Out And Back On Virginia Lakes Trail To Cooney Lake

Dale Matson

Click On Photographs To Enlarge

Location Hoover Wilderness/Toynbee National Forest

The drive in is north of Lundy Lake off 395

Trailhead Elevation 9,565’

Maximum Elevation 10,200’

Round Trip Distance 2.62 miles

We were on the east side of the Sierra Nevada for the fall color. And decided to take the Virginia Lakes Trail to Cooney Lake. The trailhead begins at and slightly above Big Valley Lake. There is a toilet there also.  On the way in, you drive past the resort at Little Virginia Lake on the way to the trailhead. My final photo is of Little Virginia Lake which is not a part of the trail.

It is a pretty good climb outbound of over 600’. We took our time and rested often. The weather was great for hiking. After Big Valley Lake, there is a large unnamed pond before you get to Blue Valley Lake. As you continue to climb you will go past a former miner’s cabin, and not long after that, you will arrive at Cooney Lake. The trail continues to Frog Lake and beyond.

The trail is well maintained and well-traveled. We past several folks who were sight-seeing or fishing on a Thursday. I suspect it would be a busy trail on the weekends.