Weekend Guide to June Lake Loop

Fall is finally here in California, and I’m so excited! I live for Autumn colors, but, unfortunately, we don’t see much of that in San Francisco proper. To experience true fall foliage you have to travel up Northern California (i.e. Redding, Plumas County) or to the Eastern Sierras. June Lake Loop, which is located just East of Yosemite National Park, has long been on my travel bucket list. June Lake Loop, and the surrounding Mono County, is known to bring the brightest fall colors in California. Outdoor travelers and photographers flock to Mono County to witness the unveiling of warm colors that coat the mountains. But this time window comes and go rather quick. It starts late September and ends by the end of October. The girls and I traveled to June Lake the first week of October and the colors were just starting to bloom. The peak of fall foliage can be unpredictable. But to be completely safe, head to the Eastern Sierras no later than the end of October or all the colors will turn to brown.

As a dental hygienist, I take any day off, weekends or holidays, to travel and escape. As of late, I’ve fallen in love with the Eastern Sierras. There’s mountains, lakes, hot springs… the opportunity for outdoor exploration is endless. Because there’s so much to do, tackling the Eastern Sierras all at once can be time consuming and a bit of headache if not planned right. So for all you full-time workers who only have a 3-day weekend to spare, I’ve compiled the perfect travel guide on how you can have the perfect 72 hours in June Lake Loop. Although we went during the fall, you can use this guide as a resource during the Spring and Summer because these activities can be enjoyed during those seasons as well.

Day 1

5AM – Start your road trip early – The drive to the Eastern Sierras from the San Francisco Bay Area is not short. So having an early start on the road is a must, especially if you’re trying to avoid traffic. A drive to June Lake Loop with no stops can take between 4-5 hours.

8AM – Grab coffee in Groveland – To get to June Lake, we decided to go through Hwy 120, which goes through Tioga Pass in Yosemite National Park. But before going into Yosemite, we stopped by a small town (literally! It’s population is 601 people!) called Groveland for a coffee break. On Main Street, there is a coffee shop located in the back of what looks like a red country home with a front porch. This place is called Montain Sage and it’s a coffee shop, art gallery, shop, plant nursery, and a music venue all in one! Kara tuned us into this spot and said their quiche was great. And she was totally right. It was the perfect way to break up the long drive.

10AM – Drive through Tioga Pass in Yosemite – Groveland is just 25 miles outside of Yosemite National Park, so you should be entering Tioga Pass at this point. While on the 120, watch out for the left hand turn onto Tioga Pass Road. We almost missed it! Along the scenic Hwy 120, you pass some of the most picturesque views. Some of these iconic views include Olmsted Point, Tenaya Lake and Tuolumne Meadows. Olmstead Point was my favorite because it had a view of both Clouds Rest and Half Dome. So gorgeous! And if you’re passing through during the fall season, you’re sure to find some stops that are thriving with fall colors.

1PM – Check into your hotel – In order to check in at your hotel in June Lake on time, aim to leave Tioga Pass no later than 45 minutes before your check-in time. It takes between 30-40 minutes to get to June Lake from the Tioga Pass east side exit/entrance.

For our trip, we stayed at Double Eagle Resort. Double Eagle Resort is known as the locals’ gem. Locals love working out at the gym, relaxing at the spa, or grabbing a bite at their on-site restaurant, Eagle’s Landing Restaurant. Double Eagle is a medium size resort that has rooms and two-bedroom cabins available. I absolutely adored the scenery of this resort. It gave me the ambiance of staying in a small Swedish town nestled between the mountains. The cabins perimeter a small pond with ducks. Tall pine trees surround you and the snow capped mountains tower over you.

We stayed in two-bedroom cabin that accommodated the four of us perfectly. The living space had a fireplace, which was perfect for those rainy hours in, and a kitchen stocked with cookware and utensils.

2PM – Grab lunch in June Lake – By this time you’re probably starving. Head to Main Street for a quick meal before exploring June Lake Loop. Check out the following options:

Gordo’s Mexican Restaurant – casual Mexican

Tiger Bar -cocktails, casual, American

Carson Peak Inn – steakhouse

The Lift – cafe, coffee

4PM – Take a short hike – If you still have some energy to expend, there are a few short hikes you can take that will give you amazing views of June Lake.

Fern Lake Trailhead is a short 3-mile round trip hike, but a very steep one. At the top of the trail you get an amazing view of all four lakes and Mono County. You’ll definitely see a bounty of fall colors from this trailhead.

Parker Lake Trail is bit longer (5.6 miles round trip), but much easier. It’s moderate at first, but it gets easy and mellow the rest of the way. The lake is gorgeous and has lots of aspen along the way.

Day 2

6AM – Catch the sunrise at June Lake – Sunrises can be a headache to wake up for, but I swear it’s worth it. To catch the sunrise, we drove to Oh Ridge campground which is on the North side of the lake. If gives you a gorgeous view of the entire lake and Carson Peak towering in the distance. After the sunrise, we drove the loop around the lake which has pit stops with amazing views.

