How To Hike Heart Lake Trail In Mammoth Lakes

Mammoth Lakes is known for having some of the best hiking trails in California. There are endless day hikes to explore and adventures to be had on a visit to Mammoth!

The Heart Lake Trail is a beautiful wilderness trail in Mammoth that is short in distance and rarely crowded. This hike leads to an emerald alpine lake that’s shaped like a heart. Along the way, you also have the option to go on a quick detour to a historic mining settlement in the forest.

In this post, I share where the Heart Lake Trail is located, what to expect along the trail, and other helpful hiking tips for first-time visitors!

The emerald green Heart Lake in Mammoth Lakes.

Heart Lake Trail Highlights

Here are a few quick trail highlights before I go into more details:

Length: 2.4 miles out and back
Elevation Gain: 561 feet
Time Needed: 2-3 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Dogs allowed?: Yes, this trail is very dog-friendly
AllTrails route: Heart Lake Trail

Trailhead Location & Parking

The Heart Lake Trail starts at the end of the Coldwater Campground in Mammoth. A paved road leads to the trailhead which can be accessed from Mammoth Lakes Town within a 15-minute drive.

The drive to the trailhead is easy but the road narrows as you make your way through the campground. Be sure to keep an eye out for people walking around and any cars that might stick out of their campsites.

The Heart Lake Trailhead shares the same parking lot with the Duck Pass Trailhead. The Heart Lake Trailhead is not marked on Google Maps but you can set directions to the Duck Pass Trailhead. Once you arrive, you will see the Heart Lake Trail entrance on the North-East end of the parking lot.

You can also use the AllTrails hiking app and set the directions through the app. These directions will take you to the exact point of the Heart Lake Trailhead.

At the visitor lot, you will have access to bear-locked trash bins and restrooms with running water.

If you have extra time after completing the Heart Lake Trail, I highly recommend checking out the nearby Skelton Lake Trail as well.

Google Map Location: Parking lot, Mammoth Lakes

About Heart Lake Trail

Beautiful scenery at Heart Lake in Inyo National Forest.

Heart Lake Trail is a popular 2.4-mile long day hike in Mammoth Lakes, California. It is free to hike this trail making it a wonderful activity for people visiting Mammoth region.

The Heart Lake Trail is not very difficult but it does climb steadily up 561 feet in elevation until you reach the lake at the end.

Overall this is a family-friendly trail but the elevation climb can be tiring for kids and older people. You might also feel winded from the altitude. If you feel tired or dizzy, take frequent breaks and drink plenty of water!

At the beginning of the trail, you have the option to stop by the Mammoth Consolidated Gold Mine where you can see historic buildings, artifacts, and other remnants of a gold mining community that operated in these mountains from 1927 to 1933.

After the mining site, the Heart Lake Trail follows a straightforward path for the entire time so you won’t need to make any turns. But even on easy hikes, it’s possible to lose track of the route so I always use AllTrails hiking app to stay on track.

Map Of Heart Lake Trail From AllTrails:

Dogs are also welcome on the Heart Lake Lake Trail. Overall, Mammoth is a very dog-friendly destination and most people bring their four-legged friends on trails with them.

Here’s a couple of things that I pack for outdoor trips with my dog:

Collapsible dog bowl. A collapsible dog bowl is essential for hiking, camping, and road-tripping with a dog. Collapsible bowls are lightweight so you can throw one in a backpack and easily carry it everywhere.
RUFFWEAR dog boots. I always keep these in my backpack when hiking in case the sand gets too hot during the day or the trail has sharp rocks that can cut his paws. It can take a few days for your dog to get used to hiking boots so it’s best to practice walking at home or in your neighborhood before heading out into the mountains.
2 Hounds No Pull Harness. I love this harness because it comes with multiple clip-on points providing more comfort for my dog and extra control for me when hiking.
Biodegradable poop bags. Dog’s waste can be harmful to wild animals and nature. It’s always good practice to bring extra poop bags and carry dog waste out on day hikes. These waste bags are also biodegradable – even better for Earth!

My Experience Hiking Heart Lake Trail

Here is the detailed breakdown of the Heart Lake Trail covering what the hike is like and highlighting some of the main stops.

