Hiking to TJ Lake (Mammoth Lakes, CA) - Trip Report
TJ Lake is a short hike from the beautiful Lake George in the Lakes Basin of Mammoth Lakes. There are several lakes you can reach by car in the Lakes Basin and they can get awfully busy in the summer. By hiking just a bit out of the way, you can avoid some of the crowds and enjoy this beautiful lake. It’s perfect spot for a summer swim, fishing spot or just a relaxing day at the lake.
Hiking Information
Location: Mono County - near Mammoth Lakes, California
Trailhead & Parking: Google Maps
Date Hiked: October 14, 2020
Trail Type: Out & Back
Elevation Change: 311 ft
Distance Roundtrip: 1.6 miles
Nearest Restrooms: Lake George Restrooms
Fees: Day hiking this area does not require a permit and has no fees.
Season Accessibility: May - November
Trail Tip: Bring your fishing pole along with you and see if you can catch any of the trout in this lake
The Drive/Parking
To get to this trailhead, you’re going to head up to the Lakes Basin of Mammoth Lakes. This trail starts out at Lake George on the left side of the lake, there is another trail that starts on the right side of the lake (Crystal Lake). There is a good amount of parking, but sometimes in the summer, parking can be in short supply, so I suggest early mornings or just before sunset to get parking. Also, it’s important to mention that the Lakes Basin area/roads close after the first big snowfall, you can still hike up the road but that will add a lot of mileage to your hike.
The Hike
I headed towards the Lakes Basin on a Wednesday once I realized the blue skies had returned. The Mammoth Lakes area has been dealing with thick smoke since the beginning of September (from the Creek Fire) and anyone who lives here will tell you, we’ll never take blue skies for granted again. The trail starts out on the left side of the lake, you’ll see the sign right away so you’ll know you’re heading the right way.
The first part of the trail stays along Lake George, which is a stunning lake as well with lots of great fishing spots. With a clear, sunny day, you can see into the water pretty well in the shallow spots. You’ll cross a little bridge to continue along Lake George until you reach the sign pointing up to Lake Barrett (which is the lake right before TJ Lake).
Shouts out to whoever tagged up the post… it really adds to the nature (sarcasm of course). Anywho, time to get a little incline in. The trail takes you up a few hundred feet, but the good news is that’s basically all the incline for the hike. Now a few hundred feet higher and a little out of breath (and out of shape yikes lol), there was Lake Barrett. This lake is more of a pond this late in the season, but a good swimming spot earlier in the season.
Past Lake Barrett, there’s a sign that shows arrows pointing left or right for TJ Lake Loop. Left takes you up and over to the TJ Lake while the right takes you down to TJ Lake… either way you’ll get to TJ Lake. I headed to the left.
I arrived to TJ Lake to only see a few other people fishing along the shore and a few others on the beach (on the far side of TJ Lake). I picked out a spot along the shoreline and enjoyed my PB&J sandwich. With clear blue skies and surprisingly warm weather for mid-October, I even got into the lake. It was a perfect afternoon at the lake and I was so grateful to get to enjoy it with clean air.
Here is what it looked like had I gone to the right instead of left at the sign - I exited the trail this way to see the fall colors on this side of the lake.
This short, but sweet trail is always a treat, I hope you enjoyed the trip report and video. Don’t forget to check the air quality before heading out on any hikes in the Mammoth Lakes area, it varies a lot day to day and Happy Trails!
VIDEO OF MY ADVENTURE
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Tiare Kirkland
Hi! My name is Tiare, but you can just call me ‘T’. I’m a California based hiker and I spend most of my free time taking photos and videos of some of my favorite hikes. You can usually find me ‘Out Hiking’ in the Sierra Nevada mountain range or road-tripping to new areas. Read more about me here and follow along with my adventures by subscribing below!