A Short Hike On The McGee Creek Trail

Dale Matson

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Hike Route

The McGee Creek Trail is off Highway 395 south of Convict Lake across from Crowley Lake. There is a vista point on the north side of 395 that offers both a good view of Crowley Lake to the north and Mts. McGee (10,871’), Aggie (11,561’) and Baldwin (12,613’) to the south. The turnoff to McGee Creek Road is just north of the vista.

As you proceed, the asphalt road will become gravel past the campground. You will then pass the pack station and drive to the end of the road where there is parking and a toilet. As you read the information at the trailhead, there will be two trails that begin close to one another (they both merge further up). I recommend the trail to the right, which avoids the aspen grove and a colony of angry bees that stung me when I got off the trail a bit for a better angle for a photograph.

Left To Right McGee, Aggie and Baldwin

I recommend The Trail On The Right

The trailhead begins about 7,800’ and climbs from there. It is a well maintained and traveled trail, especially at this time of year with the fall colors so evident. Water for purified resupply is available over much of the route. On the return leg you can see the White Mountains in the distance.

Because of time limitations, I only climbed about 2.5 miles outbound to about 8,800’ before turning around. The numerous bee stings also dampened my enthusiasm. Many of my backpacking experiences have begun with day hikes as a kind of scouting expedition. I hope be on the McGee Creek Trail again to hike to Big McGee Lake next summer and stay overnight. I would then do a day hike from there to McGee Pass and back to McGee Lake for another overnight before returning to the trailhead.

This entire area is beautiful and I was less than five miles as the crow flies from the Mono Creek Trail where my McGee Creek hike turned around. McGee Pass would allow me to view the Silver Divide area where I hiked last year. May I be able to return to the Eastern Sierra Nevada next season. These photographs were taken with a Sony A7R2 and native 70-300mm, 18mm, 50mm lenses plus the RX1R 35mm.