Camp Beneath Temple Crag

First and foremost, be sure to check the weather for the dates you plan to make this trip. After checking this, it is recommended you reserve your wilderness permit. You can do this through the recreation.gov website. The trailhead you will want a permit for is the one for North Fork Big Pine Creek Trail. If you are unable to reserve a permit online, they offer ten permits for walk-ins at the White Mountain Ranger Station in Bishop, CA (just north of Big Pine). Additionally you must pack your food in inside a Bear Can to prevent large furry visitors late at night. Campfires are not allowed in the area, so be sure to bring a camp stove.

To begin this hike we start in the town of Big Pine, CA. Drive along North Main Street until you come to West Crocker Ave. Take West Crocker until it turns into Glacier Lodge Road. Follow this road past several campgrounds until you find day-use parking towards the end for the North Fork Big Pine Creek Trail.

From the parking lot to the shadow of Temple Crag is all uphill, so be prepared for a gradual climb over the next four miles. It is recommended that you begin the hike in the early morning, as the first few miles is stretched across exposed hillside that can get very warm very quickly in the spring/summer sun. Once you cross the creek, however, your hike leads through a shaded area with plenty of trees for you to find shelter under. Keep an eye out for the abandoned Ranger Station along the trail in this area, as it marks a good spot to rest. Be warned if you are hiking this in the early spring: snowshoes may be needed to bypass the snow that begins to appear in this area of the mountain.

Eventually (around the 3.5 mile mark) you will come out of the trees and be rewarded with a glimpse of Temple Crag. Continue along the trail up the final hillside to find yourself overlooking First Lake. There are numerous bivy spots located around the lake, perfect for one or two tents. If you are making this hike in early spring you will likely find the lake frozen over. Summer hikers will be rewarded with the piercing blue waters that are perfect for cooling off from the summer heat. There are many trees located around the lake that are perfect for stringing up a hammock and enjoying a good book overlooking the lake under the shadow of Temple Crag.

If you choose to you can continue along the trail to visit any of the other eight lakes along the trail, and more experienced hikers may choose to visit the Palisade Glacier located further behind Temple Crag.