Sabrina Lake - Hike to Blue Lake

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Introduction:

Few blogs links that provides additional information, this will help you plan your road trip to this area:



What? : Lake Sabrina is high in the Inyo National Forest at an elevation of 9,138 feet outside Bishop, California. Excellent starting point for few day and multi-day hikes into the high sierra alpine lakes.



 

Where? : Lake Sabrina is located south-west of Bishop, at the end of state route 168 west, in the Inyo National Forest, about 19 miles drive from Bishop center.

Google Map Link

 

When? : The road accessing Lake Sabrina is close at the winter time where all is covered by snow. This is excellent place to visit at spring and summer. Fall time may be the best when all aspen trees changing color to yellow and red.

 

Due note: This is one of the best places in California to see the Aspen trees fall colors, the season is short and exact peek color time is different every year, if you are 2-3 weeks late than you can miss the season.

 

My thoughts: I really liked this 6-miles round trip hike, although strenuous going up the mountains it will take you to the beautiful alpine Blue lake.



 

 

The visit:

 

Lake Sabrina is a lake created by damming the middle fork of Bishop Creek. The dam was built in 1907-8 to supply a constant flow of water to the hydraulic power plants as part of the Bishop Creek system.

At the dam and main parking lost it has a cafe as well as a boat landing with boat & pontoon rentals, the small café offer food as well as drinks and ice-cream.

 

The trailhead is located below the dam at the north end of Lake Sabrina, you can see the clear sign just on the left of the road.

 

Parking:

There are only few legal parking spots near the trailhead, be sure you are pulled well off the road if you use these spots. The day use parking is at the end of the road. From the parking area walk 0.3 miles back down the road to the trailhead.

Overnight parking is located at a dirt lot along the west side of Highway 168, just before the turnoff to North Lake, 0.9 miles down the road from the trailhead.

 

Hike Sabrina Lake to Blue Lake:

This is 3.1 out and back (total of 6.2 miles hike) trail climbing the mountain side to Blue Lake.

The trail ascends the left side of Lake Sabrina into the ridge above. The ascent starts moderately along the lake increases and rises sharply after a mile.

You will enter the John Muir Wilderness at 0.8 miles. At the one-mile mark, the trail begins ascending the open slopes above the lake passing the trail to Lake George, shortly after the junction the trail going down into a drainage and crosses Lake George’s outlet stream. From this point this is all uphill, few switchbacks will bring you to the big Blue Lake, as its name is a clear blue-green lake of water (10,400-ft.). As you hike up great views extend south to the jagged peaks rising along the Sierra Crest.

Hop across the lake’s outlet stream rocks and tree barks “dam” and follow the trail along the lake’s western shore to the open granite rocks. The jagged surrounding peaks profile of the Thompson Ridge (13,498-ft.) located right above the Blue lake create the lake magnificent view.




You can continue hiking from Blue lake to several lakes up the valleys (Dingleberry Lake and Midnight Lake), usually people are doing them as a multi-day hike although you can do them in one long day. This is a popular place for overnight hikes (need a wilderness permit).

Overall a hard hike uphill (will take you around 2 hours) and easy one and a half downhill, very nice route and beautiful views up.

 

www:

https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/inyo/recreation/recarea/?recid=20374&actid=51

 

Map:

https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5337633.pdf

 

Pictures:

 










Location: Lake Sabrina, California 93514, USA

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