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    Hot Creek Ranch

    4.6 (11 reviews)

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    Bryan W.

    A year ago my girlfriend and I made a horrible mistake by visiting Old Faithful Geyser in Calistoga. Yep, California has its own version of Yellowstone's iconic geyser. Only, this one completely sucked (https://yelp.to/qTKq/ml7wez1CdN). Long story short, it was more like an intermittent stream of water than an impressive spectacle of nature. So now, more often than not I'm usually triggered whenever someone brings up the word "geyser." But recently, I think I've finally begun to overcome my trauma. Thanks to a quick trip to Hot Creek Ranch in the Sierra Nevada, my faith in natural geysers has been restored! For those of ya'll who have never heard of this place before, Hot Creek Ranch is home to the Hot Creek Geological Site. Though the name isn't that spectacular, this unique gem is an awe-inspiring physical phenomenon. Hot Creek is essentially a beautiful blue geyser that bubbles up scorching, boiling water. This happens only because there's hot magma deep underneath the geyser (https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/inyo/recarea/?recid=20414). Words can only do so much to describe how marvelous Hot Creek was. Although we could only peer through a fence that was about 100 yards away, it was definitely something I had never laid eyes on before in my life. The geyser was literally the color of the sky, which was so cool considering the fact that the stream running out of it looked more like normal water. Plus, the smoke coming out of the geyser was kind of mesmerizing too. Besides the geological site, Hot Creek Ranch had so much else to offer. For example, we only walked past the geyser for about 5-10 minutes, but you could technically continue along the entire part of the creek. This will take you through beautiful landscapes and gorgeous backdrops. Furthermore, many people even come to Hot Creek Ranch to fish since it's also a hatchery! It can get cold, but we saw a bunch of people try to catch some trout. This might sound counter-intuitive because of the geyser, but the river itself was cool and fresh (though smelly). Getting to Hot Creek Ranch isn't as difficult as one would imagine. It's about 40 minutes south of Lee Vining and Mono Lake. You literally just drive down U.S. Highway 395 until you see the sign for Hot Creek Hatchery Road. You know you've gone too far if you pass the Yosemite Airport; conversely, you've got few more miles to go if you haven't passed Mammoth Lakes yet. Once you turn onto Hot Creek Hatchery Road, you just follow it for about 3 miles until you get to the parking lot. Although I will say that part of this final stretch will include unpaved roads. Just drive about 10-20 miles/hour and you'll be safe. All in all, if you find yourself passing through the Sierra Nevada, I highly recommend a trip to Hot Creek Ranch. It's quite a beautiful place and you can either spend a few minutes or an entire day here. I give it an "Omg, I'd travel 2 hours for this" rating. Have fun and prosper,

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    2 years ago

    Hot creek Ranch IS NOT the geological site. Its a PRIVATE fly fishing ranch 2-3 miles upstream of the geological site.

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    Ask the Community - Hot Creek Ranch

    Review Highlights - Hot Creek Ranch

    “The fish are wild and very finicky eaters in this dry-fly, no wading, catch and release creek.”

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    June Lake - Trees

    June Lake

    4.4(88 reviews)
    16.0 mi

    June Lake is a stunning alpine destination nestled in the Sierra Nevada mountains, and it is a…read morewonderful spot for a family getaway, offering a mix of relaxation and outdoor adventure. We came here for Labor Day weekend. There's something so calm and peaceful about June Lake. Every one is so friendly, helpful and there are so many cute shops, restaurants, and things to do. My personal favorite was star gazing. You don't get that in Los Angeles or Orange County. We just chilled, the lake is beautiful, the water is turquoise and just pretty with the mountains on the backdrop. You'll fall in love with this cute and quiet town. Please note, arrive early, especially on a Saturday. We arrived before 10:00 am and the parking attendant told us we made it just in time because there were only 4 parking spots left! There aren't many parking spots, so I would plan to come here early. This place is the spot to relax and enjoy the outdoors. We'll be back again in the future.

