To be direct—any time is a good to see the beautiful Big Pine Lakes. Big Pine Lakes is one of the best hikes in California. If you are planning a hiking trip to the Eastern Sierra Mountains, you have to visit Big Pine Lakes in John Muir Wilderness. Born and raised in California, I never knew about Big Pine Lakes until 2016 and have hiked and camped here multiple times per year, every year since — it’s stunning! It’s only 4.5 hours from Los Angeles and the moderate hike ends at glacial-fed turquoise lakes in the Palisades. I call this the Patagonia of California.
I’ve hiked Big Pine Lakes Trail every month from May – November since 2016 and have found the best times to hike Big Pine Creek North Fork:
- May on a dry year is a good time to hike to Big Pine Lakes. It’s beautiful with some snow on the trail and mountains still. However, on a good/ heavy snow year, I’d hold off.
- June is a great time to visit Big Pine Lakes. On a good snow year, there will likely still be snow after Second or Third Lake, but the lakes should be a beautiful deep turquoise color. On a dry year, I would not expect snow unless you’re climbing further up and the lakes will be a beautiful vibrant turquoise, especially mid-late June. However; June also tends to be the worst time for mosquitoes in a dry year.
- July and August are the best time to hike Big Pine Lakes for fair-weather hikers so wilderness camping permits will also be hardest to obtain for these months. These months are when the lakes are most vibrant and milky blue/ turquoise colored. The days are warmest so you can swim in the lake, and the daylight is longest. However; it gets hot quickly so start your hike early. July and August are also when afternoon thunderstorms are common in the Eastern Sierra Mountains. And lastly, August tends to be when fire season starts so the air quality can get smoky, but I will also mention I’ve been in August during fire season when the AQI is really bad and was perfectly fine camping at Second Lake.
- September is one of my favorite times to hike Big Pine Lakes. The water is still bright turquoise when the sun hits it, but not as much as in Summer of course. The crowds start to die down in September, especially on weekdays. The days are warm but the nights cool down fast which is fine with the proper layers. Fall colors can start appearing in mid-late October.
- October is an amazing time to visit for Fall Colors. The Big Pine North Fork trail gets fall foliage from the Aspen trees and the lakes hold a deeper turquoise teal color. The weather is definitely a lot cooler though! I bivy-camped at 14k ft in early October in my Katabatic’s 30° quilt and as very comfortable.
- November is surprisingly nice to hike Big Pine Lakes still. Yes, it’s much later in the season for a high-altitude hike and the temperatures can certainly and likely drop below freezing temps, but with the right gear, permits are easier to get and you can camp with little-to-no one around and enjoy the deep teal colored lake still. It’s worth it. I’d recommend a light backpacking quilt (my favorite is Katabatic’s 30° quilt) or if you run very cold and the forecast is showing below 20 degrees, go with a 0° sleeping bag. However, be prepared cause Winter is just around the corner and snowfall is always a possibility.
Need a map, mileage breakdown, packing list, and planning info?
Grab my 38-page Ultimate Big Pine Lakes Guide here → click to purchase
What to pack for Big Pine Lakes
Day Hike Gear List
- Hiking boots — Danner Mountain 600
- Hiking socks — Darn Tough and Eddie Bauer are my favorite for summer hiking
- Read Best Hiking Socks Gear Guide here.
- Day pack — Pingora has been my go-to for a durable, full day hiking pack
- Down jacket and light rain jacket because the Eastern Sierra is known for afternoon thunderstorms in the summer
Backpacking Gear List
- Beginner-friendly overnight backpack recommendation: 50 L — Osprey Aura
- Lightweight tent — Big Agnes Tiger Wall
- Sleeping bag or quilt — I’d recommend a 30 degrees quilt for Summer/ Fall for optimal weight-warmth ratio
- Sleeping pad — invest in a good one, this may be the most important part of backpacking. If you don’t sleep well or warm, it affects the rest of your trip and a warm sleeping bag alone is not good enough.
- Thermarest makes the best warm sleeping pad if you run cold
- Big Agnes makes a good 3-season pad that comes with a very light and helpful self-pump
- Food storage bag — bear bag or bear canister
- Portable stove — Jetboil Minimo!
- See full beginner’s backpacking guide here.
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Tiff, the owner and author of Follow Tiff’s Journey, is a California/ Colorado-based adventurer and outdoor connoisseur who divides her heart between the Eastern Sierra Mountains and the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Despite her fear of heights, she’s become a seasoned mountaineer, ultralight hiking and backcountry camping enthusiast, expert road trip planner, and a fervent explorer of alpine lakes, natural hot springs, and sandstone canyons.
With 10 years of experience exploring the outdoors, her blog is your go-to source for all things wilderness, offering invaluable insights and pro tips, essential gear recommendations, and awe-inspiring stories from her adventures.
Join Tiff on her quest to share the wonders of nature and inspire others to follow their own path in the great outdoors.