in your car, there are bear bins at the trailhead 
• Make sure to put deodorant, toothpaste, chapstick (anything with a scent) etc. in the bear canister

Marmot Friend

John Muir Wilderness

Getting to Cottonwood Lakes Trail

The trailhead is located in the Cottonwood Lakes Trailhead Campground (this is what you can search on Google maps). It is about 45 minutes from Lone Pine, CA. We hiked in June 2020 and the campground was closed due to Covid -19, but normally you’d be able to park at the trailhead or even spend the night before/after your hike in the campground. With the closures, we had to park 1 mile down the road where they had fenced off the road. 

The road up to Cottonwood Lakes Trail

Cottonwood Lakes Trail Information

The trail is easy to follow and well-marked. Keep in mind that the trailhead starts at 10,000 feet so altitude is a factor. It is about 6 miles from the parking to the closest lakes. Most of the trail is relatively flat, and you only gain 1,000 feet over 6 miles. Once you get up to the lakes, the terrain is mostly flat between the multiple lakes. There is just a quick 15-minute uphill scramble to get to lake 4 and 5. There are a couple of creek crossings along the way but they have sturdy wood logs or rocks to cross on. 

Awesome Trees!

About 3.5 miles into the trail there is a fork in the road. You can go either way, but we went left towards the New Army Pass Trail. The left gives you better access to Lakes #1, #2, and Long Lake and is the way you will go if you are going to summit Mount Langley. The trail to the right takes you more directly to Muir Lake, Cottonwood Lake #3, #4, #5. I read a few blogs that said you could do a loop up around all the lakes, but the Old Army Pass trail is pretty much destroyed making this impossible. You can still see all the lakes you just have to do some backtracking. 

If you download Maps.me you will be able to see the different trails and make sure that you are continuing on the right one. The Hikingguy.com goes into incredible detail on the trail if you want more information.

On the Trail

How to get a permit for the Cottonwood Lakes Trail

I obtained a permit a few days before we left without any trouble, but it is best to book in advance. We entered on a weekday so there was more availability. They limit it to 60 people per day and you need the permit to spend the night. The permit cost $16 total for 2 ppl and 2 nights. It is $6 for the permit and $5 per person. You can reserve it on this website. Because of Covid-19, all the permits are issued online. You must check-in via phone by 10 AM on your arrival day (call in advance because the line is always busy). Once you speak to the ranger they will email you the official permit which you need to print and sign. 

Long Lake Reflection

What to Pack?

Having the right gear is essential to a successful trip! Check out my post for a complete backpacking gear checklist. Don’t forget a bear canister!

My Experience of the Cottonwood Lakes Trail

June 24th -26th 2020

Day 1 – The start and Cottonwood Lakes #1 and #2

My sister and I left Huntington Beach, CA at 8 AM on the day that our 2-night permit in the Inyo National Forest began. We arrived in Lone Pine around noon and stopped at Elevation Sierra Adventure. I had called ahead so it was a quick and easy pickup. We grabbed a Jersey Mike’s Sandwich to fuel us until dinner. The drive up to the trailhead is a steep road with sharp turns and switchbacks. Thankfully the car gets to do most of the work because the trail starts at 10,000 feet. 

We made sure to pack all our food in the bear canister and stored the extra food in the bear lockers at the trailhead. We didn’t want to risk a bear trying to break into our car. Because of the road closure, the first mile of the hike was on a road leading up to Cottonwood Lakes Trail Campground. 

Cottonwood Lake #2

The Trek

It was a hot sunny afternoon when we started hiking. The first section of the trail is a bit sparse on the foliage and we were feeling the heat. It’s an easy walk, and even has a bit of downhill. Once we got to the first creek crossing the forest was more dense and beautiful. The air was so crisp! We enjoyed the views along the way and passed by beautiful meadows, plants, and trees. 

The trail doesn’t start inclining until you get to the fork in the trail. We went left onto New Army Pass Trail and it felt easy. There were just a few switchbacks and about 900 feet of elevation gain. 

Once you get to the top of this section, you’ve essentially made it to the Cottonwood Lakes Basin. We could immediately see Lakes #1 and #2. I was instantly amazed by the beauty up there. It was so green and lush! The mountains surrounding the basin are very impressive and the lakes offer perfect reflections. 

Camping at Cottonwood Lake #2

Camping at Cottonwood Lake #2

We passed by Cottonwood Lake #1, which is pretty exposed and only has boulders lining its shores. Cottonwood Lake #2 is a baseball throw away from Lake #1 but offered a more sheltered view of the lake. We managed to find a flat grassy area between the trail and the little hill of boulders. We had a great view of the lake and the rock formation behind it. There were a few more campsites tucked up in the boulders that you could stay at as well. 

