Dale Matson
Click On Photographs To Enlarge
Moderate out and back
Distance 5.0 miles (the full loop and all 4 lakes is about 8 miles.)
Maximum elevation 9,200’. About 800’ of gain overall
5 hours (Sharon and I were both taking photos and she and Hobbes went for a swim. We are also old.
This hike is about 2 hours from Fresno. Head east on Highway 168 to Shaver Lake, turn Right on Dinkey Creek Road, Turn left on to Rock Creek Road from Dinkey Creek Road. It is a 12-mile drive to the trailhead. The first 6 miles is lousy and the next 6 miles is even worse. The bridge over Cow Creek has been replaced. A 4X4 is not necessary but high vehicle clearance is necessary and good tires. There is an excellent Tom Harrison map of the Dinkey Lakes Wilderness area.
Although this is the third time I have visited the Dinkey Lakes area in the Dinkey Lakes Wilderness, it is my first report. Much of the trail follows water and swamp. Our dog had plenty to drink. This hike had the most mosquitoes of any hike we have done this year. For Sierra National Forest hikes, I would rate it as one of the best. Follow the trail signs! There is no toilet at the trailhead. I didn’t use my trekking poles for most of the trail but there are places on the climbs and descents where I did use them. There are campsites on the lakes but overnight permits are required through Recreation.Gov.
I used my new Sony A7C camera and the newer Sony 24mm 2.8 lens for the photos. I was pleased by the results. It is nice to have a camera with image stabilization and other new features in a body that is the weight of my old A7.
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