Rae Lakes and Charlotte Lake in Kings Canyon

Notes by piero scaruffi | Other California destinations | California hikes

Via Kearsarge Pass

The trailhead is at Onion Valley. From the Bay Area, drive through Yosemite on 120 east. Drive south on 395 to Independence. TUrn right towards Onion Valley and drive to the end of the road (the campground).

A steep trail leads to Kearsarge Pass. Take the northern branch of the trail towards Charlotte Lake and turn right into the John Muir trail. This will take you to the Rae Lakes ranger station. Turn left to the "Sixty Lake" region. At some point turn left cross-country towards the ridge on the West. From the top of the ridge one has a view of both basins: the Gardiner Basin on the west and the Sixty Lakes basin on the right. Then head south along the ridge and drop down towards Charlotte Lake. There is a well-maintained trail from Charlotte Lake back to the John Muir trail and to the junction with the Kearsarge Pass trail.

(Click on maps)

Via Roads End

This is a long and steep approach. The trail is steep from Junction Meadow to Glen Pass (a total elevation of 1,200 meters). After the junction with the Charlotte Lake trail, the trail passes two lakes and then climbs 14 switchbacks. The view from the top is one of the legendary views of the Eastern Sierra.

Distances (and 2009 times)

  • Roads End (1534m) to Sphinx Creek junction (1914m): 6.5 kms, 1.5 hours
  • Sphinx Creek junction (1914m) to Charlotte Creek camp (2200m): 5.5 kms, 2 hours
  • Charlotte Creek (2200m) to Junction Meadow (2490m): 5kms, 1h 30'
  • Junction Meadow (2490m) to PCT junction, i.e. Vidette Meadow (2900m): 4kms, 1h 30'
  • PCT junction (2900m) to Charlotte Lake junction (3218m): 2.5kms, 1h
  • Charlotte Lake junction to Glen Pass (3,650m): 3 kms, 2.5 hours
  • Glen Pass to Rae Lakes (3,211m): 3 kms, 1 hour
The Rae Lakes can also be reached via Baxter Pass (3740m). The trailhead is located past the Oak Creek Campground at the end of Oak Creek Road, which is found just after the fish hatchery on highway 395 a few kms north of Independence and about 30 minutes south of Big Pine. From 395 turn west on Fish Hatchery Rd, then right into Oak Creek Rd and proceed to the end. Note that Baxter Pass (3740m) is protected bighorn sheep area and (as of 2010) cannot be entered legally in the summer after July 15. As usual, bureaucracy is your main obstacle.

The trail gains almost 2000 meters in 16 kms to Baxter Pass. Then it descends almost as steeply to the other side until it joins the John Muir trail.

Pictures of this hike