Cottonwood Lakes Gear Checklist
The Cottonwood Lakes permit starts at Horseshoe Meadow, a trailhead that sits near 10,000 feet, so the packing problems here are altitude, wind, cold nights and food storage rather than a long climb. Writers who stayed in the basin carried a bear canister, a water filter, a tent that holds in gusts, and warm layers for chilly nights. They disagree on Old Army Pass, on whether mosquitoes matter, and on how strict the canister rule really is. The Forest Service lists this basin among eight Inyo areas where a canister is mandatory.
What shapes your gear on Cottonwood Lakes
- Trailhead and walk in
- Horseshoe Meadow Road climbs to about 10,000 feet and ends at the trailhead. One writer counted 5.3 miles and about 2.5 hours to the area between Cottonwood Lakes 1 and 2. Another gave about 6 miles to the closest lakes with roughly 1,000 feet of gain.
From Inyo National Forest (USDA Forest Service): Cottonwood Lakes Trail, 100 Peaks and Schuck Yes
- Quota
- The Forest Service caps overnight use at 60 people per day from May 1 through November 1. The permit page releases 60 percent of the quota 6 months ahead and 40 percent 2 weeks ahead.
From Inyo National Forest (USDA Forest Service): Cottonwood Lakes Trail and Recreation.gov (Inyo National Forest)
- New Army Pass
- One hiker reached the top of New Army Pass at 12,080 feet, more than a thousand feet above a camp in the basin. A second hiker climbed from about 11,000 feet to over 12,000 feet on the same trail and found gusting wind and a little snow near the top in mid June.
From markburmeister.com and 100 Peaks
- Camping rules in the basin
- The Forest Service bans campfires in the Cottonwood Lakes Basin and at every site above 10,400 feet. Groups top out at 15 people, and the Miter Basin and Mount Langley area allows 8.
From Inyo National Forest (USDA Forest Service): Cottonwood Lakes Trail
- Water
- Creeks, lakes and springs are the supply and the Forest Service says to treat all of it. One hiker filtered from the creek that links Cottonwood Lakes 3 and 2 right beside camp.
From Inyo National Forest (USDA Forest Service): Cottonwood Lakes Trail and 100 Peaks
- Weather seen by overnight visitors
- A June trip drew gusts strong enough to stagger a hiker above New Army Pass. A separate trip in June met hail, loud thunder and lightning at the upper lakes, and the campers there had little cover.
From 100 Peaks and Schuck Yes
What the agency requires on Cottonwood Lakes
A wilderness permit for every overnight trip
Overnight trips need a permit all year, and day use needs none. The signed permit must be with the group leader, and the permit page cancels an unprinted permit at 10 a.m. on the entry date.
From Inyo National Forest (USDA Forest Service): Cottonwood Lakes Trail and Recreation.gov (Inyo National Forest)
A bear-proof container for all food, trash and scented items
The trail page requires bear-proof containers for food, garbage and anything with a scent from Memorial Day weekend through October 31. The forest's bear page lists the Cottonwood Lakes Basin and Cottonwood Pass area among eight places where a portable container is mandatory. Where a container is mandatory, hanging food is not an allowed substitute.
From Inyo National Forest (USDA Forest Service): Cottonwood Lakes Trail and Inyo National Forest (USDA Forest Service): Bears and food storage in Inyo National Forest
Locking food and scented items in the trailhead lockers
Food, garbage and anything with a scent must leave your vehicle at the trailhead and go into the lockers. The bear page adds that space is limited and that boxes are shared, so owners should write a return date on their items.
From Inyo National Forest (USDA Forest Service): Cottonwood Lakes Trail and Inyo National Forest (USDA Forest Service): Bears and food storage in Inyo National Forest
No campfires, and a California Campfire Permit to run a stove
The trail page bans campfires in the basin and above 10,400 feet. The permit page asks each group to print a California Campfire Permit, which it says covers both campfires and stove use.
From Inyo National Forest (USDA Forest Service): Cottonwood Lakes Trail and Recreation.gov (Inyo National Forest)
Burying waste away from water
There are no restrooms in the wilderness. Outside the Whitney area, the permit page says to dig a hole six to eight inches deep, 100 feet or more from water, trails and campsites.
What hikers carry on Cottonwood Lakes
A rented or owned bear canister that holds every scented item
A hiker who met a father and son at Cottonwood Lake 1 saw them struggle because extra food did not fit in their canister. Another writer rented hers in Lone Pine, kept deodorant, toothpaste and lip balm inside it, and put spare food in the trailhead lockers. A third hiker says marmots and bears will find food that is not sealed.
The same hiker told the pair a hoist into a tree would do in a pinch. That does not match the Forest Service rule for this basin, which allows only a portable container.
From 100 Peaks, Schuck Yes, markburmeister.com and Inyo National Forest (USDA Forest Service): Bears and food storage in Inyo National Forest
A water filter
Water is plentiful on the lake trail, so a light filter does the job. One hiker filtered from the stream between Cottonwood Lakes 3 and 2. A loop hiker advises topping up whenever possible because Rock Creek goes intermittent on the longer route and in a dry August some sources may not flow.
From 100 Peaks, Treeline and Inyo National Forest (USDA Forest Service): Cottonwood Lakes Trail
A tent that handles wind and can be held down without stakes
A hiker who camped at Cottonwood Lake 5 on the first night found the site windy and lists a wind-ready tent or tarp that anchors to rocks among the special gear. Another hiker double-checked a tent at Lake 2 as gusts crossed the basin. At the upper lakes, a hail storm hit campers who had little protection.