Once you enter the trail, you have the option to turn right and follow the signs for Heart Lake Trail or go left to venture into a 0.5-mile-long loop of the Mammoth Consolidated Mine.

I highly recommend stopping by Mammoth Consolidated Gold Mine and checking it out! This location is very fascinating and a part of Mammoth’s history.

Historic wooden buildings at Mammoth Consolidated Gold Mine.

Bunkhouses at the Mammoth Consolidated Mine.

Here you can see buildings where miners used to live, cook, and sleep from 1927 to 1933. Keep going along the loop and you’ll come across old gold mining equipment and engines from an ore processing mill along with some office buildings.

Single-cylinder oil-fueled engine in the forest.

The gold mining times in Mammoth were not long-lived. It started as a boom in 1877 when gold and minerals were discovered on the slopes of the Red Mountain in Mammoth. The gold rush here was already over by 1881 although some mining and construction continued until 1933.

Eventually, the mines closed due to The Great Depression, and the Mammoth economy switched from mining to tourism.

Once you’re done exploring these historic buildings and artifacts, you can head back to the Heart Lake Trail and continue your trek to the lake.

The hike starts with a gradual incline in a forest. As you climb up, you will be able to see views of the surrounding jagged mountain peaks in the distance.

The trail is mostly exposed to the sun but some sections travel through a forest providing opportunities for resting breaks. Despite being so high up in the mountains, the weather in the summer can be very sunny and hot. Come prepared with light clothing, plenty of water, and sunscreen.

This is a remote wilderness trail so you might spot some wildlife. I saw a couple of deer in the forest during my hike. You might also see some beautiful wildflowers, even later in the summer.

The best part about this trail was that I barely saw other hikers. Unlike the highly popular Skelton Lake Trail, Crystal Lake Trail, and McLeod Lake Trail which get a lot more foot traffic, Heart Lake offers a serene trekking option that rarely gets busy.

The last bit of the trail follows through a forest again and ends at the lake. I anticipated seeing parts of the lake beforehand but the lake was unexpectedly right in front of me as I came out of the forest clearing.

Heart Lake itself is a wonderful place to take a break, eat a snack or even jump in for a refreshing swim.

I tried walking around the lake to get different perspectives but much of the trail was overgrown so I didn’t get very far.

After spending some time by Heart Lake, I turned around and started heading back the same way that I came. Overall, this is a great trail for a quick escape into nature in Mammoth Lakes.

Other Visitor Tips

Bring bug repellant. The lakes in Mammoth attract tons of mosquitos in the summer and they are very persistent. I even saw people turn around and exit trails because the bugs were too much to handle.
Use trekking poles. Overall, this is not a technical trail but trekking poles can always help when you start getting tired.
Carry plenty of water. I always carry several bottles of water, even on short day hikes. Our California summers are just getting hotter and hotter so it’s important to bring plenty of water. If you don’t want to carry heavy water bottles, you can also bring a Sawyer water filter and get freshly filtered water from the alpine lakes and rivers in Mammoth.
It’s easy to get sunburned on high-elevation hikes. Nothing ruins a trip more than a bad sunburn. Pack mineral sunscreen, lip balm, polarized sunglasses, and a hiking hat to help with the sun.
I always bring a first aid kit, headlamp, and a portable phone charger, even on quick day hikes. It’s always best to go prepared!

Where To Camp Nearby

If you’re looking to camp in Mammoth on your trip, there are many great campgrounds to choose from in the area. Some of the most popular ones are:

The Coldwater Campground is located right by the Heart Lake Trailhead so this is the closest campground to stay at.

During my trip, I stayed in my Promaster Campervan at the Heart Lake Trailhead parking lot. This parking lot is flat, decent in size, and has a restroom with running water.

If you’re looking to book a hotel instead of camping, check out this list that covers 12 Best Places To Stay In Mammoth Lakes!

Heart Lake Trail is a scenic and short hike in Mammoth that offers excellent mountain views and a peek into the Gold Rush times.

Looking for more things to do in Mammoth Lakes? Here are a few other popular hikes in this region:

This post is written by Laura. Hi, I’m a California local and the founder of the California Wanderland travel blog. I currently live in Ventura County and help 50,000 readers a month discover things to do in Central California! Read more about me here.

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