    Beautiful lake and state parks . We were there on a Sunday afternoon. Many families with kids were…read morethere playing in the beach . You need to pay $10 parking fee for your car so that you can enter the beach . It has one public restroom ( which is rare in these mountain areas) and has no water to wash hands because it is a chemical toilet . The view is beautiful, water crystal clear . A group of ducks were swimming towards us . They had no fear of human probably because no one tried to harm them before . The attitude is high there so oxygen is less than what we used to . Just relax and chill and we ate our packed lunches .

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    June Lake
    June Lake - June Lake

    June Lake

    June Lake

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    Lake George - Views

    Lake George

    4.2(21 reviews)
    9.5 mi

    At 9k ft elevation, you are taxed when you hike to Lake George or Mary from the Lower Twin Lake. My…read morebro and I left Doc & Al's campground at 5am with our head lamps on full and two back packs partially full in case we ran into an emergency along the way. Like we spotted a bear on the way but I had an air horn and Bear Spray. I was in better shape than bro at the time so I took on some of his pack. Both of us were struggling at the end. But what a sight to see. Proof that God knew how to paint. The lake was incredibly still and crystal clear. I could see schools of what I believe were trout. So we set up chairs and I made a rock stove near the shore and 15 min later I had boiling water for coco. Bro wanted to nap. So we unrolled the air beds and bro was out in 5 minutes. I went to bed early the night before. Soon the lack of air tired me too and I got an hour as well. I woke to see bro using mosquito flies and he already caught a nice brook trout. They were small but of perfect health. We each only caught 2 so we ate them right away. After, I boiled two more pans of lake water to fill our canteens. That water tasted purified. It took us 5 hours to hike up to Lake George so we headed back to camp at 1. We were smart enough to wear hiking boots and thick socks so our feet were good. We pulled into camp around 5:30 pm. The following day we realized that we are not cut out for the wild.

    Our favorite of the Mammoth lakes, but all of them are amazing. Will definitely be back and camp…read moreagain!

    Photos
    Lake George - Summer view

    Summer view

    Lake George - Yep!!!!

    Yep!!!!

    Lake George - Lake George. My favorite hike, it's easy and under 1 mile. From parking you pass campground seeing Lake George immediately.

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    Lake George. My favorite hike, it's easy and under 1 mile. From parking you pass campground seeing Lake George immediately.

    Horseshoe Lake

    Horseshoe Lake

    4.3(34 reviews)
    9.8 mi

    The first time I visited HorseShoe Lake, the lot was packed, and the hike was no joke! I was out of…read moreshape, and there was still a lot of snow on the trail in July! It was tough. My cousin even had a close call when he accidentally slid off the trail, ran down 100 feet, and narrowly missed hitting trees. (Slipper snow) Despite the challenges, the reward at the top was well worth it. It was a beautiful, secluded lake. Some of us tried a little fishing, while the girls jumped into the freezing cold water for a swim. The water was so "pristine" that my hair felt conditioned afterward. It was magnificent, the water felt untouched and almost holy! This past summer, we hiked it again for the 4th of July, and it was so much easier because I had lost 20 pounds, haha! I'd say the hike is about 13 minutes up, around 2 miles round trip, and great for all ages. Just make sure you're in decent shape and don't have any serious health concerns. When I was 20 pounds heavier, the hike felt like a 10/10 in difficulty. Now, it's more like a 3/10, a total breeze!

    When you arrive, you see a bunch of dead tree and the waterline really low. Your first impression…read moreis "huh. But as you walk around the lake, you're surrounded by beautiful lush green pines. Small quaint bridges over stream beds. The wind in the trees with a beautiful view of the lake and its surroundings. It's a very easy straight walk. Highly recommend

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    Horseshoe Lake
    Horseshoe Lake - Have yet to research - remains of old dwelling

    Have yet to research - remains of old dwelling

    Horseshoe Lake - Charming creeks along the way

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    Charming creeks along the way

    Hot Creek Ranch - fishing - Updated September 2026

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