Video
Beta
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LevelIntermediate
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TrailheadSouth Lake
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Mileage5
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Gain1000'
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Starting Elevation9750'
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Elevation10,686'
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Grade1
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PetsOn-leash
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SeasonsSeasonal
Directions
5C9M+PG, Aspendell, CA 93514, USA
Tags
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Land Designation
We would like to use this space to acknowledge the indigenous land upon which we live and play. Payahuunadü is home to the Paiute and Shoshone (Nüümü and Newe) peoples.
Description
The hike to Treasure Lakes near Bishop, California, is a picturesque alpine trek in the Eastern Sierra Nevada, offering a mix of diverse wildlife, lush flora, and stunning views of pristine lakes and jagged granite peaks.
- Trailhead Location: South Lake Trailhead, accessed via South Lake Road, about 20 miles from Bishop.
- Distance: Roughly 5 miles round trip, depending on how many of the lakes you choose to visit.
- Elevation Gain: About 1,000 feet.
- Difficulty: Moderate. The steady climb requires some stamina due to the high altitude, but the trail is well-defined.
- Best Time to Visit: Summer through early fall (June to September). Snow may persist in the early season.
Scenery:
The trail meanders through a stunning alpine landscape, offering a mix of meadows, glacial-carved valleys, and granite ridges. As you ascend, you’ll enjoy expansive views of South Lake and surrounding peaks. The highlight of the hike is the series of crystal-clear lakes that make up Treasure Lakes, surrounded by towering granite spires.
Flora:
- Lower Elevations: The trail begins at high elevation, around 9,800 feet, where you'll see lodgepole pines, quaking aspens, and willows near the creek. In early summer, wildflowers like Indian paintbrush, alpine columbine, and lupine bloom in vivid colors along the trail.
- Alpine Zone: As you gain elevation and approach the lakes, the vegetation thins out. Look for hardy plants like Sierra juniper, whitebark pine, and dwarf willows. Around the lakes, you'll find delicate alpine flowers like sky pilots, phlox, and penstemon growing between the rocky outcrops.
Fauna:
- Mammals: Common wildlife includes marmots, often seen basking on sun-warmed rocks, and the tiny, energetic pikas that dart between the talus slopes. You may also spot mule deer grazing in the meadows or catch a glimpse of the elusive Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep on the higher ridges.
- Birds: Keep an ear out for the distinct calls of Clark’s nutcracker, a bird adapted to alpine environments. Mountain chickadees, Steller’s jays, and gray-crowned rosy-finches are also frequent in the area. If you're lucky, you might see a peregrine falcon soaring above the peaks.
- Fish: The lakes are home to brook trout and rainbow trout, making Treasure Lakes a popular spot for anglers practicing catch-and-release fishing.
- Insects: The alpine meadows host a variety of butterflies, including tiger swallowtails and blue copper butterflies, particularly in late summer when wildflowers are in full bloom.
Trail Features:
The hike starts with gradual switchbacks leading you up through the forest, with views of South Lake below. After around 2 miles, you’ll veer off the Bishop Pass Trail onto a side trail leading to Treasure Lakes. The terrain becomes more rugged as you approach the lakes, with large granite slabs and boulder fields, perfect for exploring or relaxing by the water’s edge.
This hike provides a wonderful opportunity to experience the unique flora and fauna of the high Sierra in a relatively short but rewarding adventure. Whether you're looking to enjoy the wildflowers, spot wildlife, or simply soak in the breathtaking alpine scenery, the Treasure Lakes hike offers a peaceful and inspiring retreat into nature.
Disclaimer
This is not professional advice. Access, parking, difficulty and trail conditions are different from user to user and can change at anytime. Please consult with local land manager and/or local guide services for current information and professional advice.
Understand the effects of high altitude and acclimatize properly to reduce the risk of altitude sickness. Weather conditions can change rapidly. Be prepared for cold temperatures, wind, and potential storms. Check forecasts before the hike. Carry detailed topographic maps and know how to use them. GPS devices can be useful but should not be relied upon solely. Always carry your ten essentials. Accents may require microspikes or crampons depending on season.
Understand the effects of high altitude and acclimatize properly to reduce the risk of altitude sickness. Weather conditions can change rapidly. Be prepared for cold temperatures, wind, and potential storms. Check forecasts before the hike. Carry detailed topographic maps and know how to use them. GPS devices can be useful but should not be relied upon solely. Always carry your ten essentials. Accents may require microspikes or crampons depending on season.
Leave No Trace
Plan Ahead and Prepare
- • Know the regulations and special concerns for the area you'll visit.
- • Prepare for extreme weather, hazards, and emergencies.
- • Schedule your trip to avoid times of high use.
- • Visit in small groups when possible. Consider splitting larger groups into smaller groups.
- • Repackage food to minimize waste.
- • Use a map and compass or GPS to eliminate the use of marking paint, rock cairns, or flagging.
Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
- • Durable surfaces include maintained trails and designated campsites, rock, gravel, sand, dry grasses, or snow.
- • Protect riparian areas by camping at least 200 feet from lakes and streams.
- • Good campsites are found, not made. Altering a site is not necessary.
- In popular areas:
- • Concentrate use on existing trails and campsites.
- • Walk single file in the middle of the trail, even when wet or muddy.
- • Keep campsites small. Focus activity in areas where vegetation is absent.
- In pristine areas:
- • Disperse use to prevent the creation of campsites and trails.
- • Avoid places where impacts are just beginning.
Dispose of Waste Properly
- • Pack it in, pack it out. Inspect your campsite, food preparation areas, and rest areas for trash or spilled foods. Pack out all trash, leftover food, and litter.
- • Utilize toilet facilities whenever possible. Otherwise, deposit solid human waste in catholes dug 6 to 8 inches deep, at least 200 feet from water, camp, and trails. Cover and disguise the cathole when finished.
- • Pack out toilet paper and hygiene products.
- • To wash yourself or your dishes, carry water 200 feet away from streams or lakes and use small amounts of biodegradable soap. Scatter strained dishwater.
Leave What You Find
- • Preserve the past: examine, photograph, but do not touch cultural or historic structures and artifacts.
- • Leave rocks, plants, and other natural objects as you find them.
- • Avoid introducing or transporting non-native species.
- • Do not build structures, furniture, or dig trenches.
Minimize Campfire Impacts
- • Campfires can cause lasting impacts to the environment. Use a lightweight stove for cooking and enjoy a candle lantern for light.
- • Where fires are permitted, use established fire rings, fire pans, or mound fires.
- • Keep fires small. Only use down and dead wood from the ground that can be broken by hand.
- • Burn all wood and coals to ash, put out campfires completely, then scatter cool ashes.
Respect Wildlife
- • Observe wildlife from a distance. Do not follow or approach them.
- • Never feed animals. Feeding wildlife damages their health, alters natural behaviors, habituates them to humans, and exposes them to predators and other dangers.
- • Protect wildlife and your food by storing rations and trash securely.
- • Control pets at all times, or leave them at home.
- • Avoid wildlife during sensitive times: mating, nesting, raising young, or winter.
Be Considerate of Other Visitors
- • Respect other visitors and protect the quality of their experience.
- • Be courteous. Yield to other users on the trail.
- • Step to the downhill side of the trail when encountering pack stock.
- • Take breaks and camp away from trails and other visitors.
- • Let nature's sounds prevail. Avoid loud voices and noises.
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