Cottonwood Lakes Trail
The Cottonwood Lakes Trail is a great hike and backpacking trip for beginners, and a favorite for experienced hikers. Starting high at 10,000 feet by the Cottonwood Lakes Campground, the trail winds through classic Sierra forest to a chain of clear alpine lakes below Mt. Langley. It’s a perfect place to camp, backpack, or spend a day hiking, with epic alpine views that usually take much more effort to reach.
Hike Stats
- Total Distance
- 13 miles
- Time
- 6-7 Hours
- Total Climbing
- 1500 feet
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Dogs
- Leashed
- Gear
- What I Use
- Weather
- Latest Report
Here are the options for Cottonwood Lakes, and I'll cover each in this guide.
| Option | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cottonwood Lakes Campground | Cash Fee | No reservation campground at trailhead |
| Cottonwood Lakes Trail | No Permit or Fee | 13 mile epic day hike without a big climb |
| Cottonwood Lakes Backpacking | Permit Needed | Camp by pristine alpine lakes |
Getting to the Cottonwood Lakes Trailhead
Horseshoe Meadow Road was first envisioned in 1923 as part of a Trans-Sierra Highway that would have crossed the mountains from here into the southern end of Sequoia National Park. Construction started in the 1960s and ended in the 1970s after facing opposition, including from then Governor Ronald Reagan.
Camping at Cottonwood Lakes Walk-In Campground
If you want to stay overnight at the trailhead, there's a great option, the Cottonwood Lakes Walk-In Campground. According to the Forest Service it's "suitable for backpackers and hikers to use the night before they are going to hike to Cottonwood Lakes," but is open to everyone on a first-come, first-serve basis.
- There are 13 campsites next to the parking lot. It’s easy to unload your car and walk your gear in, no backpacking required.
- There’s an $11 fee. Fill out the form on the envelope, put your cash inside, and drop it in the box. It’s cash only, so bring small bills.
- There are vault toilets, piped potable water, bear boxes (use them) and trash cans.
- There's a one-night consecutive maximum stay.
Cottonwood Lakes Backpacking
Cottonwood Lakes is one of the only areas I know where you can hike about 5 miles, without a big mountain climb, and backpack in alpine meadows, surrounded by alpine lakes, in the shadows of high peaks like Mt Langley. It's a postcard-perfect spot that's easy to get to. Sometimes the hardest part of this trip is getting an overnight permit (not needed for a day hike).
Cottonwood Lakes Permit
- The Cottonwood Lakes backpacking season, from May 1 to November 1, is on a quota system, with 60 people allowed per day.
- 60% of quota is released 6 months in advance.
- 40% are released 2 weeks in advance.
- Get your backpacking permit on the Recreation.gov Inyo National Forest - Wilderness Permits page.
- Choose Cottonwood Lakes (not Cottonwood Pass) when you drill down into the permit pages.
- It'll ask you to choose which lake you want to camp at, but you are not stuck with this choice.
- After getting a permit, make sure you print it before the no-show date on your confirmation or your permit will be canceled.
- All permitting is done through Recreation.gov, there are no walk-up permits. No-show permits are released closer to the permit date.
- While the nearby Eastern Sierra Visitor Center can't issue a new permit, they will print out existing ones for you.
Backpacking Tips
- There are no numbered tent sites, but there are plenty of existing non-marked ones. Find a spot already used to limit your impact.
- Lakes #4 and #5 are the most popular areas.
- Muir Lake is not often visited and probably offers the most solitude.
- You need a free California campfire permit for your backpacking stove. Campfires are not allowed above 10,400 ft, which includes the Cottonwood Lakes Basin.
- A Forest Order posted in 2025 now makes bear canisters required to store your food.
- WAG bags are not required like in the Whitney Zone, but they are strongly encouraged. If you haven't been here before, I can tell you it's hard to imagine what it would look like if thousands of people were burying their waste in the rocky soil. Be a good steward, use a WAG bag, and pack it out.
- It can get cold up here overnight, especially in the summer. Check the low temperatures on the localized weather report.
When to Visit
- The trail is technically open year-round, but conditions vary on the snowpack, especially in the early summer season. If Horseshoe Meadows and the road to the trailhead is still very snowy, the road will be closed. You can always call the Eastern Sierra Visitor Center for the latest status.
- Once the snow is gone, from mid-June to August, the mosquitos come out.
- The sweet spot for me is mid-August to September, when the mosquitos and snow are gone.
- It can snow anytime here, including in the middle of the summer. It usually doesn't stay on the ground long though.
Gear For the Hike
This is a proper backcountry hike and you should be prepared accordingly. You can check out my latest and greatest gear picks (not sponsored) on my gear page.
- There are numerous water sources, including the lakes, so you won't have to carry more than a liter, but you do have to filter the water.
- Mosquitos can be intense in the summer. A head net can be a lifesaver, as can deet.
- None of the stream crossings are tough too wide, but there are some little hops where trekking poles can be handy.
- As I mentioned earlier, if you're backpacking, bring a bear canister, WAG bags, and prepare for the cold.
- Cell coverage is spotty at best. Bring a paper map of the Golden Trout Wilderness just in case.
- I bring my satellite communicator here in case I need to ask for help (for myself or someone else).
Essentials I’m Using Now
- Garmin inReach Mini 2: Reliable SOS Everywhere on Earth
- Sawyer + CNOC Water Filter: Easy & Reliable Safe Water
- Nitecore NU25 Headlamp: Running late? Get home safe
- Altra Olympus 275: Favorite trail shoes right now, no blisters and very comfy.
- AllTrails Plus: Offline maps on your phone with the Plus level
- Full November 2025 Gear List →
Altitude Warning
The Cottonwood Lakes Trail starts around 10,000 feet, which is high enough to affect anyone coming from lower altitudes. Even though the hike isn’t steep, the thinner air can still leave you lightheaded, short of breath, or with a headache.
The best way to adjust is to spend the night before at the Cottonwood Lakes Trailhead Campground. Sleeping high and taking it easy that first day helps your body acclimate and makes the hike to the lakes a lot more comfortable. Drink plenty of water, eat normally, and pace yourself on the trail. If you start feeling sick, dizzy, or confused, stop and rest for a few minutes. If the symptoms don’t ease up, head back down to a lower elevation, the effects of altitude usually fade once you descend.
Cottonwood Lakes Trail Maps
View Interactive Map
Cottonwood Lakes Hike Landmarks
| Landmark | Distance | Elevation |
|---|---|---|
| South Fork Cottonwood Creek Crossing | 1.4 | 10030 |
| Muir Wilderness | 2.9 | 10250 |
| New Army Pass Trail | 3.6 | 10450 |
| Muir Lake Junction | 4.5 | 11000 |
| CDFG Cabin/Lakes | 5.2 | 11100 |
| Lake #5 | 6.5 | 11200 |
Cottonwood Lakes Hike Elevation Profile
How To Hike to Cottonwood Lakes
The Golden Trout Wilderness, named after the California state fish, was formed in 1978 and encompasses 304,000 acres in the southern Sierra Nevada.
Before we start hiking through the lakes, it helps to acquaint yourself with the layout and numbers of the lakes, some of which are incorrect or not marked on official Forest Service maps.
Want to go fishing? The California Golden Trout, native only to this part of the Sierra, evolved in these isolated mountain lakes thousands of years ago and is often called one of the most beautiful trout in the world. Their habitat has been restored in Cottonwood Lakes, and if you have a valid California fishing license, you might be able to catch one. Check out my friend Huck Outdoors on YouTube who catches them all the time.
Originally published November 19, 2019