mt elwell peak hike

All's Well That's Elwell

Hike to the Summit of Mount Elwell in the Lakes Basin, Sierra Nevada

Hike to the Peak of Mount Elwell in the Lakes Basin

There’s no denying that the summit of Mount Elwell offers one of the best views of the northern Sierra. What’s up for debate is how you get there. Whatever hiking route you choose, you’ll clock between 7 and 8 miles round-trip to the 7,818-foot peak. It’s a tough hike.

The shorter option, an out-and-back, has you starting at the Lakes Basin Campground. Enjoy the incentive scenery of Long Lake as you head up to Elwell. People who love loops and a hidden lake can take what we’ve nicknamed the “sugar pine way.” This is a longer route, climbing nearly 2,000 feet through a sugar pine forest with uniform tree stands covered in bright green lichen. Halfway up you’ll pass Maiden Lake, an oasis favored by those who like skinny dips (the Farmers’ Almanac simply cannot forecast all the full moons!).

Mount Elwell Peak Hike Lakes Basin Sierra Nevada

Either way you go, the final section is about a five-minute scramble up craggy boulders (tip: Cairns provide a route on the south side. Take your time and use caution). And the summit views? Cinematic. It’s an eye-max of the northern Sierra landscape, including mountain peaks like Mount Shasta and Mount Lassen, the Sierra Buttes Fire Lookout, as well as Bear Lakes, Silver Lake, and Round Lake to the south, and Gold Lake and the Sierra Valley to the east. There’s a scroll you can sign, and you’ll see remnants of a former fire lookout.

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST: In the episode "Secret Sierra" Weekend Sherpa co-founders discuss their trip to the summit of Mt. Elwell and exploring the Lakes Basin.

CAMPING TIP: There's great lakeside camping nearby in the Lakes Basin. Goose Lake Campground is a nice one with only 14 sites. There's also Gold Lake, Snag Lake, Haven Lake, and others.

For the shorter out-and-back option, start at the trailhead at the end of the Lakes Basin Campground. You’ll see two trailheads (Bear Lakes and Long Lake). Start on the Long Lake Trailhead. Hike up about 0.75 mile and turn right following the sign for the Long Lake Connector. This takes you to the Long Lake Trail, where you turn left and hike up to Mount Elwell following the signs. Return the way you came.

For the longer round-trip option: Start at the Smith Lake Trail near Gray Eagle Lodge. Hike up the Smith Lake Trail. Go left at the intersection with Smith Creek Trail. A short distance later bear left on Mount Elwell Trail. The trail ascends 3 miles to Mount Elwell. Descend on the Long Lake Trail, which takes you back to where you parked.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Picnic and a Pedal

    West Marin has all the right stuff for an afternoon getaway: bike paths, babbling brooks, canopy forests, and secluded picnic spots. Combine a picnic and a pedal at Samuel P. Taylor State Park by biking the easygoing Cross Marin Trail.

    View
  2. Hike the Oursan Trail alongside Briones Reservoir in the East Bay

    Opt for Oursan

    Hike the trail less traveled in the East Bay's Briones Regional Park. The Oursan Trail is pure serenity on a wide hiking path skirting the northern shores of Briones Reservoir.

    View
  3. Most Peaceful Hike of All

    Is this the most peaceful one-hour hike in the Bay Area? It's got our vote! Lake Lagunitas is the smallest lake in a series of five found on the north side of Mount Tam, so it’s got that tiny but mighty charm. Do a 1.5-mile loop around the lake's shore-hugging trail.

    View
  4. Sebastopol Food & Wine Roll

    One apple farm, three charming towns, multiple wineries, and infinite natural beauty. Savor a perfect autumn day in Sonoma County by biking the West County Regional Trail from Sebastopol to Forestville via Graton. It’s a 17-mile (round-trip) adventure. 

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Wine Down, Dine Out in Lake Chelan

    The fertile soil around Washington State's Lake Chelan is ripe for more than just the amazing apples. Vineyards here yield high quality grapes, and some of the country’s best less-discovered wineries. Locals know it, and you will too when you start choosing from the more than 30 wineries in the region.

    View
  2. Lace Up for Lacy

    Lacy Park in San Marino is a hidden gem that may very well be the most pristine green space in greater Los Angeles, and a concealed pair of nearby stairways makes it all the more appealing.

    View
  3. Hiker amid trees at Oak Glen Preserve in Yucaipa Southern California

    Apple of Your Eye

    That fall feeling is definitely in the air and on display at the Oak Glen Preserve. Apple orchards and colorful leaves are a bonus, as are the apple cider donuts and slushies you can enjoy post-hike.

    View
  4. Hike San Diego Volcan Mountain Wilderness

    Planet of the Oaks

    Let us count the number of oak tree species in the Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve near Julian: coast, scrub, canyon, black, and Engelmann. Five! The preserve’s Five Oaks Trail is a 3.2-mile hike that boasts all five.

    View