8AM – Grab breakfast at Silver Lake Resort – Silver Lake Resort has a cafe serving classic American comfort food. Our breakfast was hearty and delicious. It was the perfect fuel for our upcoming kayaking trip.

10AM – Kayak on Silver Lake – Right across the street from the cafe is the pier that offers kayak rentals. To purchase a kayak rental, you can purchase tickets in the general store that is located right next to their cafe. To rent a kayak is $20 for the first hour and $10 for each additional hour. They also have boats with motors for rent as well.

The kayaks launch from the north side of the lake. Kayak across the lake, but do so slowly and take in the views of Carson Peak. It is amazing. Once you get to the south end of the lake steer to your left and you’ll find Rush Creek. Rush Creek stretches 30-miles long and runs through multiple lakes. When we rented the kayaks, we were told that the creek runs full circle but based on our experience, the creek didn’t run full circle. We had kayaked a mile into the creek and realized that it was traveling further south along the highway. Travel as far as you want, but keep in mind that you will eventually have to turn around to get back to Silver Lake. Although it can be long, Rush Creek is totally worth kayaking through. It is so beautiful.

2pm – Grab a pint at June Lake Brewing – June Lake Brewing is an awesome spot to gather with friends over board games and beer. June Lake Brewing has 9 beers on tap ranging from light and creamy ales, to those that are malty and hoppy. The brews are extremely good and extremely cheap. A 10oz. glass is $4 and a flight of four 4oz. is $6.

I love June Lake Brewing’s beer, but I love their background story even more. June Lake Brewing was founded by a couple who fell in love with June Lake and found themselves coming back every winter for the slopes. In lieu of scarce job opportunities, they went on this business venture in order to make June Lake their home. Not only did they create a sustainable life for themselves, they created job opportunities for others in town.

While at June Lake Brewing, make sure to grab lunch at Ohana’s 395 Hawaiian Food Truck which is located right in JLB’s parking lot. I had their Kalua Pork lunch plate and it was SO DELICIOUS. And washing it down with JLB’s brew was a plus. The food truck has other Hawaiian fare, like Loco Moco and Ahi Poke, as well. They’re open 11am to 4pm daily.

4PM – Take a short hike – If you’re feeling up to it, take a short hike. Try Fern Lake or Parker Lake, as I’ve mentioned above. My favorite app to download to check out local trails is All Trails. Trail information include difficulty, length, elevation, and hikers’ reviews.

Day 3

8AM – Grab breakfast at The Lift – This cute grab-n-go cafe is owned by two women who’ve been friends for over 15 years. The Lift has breakfast sandwiches and burritos that are ready for you to grab before a hike or before you head up the ski lift. The breakfast burritos are insanely delicious. They’re also open for lunch and dinner.

10AM – Have a picnic at Gull Lake – Gull Lake is the smallest lake out of the bunch, but still packs one hell of a view. Unlike the piers on Silver Lake, the docks at Gull Lake Marina are wooden and more stationary, and therefore more suitable for a picnic. I grabbed our picnic basket, whipped out a blanket, and took in the views with my girls over a bottle of champagne. Fortunately, there weren’t any fishermen out in the lake, so the lake was super peaceful that morning.

1PM – Check out of your hotel and head to Travertine Hot Springs – Just 30 mins away from June Lake is a small town called Bridgeport and it is home to one of the coolest hot springs in the Eastern Sierras. Travertine Springs is what the locals want to keep as their hidden secret. When I got there, I understood why. It’s an adorable spring that has 4 tiers of cascading pools.

Less than 1/2 mile before the hot springs are unpaved roads with gravel, so drive slow and steady. An AWD is a must during the wintertime. Once you get to the parking area, there is no hike required at all. There’s a small pool right next to the parking area, but the true gems are over the hill. Further beyond the cascading pools, there are two more pools that are connected and filled with lots of clay mud, perfect to exfoliate with. But please be aware that you will leave smelling like rotten eggs (the sulfur, duh!). Each pool varies in temperature. The pool nearest to the source (closest to the parking lot) is the hottest pool. Make sure to dip your foot before jumping in because the pools can get HOT. Clothing is optional at this hot springs.

Because the springs is located on Forest Service Land, you can camp for free in the pullouts located in the back roads. But if you’re looking for a campground with facilities, Buckeye Campground is 30 min drive away.

3PM – Head home through Sonora Pass or Hope Valley – After relaxing in the hot springs for a few hours, it is time to head home. You shouldn’t hit the road too late because you will have a 5-6 hour drive ahead of you. To get back home you have two scenic routes that you can take: Sonora Pass or Hope Valley. Initially, we intended to drive through Sonora Pass. But due to a wrong turn, we ended up driving through Hope Valley which was a blessing in disguise. I had never heard of Hope Valley prior to the trip, but apparently its another destination known for fall foliage. True to popular belief, the valley was flowing with unbelievable fall colors. Unfortunately I have no photos to share because it was raining cats and dogs when we drove through. But I can assure you, this is the spot of fall foliage.