Twin Lakes - Eastern Sierra Fall Colors
Hi friends and happy Monday! As we enter the last week of September, we are officially gearing up for California’s Eastern Sierra Fall colors, and this week we’re exploring a beautiful secluded gem, perfect to enjoy the Fall foliage. Join me for an adventure at Twin Lakes.
Location
Not to be confused with Mammoth Lakes Twin Lakes, these two large alpine lakes are located approximately 9 miles southwest of the town of Bridgeport in Mono County, California. This area is often referred to as “California’s Alps” where the Sawtooth Ridge and Sierra Crest divide the Twin Lakes Basin from Yosemite National Park, and the scenery is nothing short of stunning. Comprised of two main lakes, Upper Twin Lake covers nearly 400 acres and Lower Twin Lake covers 250 acres. They’re both easy to get to and offer legendary fishing, hiking & Fall colors.
Fall Foliage
As you drive from the town of Bridgeport towards Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, you start seeing lush evergreens, and soon patches of yellow and lime green appear along Twin Lakes Road. The paved 14 mile drive has numerous pull-offs lined with beautiful aspen and cottonwood trees, which reflect magically against the clear blue lake water. You can take multiple paths down to the water’s edge through the shimmering aspen groves...and there are additional hikes ideal for the Fall leaf viewing too.
Barney Lake Hike
The trail to Barney Lake heads out from the Twin Lakes Trailhead. The 4 mile hike into the Hoover Wilderness passes Robinson Creek before the final mile of switchbacks, which are made easier to ascend thanks to stunning Aspen Groves (which turn bright red and gold for a few weeks every year). The trail then leads visitors to the sandy beach shoreline of Barney Lake. The hike itself is also surrounded by gorgeous views of the 11,346 foot Crown Point, a stunning piece of Sierra granite...and fun bonus for hikers with pups, this is a dog friendly hiking trail.
Fishing
The Twin Lakes are home to some of the best trout fishing in all of California. In fact, the state record brown trout weighing 26 pounds and 6 ounces was caught at Upper Twin Lake in 1987, and the previous record was held by a trout caught at Lower Twin Lake. Families have enjoyed the beautiful Alpine lakes, streams, and rivers here for generations and the annual Fish Fest held here is a highlight every Summer. They celebrate this local pastime with music, food, drink, and activities for the whole family...you can even enter the fishing tournament if you fancy yourself an angler. These well-stocked lakes are both very productive from the shore and also by boat. Many paths lead down to lovely fishing spots with spectacular views, and if you don’t own a boat or canoe you can always rent one from the marina.
Twin Lakes Marina
Accommodations
When planning an Eastern Sierra Fall foliage adventure, Twin Lakes is a wonderful home base area. It’s located less than 10 miles from the town of Bridgeport and there are countless Fall leaf day trip locations to enjoy nearby. Here you can find plentiful accommodations, from cabins to campgrounds, and this area is far quieter than some of the more popular spots like Aspendell and the Mammoth Lakes area. Below I’ll share a few options.
• Twin Lakes Resort is set on 36 acres along Lower Twin Lake located about 10 minutes out of Bridgeport. This is the first resort on the right-hand side when you arrive at the first lower lake. You can see the marina on the left and the campgrounds and cabins to the right. The resort has 8 cabins, 30 RV campsites, a gift shop, general store, deli and marina with rentals available May through October.
• Annett’s Mono Village is located on Upper Twin Lake and sits at 7,100 feet above sea level. To find Mono Village, take Twin Lakes Road out of Bridgeport for 14 miles to the very end of the pavement. Twin Lakes Road ends at the entrance to Mono Village and the season runs from the last weekend of April through October 31 annually. Annett’s Mono Village is a full-service destination resort with rental cabins, a motel, a 300 space campground, grocery store, cafe and boat house with boat, pontoon and canoe rentals. You’ll definitely find everything you need to enjoy your trip here.
• The Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest has beautiful campgrounds along Robinson Creek with peaceful campsites located from the shore of Lower Twin Lake along Robinson Creek for nearly 3 miles. The sites don’t have hook-ups, but do offer water and restrooms. There is no cell service or Wi-Fi. Some campsites take reservations, while others are first come first serve.
• In the town of Bridgeport, there multiple hotels and motels, including Bridgeport Inn, Willow Springs Resort and Walker River Lodge. Three other campgrounds here include Willow Springs, Paradise Shores, and Bridgeport Reservoir.
Know Before You Go
• Please remember all the Leave No Trace Principles on your visit to the pristine lakes here.
• Wildlife is abundant in the area, including bald eagles, mule deer, and the occasional black bear. Please always keep a safe distance and never approach or attempt to feed the wildlife here.
• Numerous non-native insects and diseases can kill large numbers of trees as they’re transported long distances via firewood. Please remember to leave firewood at home and “buy it where you burn it” here.
• To photograph the Fall foliage around the lake, I would encourage a sunrise or early morning adventure, as the lighting will best display the beautiful colors against this mountains at this time of day.
In Summary
Thank you so much for joining me this week to explore the Twin Lakes. Whether you’re fishing, boating, hiking, sunning, water skiing, enjoying nature photography, or just relaxing, I hope you can see why this is a truly special vacation destination. For a virtual visit of this area, make sure to watch my “Behind the Blog” YouTube video at the top of this post. Until next week, I hope you find adventure and encouragement wherever you go.
Aspen Grove, Twin Lakes
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About Me
I’m Dawn Marie, a travel and lifestyle blogger based out of Southern California. With in-depth articles, travel guides, and reviews on hotels & products, I seek to share my journeys to help you plan for your own. My adventures take me all over California, the western United States, and around the globe...and every Monday I post new content here, including a comprehensive blog post and YouTube video.
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