How To Hike TJ Lake Trail In Mammoth Lakes

About TJ Lake Trail

TJ Lake Trail is a gorgeous 1.5-mile round-trip wilderness hike that leads to three different lakes:

• Lake George
• Lake Barrett
• TJ Lake

The trail ends at TJ Lake, a small alpine lake with rugged mountains as its backdrop. Visitors can also go on a short loop around the lake to different vantage points that require a bit of scrambling.

The TJ Lake Trail is a great option if you’re looking for a short trail to do with your family or dogs. This trail can be used for outdoor activities like hiking, swimming, and fishing but not for mountain biking.

I would qualify the TJ Lake Trail as easy, but there is a steep uphill climb through a forest that gains around 300 feet in elevation gain.

Overall, this is a short route but you might feel winded from the altitude, especially if you’re not used to it. If you do, go slow, take frequent breaks, and drink plenty of water.

For wilderness hikes, 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.

Map Of TJ Lake Trail:

On hot summer days, TJ 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 will be. Bring a bathing suit or wear one underneath your clothes so you can jump into the lake to cool down once you reach the lake!

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

Here are a couple of things that I bring for outdoor trips with my dog:

• Collapsible dog bowl. A collapsible dog bowl is a must for hiking with a dog. Collapsible bowls are lightweight so you can throw one in a backpack and easily carry it everywhere.
• RUFFWEAR dog boots. In the summer I bring these 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 before trying them on a trail.
• 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. It’s especially handy in rocky sections with cliffs and steep drop-offs.
• 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!

Trail Location & Parking

The TJ Lake Trailhead is located by Lake George in Mammoth Lakes. This area is also the starting point for other popular day hikes including the Crystal Lake Trail.

There is a large visitor lot where you can park your car next to the Lake George Campground. This parking lot is decent in size but it can fill up quickly, especially on the weekends.

Many people come to this area for picnicking and fishing along Lake George. I recommend arriving early to secure a parking spot.

For directions, you can look up ‘Lake George Campground‘ on Google Maps and park in the visitor lot that’s adjacent to the campground. You can also look up ‘TJ Lake via Lake George’ on the AllTrails hiking app and set directions through the app.

Once you arrive at the visitor parking area, you can find the TJ Lake Loop Trailhead next to the Lake George Campground.

My Experience Hiking TJ Lake Trail

So what can you expect to see along the trail? Here is the detailed breakdown of the TJ Lake Trail covering what the hike is like and highlighting some of the main stops.

The TJ Lake Trail starts on a wide path that follows next to Lake George. This area can be pretty busy with families heading down to the lakefront for picnicking and fishing. The further you venture away from the parking lot, the fewer people you will encounter.

Soon after the trail will pass a small wooden bridge and start climbing up switchbacks in the forest. When you see a junction sign – be sure to go left to follow the Barrett Lake Trail to TJ Lake.  

The next part is the steepest section of the trail that climbs up rocky steps. It will gain around 200 feet of elevation in just 0.2 miles but will flatten out towards Lake Barrett at the top.

Lake Barrett is a great spot to take a quick break. Compared to other alpine lakes in Mammoth, this one is pretty small and looks more like a pond than a lake. The water level of Lake Barrett was especially low this year after drought and very little rainfall.

After Lake Barrett, keep going along the trail until you see a sign for TJ Lake Loop. For the shortest route go left and soon after you will see TJ Lake peek through the trees.

Most people hang around the little sandy beach at the beginning of the lake. If you want more privacy, keep going along the lake where you will find plenty of space away from other visitors.  

I especially enjoyed the unobstructed views from the other side of the lake. All in all, TJ Lake Trail is a great choice if you’re looking for a hike that is easy and not very crowded!

Other Visitor Tips

Here are a few things to keep in mind for visiting and hiking in Mammoth:

• It’s free to day hike in Mammoth Lakes. If you plan to backpack or camp in Mammoth, you will need to book wilderness permits and campsites ahead of time.
• Most trailheads have designated parking lots with bear-locked trash cans and restrooms.
• Carry plenty of water. I always carry several bottles of water, even on short day hikes. If you don’t want to carry heavy water bottles, pack a Sawyer water filter and get freshly filtered water from the alpine lakes and rivers in Mammoth.
• Bring bug repellant. The lakes in Mammoth attract lots of mosquitos and they are very persistent. I even saw people turn around and exit trails because the bugs were too much to handle.
• 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!
• Pack mineral sunscreen, lip balm, polarized sunglasses, and a hiking hat to avoid getting sunburned.
• Use trekking poles. This is not a technical day hike but trekking poles can help if you’re new to hiking or get winded easily from the altitude.

Where To Stay In Mammoth Lakes

Planning to book a hotel for your visit to the mountains? These best hotels in Mammoth Lakes will ensure you’ll have a wonderful trip:

Snowcreek Resort

Nestled right outside downtown Mammoth Lakes, the Snowcreek Resort offers an incredible mountain getaway. Guests are provided with complimentary access to the resort’s athletic club equipped with a fitness area, tennis courts, a steam room, and two swimming pools.

As for booking options, visitors can choose between one, two, or three-bedroom apartments, all of which feature laundry and a fully stocked kitchen. The resort typically has a two-night booking minimum, but it can vary depending on the time of year.

Juniper Springs Resort

The Juniper Springs Resort is a lovely four-star hotel nestled into the side of Mammoth Mountain. Noteworthy hotel amenities include a community fitness room, game room, swimming pools, and hot tubs.

All units are private condos that at the minimum feature a balcony, fireplace, and a stocked kitchen. There’s even childcare available if needed!

The Westin Monache Resort

This trusted hotel brand is ideally situated at the base of Mammoth Mountain and features excellent amenities such as airport pick-up and a 24-hour gym. On The Westin Monache Resort grounds, enjoy a soak in one of two hot tubs or take a lap in the heated outdoor swimming pool.

There are suites of differing sizes, but most can accommodate groups of four and six. Each suite features a fireplace, flat-screen TV, sofa bed, and a coffee maker.

Read More: 10 Best Hotels In Mammoth Lakes, California

TJ Lake via Lake George Trail is a short and easy hike in Mammoth that leads to multiple different alpine lakes. 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 Mammoth Lakes that you may like:

• Barney Lake Trail In Mammoth Lakes
• Horseshoe Lake Trail In Mammoth Lakes
• Hiking Skelton Lake Trail In Mammoth
• Hiking Heart Lake Trail In Mammoth
• How To Hike Inyo Craters Trail In Mammoth Lakes

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.

Some of the links used in this blog may be affiliate links. At no extra cost to you, I earn a small commission when you book through these links which helps me run this blog. Thank you!