This trip began with every campground around Bishop turning us away and ended at an alpine lake. The hike to Ruby Lake starts at Mosquito Flat, at the top of Rock Creek Road, and it was worth the effort. If you like a steady climb with a real mountain lake at the end, it’s a good one. If you’re not used to climbing at altitude, plan on it being tiring.
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Getting there
I was born in Bishop, and I’ve driven Highway 395 probably a hundred times. North of Los Angeles it’s desert and Joshua trees, then volcanic rock and the remains of ancient volcanoes, and then the mountains show up all at once. We stopped for lunch in Lone Pine at a retro burger stand and ate in the park, which turned out to be really nice.
From there we made it to Bishop and headed up toward Lake Sabrina, which was stunning, and where we hoped to camp.
No campsite
The first campground we saw at Lake Sabrina was already full. We drove all around the lake, then checked Bishop, then went up to Lake Crowley, and every campsite was full. It was one of those weekends when, as we put it, everybody and their brother was out camping. So we gave in and got a hotel, a little bummed, and cooked the dinner we’d planned for the campfire at a picnic spot instead.
If you’re counting on a first-come campsite on a busy weekend, line up a backup first, such as one of the hotels in Bishop.
The next morning we headed back up into the mountains, planning to hike and hoping to find a campsite for the night. We got a spot at French Camp campground, down Rock Creek Road, and set up the tent before we left so camp would be ready when we got back. It was already abnormally hot for the area.
The trail
The hike starts at Mosquito Flat, just past Rock Creek Lake. We’d hiked at Rock Creek Lake once before, so this time we picked a different route. It’s so pretty up there it looks fake. The parking lot was very busy, and we ended up next to a super sweet old vintage van.
The first stretch is the Little Lakes Valley trail, and it was crowded. Once we switched over to the Mono Pass trail, though, we left most of the crowds behind and started climbing. We took a break in the shade for a snack (protein bars), and from there it was mostly uphill. It’s tiring, but the scenery along the way is beautiful.
Ruby Lake
Our verdict when we got there: spectacular, and worth it. It was tough getting up there, but a cold mountain lake like this one made up for it.
We stayed about half an hour, and somebody took the plunge. The first report was “a little chilly, a little numbing,” and then it was colder than he’d thought. As the sun started to go down it got chilly and the wind picked up, so we put on another layer. It was hard to leave.
Coming down
By the end the feet and legs were hurting, and tomorrow wasn’t looking fun. The sunset on the way down was incredible, with little popcorn clouds. Back at camp the wind made dinner a struggle because everything kept blowing away. We roasted a couple of marshmallows for s’mores but didn’t keep the fire going long, because we were afraid of burning down the forest. We figured we’d hiked about eight miles, and we were ready for bed.
If you go
- The route. According to American Southwest’s trail page, the trailhead at Mosquito Flat sits at about 10,220 feet, and Ruby Lake is roughly 2.2 miles in, with around 1,000 feet of climbing. Another trail write-up agrees on the distance. Our own eight-mile estimate for the day is higher, so go by the guides.
- Season. The American Southwest page lists early summer to early fall.
- Current conditions. Campground availability, parking, permits, and road and snow conditions change. Check with the Inyo National Forest before you drive up.
- What worked for us. A warm layer for the wind at the lake, snacks for the climb, and the tent set up before the hike.
- What this doesn’t cover. Mono Pass itself and the other lakes in Little Lakes Valley. Use a trail guide for those.
Ruby Lake was worth the climb, and the crowds thinned out once we left the valley trail. Bring a warm layer for the wind, and sort out where you’re sleeping before you drive up.
Image credits: the photo of Ruby Lake near the top is by Dcrjsr, licensed CC BY 3.0, and the featured image of Ruby Lake is by Marty B, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0. Both come from Wikimedia Commons. The other photos are stills from our own video of this hike.