I really liked where we camped! However, I think the views at Long Lake were a little more impressive and if I did it again I would probably camp there. Both are great options and if you’re tired out by the time you arrive at Cottonwood Lake #2 I’d just stay there. We arrived at 5 pm (3 hours from the start) and spent the evening reading, cooking, and taking photos.

Sunset at Cottonwood Lake #2

Cottonwood Lake #2

Day 2 – Long Lake, Cottonwood Lakes #3, #4 and #5

In the morning we woke up and ate breakfast with an incredible view. The lake was perfectly calm so it created an amazing reflection. Next, we went on a walk to check out Long Lake. We didn’t plan to continue on after Long Lake so we only brought our bathing suits and water. The walk was a quick and easy half-mile (1 km). 

Long Lake Reflections

Arriving at Long Lake was incredible. We also saw an amazing reflection here. We continued along the right side of the lake and found a perfect spot to jump in the water. It was really cold but felt amazing. The views in every direction were stunning. It seemed like the campsites were along the left side of the lake underneath a small forest. 

Long Lake Reflections

After our refreshing dip, we returned back to camp to pack up and continue exploring the area. We backtracked to the beginning of Cottonwood Lake #1 and cut across to the other main trail. Thankfully all of this walk was flat. It was a quick, easy, and beautiful stroll. The trail leads along the edge of some trees and you first pass by these unnamed lakes on your right. They also had an amazing reflection.

Unnamed Lake on the Cottonwood Lakes Trail

Cottonwood Lake #3

Pretty quickly, we came up over a little hill that revealed Cottonwood Lake #3. Once we got down to the shoreline we stopped for a lunch break. Tuna, avocado, mayo wraps for the win. The sun was shining so we laid out and enjoyed the warmth and the views. I was about to jump in the water when the clouds started rolling in and covered up the heat from the sun. We were expecting potential thunderstorms so we packed up and set off for our destination

Sister Selfie

Cottonwood Lakes #4 and #5

To get to these lakes you have to climb up a steep little hill. It only takes about 20 minutes but you will probably be huffing and puffing a little. On the way up you get the best view of Cottonwood Lake #3 below. 

View of Cottonwood Lake #3

There is a beautiful little stream that turns into a waterfall on the way up to the lakes. I really liked these lakes too. All of the lakes on the Cottonwood Lakes Trail were unique and beautiful in their own way. It is really hard to pick a favorite. Cottonwood Lakes #4 and #5 are practically connected. We searched out a good spot to camp and chose a grassy area closer to Lake #5.

The rain was starting to fall so we quickly set up camp and hunkered down inside the tent. For a while it just sprinkled, but then the real storm rolled through. Hail was falling, the thunder was booming and we were counting the seconds between the lightning strike and the boom. I was happy reading in the tent, but the weather was making us anxious. There were no other people camping up there and there isn’t much protection so we were exposed to the elements. 

Cottonwood Lake #4 and #5

The Storm

I couldn’t tell if the mountain peaks in front of us were going to hold back the black clouds or not, but the sky looked formidable. We decided to wait until 5 pm before making any moves 

Three hours of reading and napping later and the weather was still suspect. I have never experienced thunder so loud it practically shook the ground. I went on a walk to see how the sky looked. On my walk, I found the most beautiful lookout that gave a view of the whole basin, and really wished I had brought my camera. 

Cottonwood Lake #4

At this point, half the sky looked promising and half looked very scary so we decided to pack up and head down the mountain a bit. We were really nervous about being stuck in a lightning storm in the middle of the night. As much as I didn’t want to walk, the napping we did in the tent made me a little fresher. We managed to walk an hour and a half before we were completely over it. We passed some people camping in the forest just off the trail and figured that was a good idea. 

Finding Shelter and eating Mac n Cheese

Luckily we found a spot right next to the creek that also had a massive boulder for protection. I think we might have caught back up to the storm that we had already sat through because all of a sudden there was more lightning and thunder. We were starving so we froze while cooking dinner in the rain. It was worth it though because Annie’s Mac n Cheese is the best! I went straight into my sleeping bag after dinner and spent the next half hour just trying to get warm again. We both read a bit more and then fell asleep.

Getting Stormy

Day 3 – Getting home

Thankfully we had a quick walk to finish up the hike. It went by super fast and before we knew it the 3 miles were done and we were back at the trailhead. My sister and I were stoked on our successful trip. The last mile to the car was annoying but we did it. Then all we had to do was drive back home. 

Cottonwood Lakes Review

Overall this was an amazing trip and the natural beauty blew my mind. I am looking forward to exploring similar areas in the Sierras now that I am grounded in southern California. I think this is a great intro to backpacking. The trail is well marked and not very difficult, which makes carrying a heavy pack easy. The trails are pretty empty so you really feel like you have “escaped” to the outdoors. The biggest concerns for me were bears and making sure our food was stored properly and the inclement weather we encountered. Aside from this, the trip was incredible and I would highly recommend the Cottonwood Lakes Trail to anyone!

Happy Camper