5.2 Miles Roundtrip

1,351 feet of Elevation Gain. 9,200 feet - 10,531 feet

Moderately Easy Hike with Gradual & Steady Elevation Gain but No Technical Skills Necessary

No Permit Needed for Day Hikes. Permit Needed for Overnight

Absolutely breathtaking (literally) hike through gorgeous Sierra Alpine scenery of waterfalls, peaks, & lakes.

West of the small town of Independence, California (North of Lone Pine), on 395, way up in the Eastern side of the Sierra Nevadas is the Onion Valley campground and staging area. From there, you can choose to take the Kearsarge Pass Trail or the Golden Trout Lake Trail. My wife and I took the Kearsarge Pass Trail to Flower Lake (~2.5 miles from the trailhead) while hiking past creeks, waterfalls, towering peaks, and a few other lakes. It was one of the most gorgeous hikes I have ever had the pleasure of trekking on.

After parking, make sure to utilize one of the many Bear Boxes that surround the lot and make sure to empty your car of all food or goodies the big furry guys will want to eat. There are regular break-ins by the giant beasts. Once you’ve filled your water bottles, grabbed some snacks for the trail, and your camera head to the far western side of the parking lot near the big Information Kiosk and begin your adventure! Make sure to take the left path at the first fork.

Thankfully, the hike is quite gradual and steady as it climbs up from the lot towards the first lake, Little Pothole Lake. I was smiling from ear to ear as I hiked though. Not only are there waterfalls seemingly everywhere, but also what I believe to be Lodgepole Pines & some Red Furs. They are quite stunning and hearty looking trees. They line the trail, the falling waters, and the lakes themselves and they’re beautiful. They remind me of much smaller Sequoias.

Little Pothole Lake and its twin waterfalls is just a taste of what’s to come higher up on your journey. It’s also a good spot to rest, drink some water, & have some snacks. Be careful on the trail though, and keep your food nearby. We were told by a Ranger at the Eastern Sierra Visitor Center that Marmots are a nuisance and they will steal your food. Be cautious of those kinda cute lil guys, too. They carry the plague.

After more elevation gaining switchbacks and a small talus field of boulders, you’ll come to the beautiful Gilbert Lake. Around you, you’ll see the towering Independence and University peaks. They are quite the rugged sight to behold; like the American Dolomites.

Not long after Gilbert Lake, you’ll come to the fork for Matlock Lake which looks incredible but for Flower Lake, you’ll want to continue on straight ahead. Just a few more steps and you’ll be at its shores.

The water is extremely cold and my feet began stinging pretty quickly after standing in the water but it was refreshing. After about 45 minutes though, the elevation began to affect my wife and I so we packed up, took a few more pictures of University Peak and the lake and then we headed back down the mountain.

Again, the entire down climb was gorgeous as you can see the lakes seemingly spill over the edge of a cliff into eternity and beyond into Owens Valley. You can also see the Inyo Mountains and the northern stretches of Death Valley.

It is steep though, and it helped to use some walking sticks to take stress off our knees. 10/10 Trail and I recommend everyone visiting the area, who’s in shape, to enjoy the hike to the beautiful Flower Lake and beyond.