North Fork Big Pine Creek Trail

The North Fork Big Pine Creek Trail in Inyo National Forest is a long hiking route that climbs the North Fork of Big Pine Creek, reaching the Big Pine Lakes area along the creek and lake chain.

A common goal along this route is access through Lakes 1–3, with the trail continuing toward the higher-country connection for the Palisade Glacier approach. Near the lower end, the route crosses Big Pine Creek early on and then follows the creek corridor upward.

After the early climb, the trail passes through forested sections and an old stone cabin area, then transitions into terrain several hundred feet above the lakes to the east while Temple Crag rises across the basin.

Higher on the route you work through the established lake sequence (Lakes 1, 2, and 3 are the lower set of destinations on this corridor), and later junction options move hikers toward the upper lake basin and toward the Palisade Glacier approach.

For planning at the scale of the North Fork Big Pine Creek outing, the route is commonly done as an out-and-back to a chosen lake/high point, with published day distances often falling in the ~12–16 mile range depending on how far you go past the early lakes.

Backcountry travel in the Big Pine Lakes area is wilderness-based: overnight trips require a wilderness permit (day hikers don’t need a wilderness permit), and bear canisters are required in the Sierra backcountry for legal food storage.

More information: North Fork of Big Pine Creek - Timberline Trails, Big Pine Lakes | The Ultimate Guide to the North Fork Trail, North Fork Big Pine Creek Trail, California