If you’re one who enjoys epic peaks and alpine lakes, Kearsarge Pass is the hike for you. Clocking in at approximately 14 miles round trip within 3 days, the Kearsarge Pass to Kearsarge Lakes Trail most definitely filled my desire for an impressive High Sierra adventure.
The trailhead is located at the end of Onion Valley Road at 9100 feet of elevation, which can be accessed directly from I395 in Independence. Once we arrived at the trailhead, we got our packs ready and headed out on the trail. The trailhead parking lot was packed with PCT hikers as the trailhead also serves as a resupply center along the PCT.
We hiked for approximately 2.5 miles before reaching Gilbert and Flower Lake, where we stumbled upon the perfect camping location at Flower Lake and decided to go ahead and set up camp. Between Gilbert and Flower Lake, a detour trail is available to hike to Matlock lake. After setting up camp, we decided to hike to Matlock Lake and were not disappointed. The detour to Matlock Lake was approximately 1 mile round trip, and proved to be a stunning alpine lake surrounded by numerous wildflowers.
When camping in the back country, always remember to set up camp at least 100 feet from any water sources. Bear boxes are required in this area, and for good reason as there was a bear roaming around the lake. We chatted with one of the rangers in the area, and discovered the bear frequents the lake and has caused problems with campers who were using bear bags (which are not allowed) vs boxes. Always plan accordingly!
After a beautiful night at Flower Lake, we headed for Kearsarge Lakes at 6:00 AM. At this point, the trek amped up in difficulty. From Flower Lake to Kearsarge Pass, we hiked approximately 2.5 miles and climbed 1,205 feet of elevation before reaching the pass. Kearsarge Pass lies at an altitude of 11,760 feet and the views are absolutely remarkable. Along this portion of the trail, we passed Heart and Big Pothole Lakes, which are definitely worth taking some time to admire. Once we reached the pass, we took a snack break and chatted with PCT hikers. It’s always fascinating to speak with PCT hikers, whom I have the utmost respect for. Hearing their stories of exploration always invigorates my desire for adventure.
We descended the pass for another 1.5 miles before reaching Kearsarge Lakes. The massive peaks of the Eastern Sierra tower over the lakes, creating one of the most extraordinary high country scenes I’ve seen. There were a handful of fisherman fishing for Brook Trout. We explored the lake for quite some time, enjoying some down time at the largest of the lakes, and also enjoyed a very frigid swim.
The trek back up to the pass from Kearsarge Lakes was the most challenging portion of the trail for us, gaining approximately 900 feet of elevation within approximately a mile of hiking on scree and loose rock. Hiking poles came in handy.
We finished the day back at our camping location. We were treated to a gorgeous sunset, alpenglow covering the surrounding peaks, and concluded one of my most memorable backpacking treks in the Eastern Sierra.
