Mid Sierra Musings: Tamarack Lakes Day Hike From Tamarack Bench Trailhead At Rock Creek Lake

Dale Matson

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Hike Route

Rock Creek Lake is reached off CA Hwy 395 turning at the sign that reads “Tom’s Place” between Mammoth Lakes and Bishop.

This hike was about 12 miles round trip with an overall altitude gain of 2,760’ based on my Garmin Map 64 and Suunto Ambit 2. This is further with more gain than other reports. It took us about 9.5 hours total but we took lots of photos and I am slow.

Our trailhead elevation at Rock Creek Lake was 9,734’ and our maximum elevation was 11,674’. We began just before 7am with a cool start temperature of 32 degrees under a cloudless sky. This does not make for the best photographs but this time of year clouds could mean an approaching snowstorm like our previous hike to Lake Genevieve. I wasn’t sure what the trail conditions would be like so I took micro spikes along. I realized as we traveled that the trail was clear and hung them on the wilderness sign outbound to pick up on our return. (Annie remembered to retrieve them for me or they would still be there). I didn’t want the extra weight since I was already carrying my 400mm Canon lens with an extender in case we saw some bighorn sheep. We did see a few tracks and scat on the trail.

The trail is essentially easy to follow but at the junction head toward Kenneth Lake to the right. Do not follow the trail with the sign “Sand Canyon”. Within about 100 yards you will see the wooden John Muir Wilderness Sign. The trail will initially take you past Kenneth Lake. There will be another junction that heads to the right to Francis Lake. After that you will go past the cutoff trail to the left that will go to Dorothy Lake. After that, there is a sign marking the trail you are on as the “Tamarack Lakes” Trail. (Tamarack and Buck Lakes).

As you hike, you will have to climb and descend several moraines, which were a bit of a struggle for me on tired legs inbound. After crossing these moraines, you will ascend several ledges outbound and think, “Tamarack Lake must be here.” At that point you are hiking a trail across treeless granite. Actually you climb above Tamarack Lake and finally descend to it. This is a high trail with an altitude higher than some of the JMT passes like Selden and Silver Pass and almost as high as Muir Pass. This is the summer range of Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep that move to the east side of Wheeler Ridge for their winter range.

When you get to the shore facing Tamarack Lake it should be obvious that Buck Lake is just over a ledge around to the left of Tamarack Lake. There is no trail but staying low and with some boulder hopping you can get to Buck Lake too. It is worth the extra effort. It is more hidden from the sun by the surrounding mountains. Even though it is only about 25’ higher than Tamarack Lake it was half covered in ice the day we arrived.

Both lakes are in what is called a glacial cirque, which looks like a granite amphitheater. Broken Finger Peak behind the lakes is just over 13,000’. There is also beautiful coloration in the rocks to the northwest. Tamarack Lake is the headwaters of the east fork of Rock Creek. It was a strenuous but rewarding day hike even if we didn’t see sheep.

The Photographs were taken with my Sony A7R2 and 16-35 2.8 GM and my A6000 with the S/Z 16-70mm f4.