How To Hike Sherwin Lakes Trail In Mammoth Lakes

Quick Trail Highlights

Here are a few quick Sherwin Lakes Trail highlights before I go into more details:

• Length: 4.3 miles long out and back
• Elevation Gain: Around 885 feet
• Time Needed: 2-3 hours
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Dogs allowed?: Yes, this trail is very dog-friendly

About Sherwin Lakes Trail

Sherwin Lakes Trail is a serene wilderness trail that travels through a forest to a mountain lake. This lake is decent in size, although the lake water level has dropped significantly due to a recent drought.

Due to its length and elevation gain, the Sherwin Lakes Trail can be rated as moderate in difficulty. This trail can be used for outdoor activities like hiking, horseback riding, and fishing but NOT for mountain biking.

The Sherwin Lakes Trail is not a technical hike so it’s doable for most people, kids, and dogs. The hardest part about this trail is hiking in altitude, especially if you’re not used to it.

The trail climbs to 8700 feet in elevation so you might feel a bit winded from lower oxygen levels. If you do, go slow, take frequent breaks, and drink plenty of water.

The Sherwin Lakes Trail gains around 885 feet in elevation through switchbacks that level out near the top. This hike is not long but it does have a good uphill climb. Some sections of the trail cross giant rocks and tree roots so sturdy hiking shoes are highly recommended.

For wilderness trips, I always use the AllTrails hiking app to track my route and distance. This is a pretty straightforward trail, but without a map, it’s easy to get lost, even on short day hikes. The Sherwin Lakes Trail follows the same path for the entire time but it can get confusing as you near the lake.

Map Of Sherwin Lakes Trail From AllTrails:

On hot days, Sherwin Lake is a great place to go for an alpine swim. Swimming is allowed at Mammoth Lakes, but the higher you go, the colder the water might be. Bring a bathing suit or wear one under your clothes so you can jump into the lake for a refreshing swim.

Dogs are also welcome to use the Sherwin Lake Trail. Overall, Mammoth is a very dog-friendly place 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 traveling 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 with my dog in case the sand gets too hot during the day or the trail has very 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!

Trail Location & Parking

Most Mammoth Lakes day hikes are located within the Mammoth Lakes Basin just south of Mammoth Lakes Town. However, Sherwin Lakes Trailhead starts outside of the main downtown area by Sherwin Creek Campground.

Since this trail is a bit more hidden, you won’t encounter the crowds that you would at the centrally located trails like Crystal Lake, Skelton Lake, or Horseshoe Lake.

Sherwin Lakes Trail is popular among Mammoth locals and those who have done enough research to find it through the AllTrails hiking app or spot it on the map.

There is a designated dirt parking lot by the trailhead that can be used by wilderness hikers. This parking lot is decent in size so parking was not an issue when I arrived. I came towards late morning and was able to find a spot easily right by the trailhead.

There is also a basic restroom for visitors and bear-locked trash bins. Once you’re ready to start your hike, the trailhead can be found at the center of the lot.

My Experience Hiking Sherwin Lakes Trail

After parking, I walked to the Sherwin Lakes Trail entrance where I saw a large trailhead sign covering leave no trace principles.

The trail starts on a narrow dirt path that travels through low shrubs and bushes. Shortly after the trail turns into an alpine forest and stays like that until you reach the lake.

If you’re planning to hike this trail in the summer months, keep in mind that it can get very hot up in the mountains.

Thankfully the trees provide much-needed shade but bring a lot of water, sunscreen, and a hiking hat to help with the heat.

The first section of the trail is not very exciting as you’re mostly climbing along endless switchbacks in a forest.

Once the tree line starts clearing, you’ll be able to see views of the surrounding mountains in the distance.

The Sherwin Lakes Trail is narrow but there is plenty of space to let other people pass coming back down. This trail doesn’t get as crowded as other hikes in Mammoth and I only ran into a couple of locals and a few other groups during my hike.

In about 1.5 miles the trail will flatten out. The last part of the trail travels through overgrown shrubs but once you clear those, the lake will be to your right soon after.  

Despite the low water level, Sherwin Lake is a lovely alpine lake. It has a greenish-blue tint to its color that looks especially stunning in the daylight.

I tried to walk around the lake to get different perspectives of it, but the large boulders along the shore made it hard to do so. Most people end up hanging out along the shore on the north end of the lake.

If you’re up for a challenge, you can keep going for another 2.5 miles to Valentine Lake. For me, the Sherwin Lakes Trail was challenging on its own. After visiting Sherwin Lakes I turned around and started heading back down.

What To Bring For The Hike

Here are a few things that I recommend brining on the hike to make it easier and more enjoyable:

• Bring bug repellant. The lakes in Mammoth attract tons of mosquitos 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. You can also bring a Sawyer water filter and get freshly filtered water from the alpine lakes in Mammoth. I ran out of water after reaching Sherwin Lake so I refilled and filtered water there for the way back.  
• It’s easy to get sunburned on elevation hikes, even on trails that pass through a forest like this one. 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 In Mammoth Lakes

If you plan to camp in Mammoth Lakes overnight, there are a few campgrounds to choose from in this area. Some of the most popular ones are:

• Coldwater Campground
• Lake Mary Campground
• Twin Lakes Campground

If you’re looking to stay near the trailhead, the Sherwin Creek Campground is a great choice since it’s very close to the starting point.

For those traveling in a campervan, Mammoth is a very campervan-friendly destination. I always take my Promaster campervan to Mammoth and sleep at a trailhead.   

I did see a few campervans parked at the Sherwin Lakes Trailhead. Overall it’s a pretty quiet spot with a bathroom and trashcans so you could spend the night here before or after the hike.  

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

Sherwin Lakes Trail is a gorgeous mountain hike in Mammoth that leads to an emerald alpine lake. Have you done this hike before? Let us know in the comments below!

Looking for more things to do in the area? Here are a few other awesome day hikes in Inyo National Forest that you may like:

• 7 Incredible Day Hikes In Mammoth Lakes
• McLeod Lake Trail In Mammoth Lakes
• Horseshoe Lake Trail In Mammoth Lakes
• Hiking Skelton Lake Trail In Mammoth Lakes
• Crystal Lake Trail In Inyo National Forest

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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