From Farther Outdoors (Medium), 100 Peaks and Schuck Yes
Warm layers for a cold, high camp
A June visitor forgot his pants and wore merino leggings under shorts because nights were chilly early in the season. A second hiker woke to freezing air at Long Lake and stayed in the tent until the sun was well up. A loop pair carried 20 degree sleeping bags even in a warm stretch.
From 100 Peaks, markburmeister.com and Treeline
A paper map, a compass and a downloaded GPS map
Trails are on the ground, but snow can hide them and use trails near the lakes get confusing. The loop writers carried maps and a compass along with a phone app, and the permit page warns against relying on a phone because the forest has little cell coverage. One writer says the Old Army Pass route is tricky to follow after rockfall.
From Treeline, Recreation.gov (Inyo National Forest) and Schuck Yes
Sun protection and a hat
The first section of trail has little cover, and one writer started in the hot afternoon sun on a sparse stretch. A longer Cottonwood Lakes trip lists sun protection among its special gear, and the Forest Service notes the trailhead sits at about 10,000 feet.
From Schuck Yes, Farther Outdoors (Medium) and Inyo National Forest (USDA Forest Service): Cottonwood Lakes Trail
Bug protection for early summer
In mid June mosquitoes found a hiker whenever he stopped and rose in clouds when the wind died at camp. A loop writer suggests August as a month with fewer of them.
Not every writer mentions mosquitoes. Conditions change with snowmelt and with wind.
A headlamp, even for a daylight walk in
A hiker who started near 6 p.m. kept a headlamp ready in case dusk caught him before camp, and he finished setting up a tent at about 8:30 p.m. with light fading.
From 100 Peaks
Altitude medicine or a night of acclimation
A hiker on a longer Cottonwood Lakes route slept one night near 10,000 feet at the hiker campground first and took Diamox, and he barely noticed the altitude. He adds that this may differ for others and suggests checking with a doctor.
15 people can go on one permit. Split this list between them so nobody carries two stoves.
Plan a trip hereWhat hikers regret or leave behind on Cottonwood Lakes
Bringing a plan that depends on Old Army Pass
Early in the season snow lingers on Old Army Pass. One hiker in mid June skipped the descent because of large snow patches and climbed back over New Army Pass, adding more than 400 feet of gain. The loop writers call New Army the safer choice when Old Army holds snow.
Writers disagree on the pass itself. One says the trail is pretty much destroyed and a loop around all the lakes is not possible. Another chose Old Army on a recent trip and found rockfall but easy detours. A third found the trail fine once the snow melted.
From 100 Peaks, Treeline, Schuck Yes and Farther Outdoors (Medium)
Camping close to the trail
A father and son pitched a tent near the trail at Cottonwood Lake 1 and were told by a passing hiker to move farther away. They had also left the tent fly at home and were counting on warm sleeping bags instead.
From 100 Peaks
Counting on a quick Mount Langley summit
A hiker who went up New Army Pass planning to try Langley was staggering in gusts on the way and turned around at the foot of the talus slog. The Langley side also calls for a map, since there are many use trails.
Gear questions for Cottonwood Lakes
Do you have to carry a bear canister at Cottonwood Lakes?
Yes. The Forest Service trail page requires bear-proof containers for food, trash and scented items, and the forest bear page lists the Cottonwood Lakes Basin among eight areas where a portable container is mandatory and hanging food is not accepted. One hiker told other campers that a hoist works in a pinch, but that advice does not match the rule. Hikers rent canisters in Lone Pine.
From Inyo National Forest (USDA Forest Service): Cottonwood Lakes Trail, Inyo National Forest (USDA Forest Service): Bears and food storage in Inyo National Forest, 100 Peaks, Schuck Yes and markburmeister.com
How many people can start an overnight trip on the Cottonwood Lakes trail each day?
The Forest Service sets the quota at 60 people per day from May 1 through November 1. The permit page says 60 percent of spots open 6 months ahead and 40 percent open 2 weeks ahead. One hiker got a walk-in permit 2 weeks before his June dates.
From Inyo National Forest (USDA Forest Service): Cottonwood Lakes Trail, Recreation.gov (Inyo National Forest) and 100 Peaks
Can you light a campfire at Cottonwood Lakes?
No. Campfires are banned in the Cottonwood Lakes Basin and everywhere above 10,400 feet. Groups that cook on a stove should print a California Campfire Permit when they get the wilderness permit.
From Inyo National Forest (USDA Forest Service): Cottonwood Lakes Trail and Recreation.gov (Inyo National Forest)
Is Old Army Pass safe to use on a Cottonwood Lakes trip?
It depends on snow and rockfall. A June hiker stayed off it because of snow patches and heard that someone had died there the month before. Loop writers say New Army Pass is the safer option when Old Army holds snow. One writer found the Old Army trail fine after the snow melted, and another says it has been badly damaged.
From 100 Peaks, Treeline, Farther Outdoors (Medium) and Schuck Yes
Sources
- Cottonwood Lakes Trail · Inyo National Forest (USDA Forest Service) · Agency
- Bears and food storage in Inyo National Forest · Inyo National Forest (USDA Forest Service) · Agency
- Inyo National Forest - Wilderness Permits · Recreation.gov (Inyo National Forest) · Agency
- Cottonwood Lake Basin Backpacking: Two Wonderful Nights in the Sierra · 100 Peaks, Derek Loranger · Blog
- Hiking Guide: Cottonwood Lakes Trail · Schuck Yes · Blog
- Cotton Wood Lakes - John Muir Wilderness, Inyo National Forest · markburmeister.com, Mark Burmeister · Trip report
- Cottonwood Lakes Loop Sierra Backpacking Trip Guide · Treeline, Liz Thomas · Blog
- High Sierra Backpacking: Cottonwood Lakes to Mount Whitney · Farther Outdoors (Medium) · Blog