Saddlebag Lake Trail is a 4 mile moderately trafficked loop trail located near Lee Vining, California that features a lake and is good for all skill levels. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from June until September. Dogs are also able to use this trail.
dog friendly
kid friendly
hiking
mountain biking
nature trips
walking
bird watching
running
forest
lake
views
wild flowers
wildlife
Please note that the road leading to the trailhead, Saddlebag Lake Road, closes during the winter. If visiting during winter, add several miles to this hike to account for the closure.
Honeymoon hike!
Saddlebag Lake Rd is closed to vehicles. You can walk to the lake from the gate closure (5 miles-ish RT.) the trail around the lake is still covered with snow. May 21, 2020
Weather was great not a lot of shade until the far end of the lake.
Beautiful November day! Beats the crowds of the valley!
This trail is so beautiful and fun. I loved the small scree field scramble.
J Kelly recorded Saddlebag Lake Trail
First couple of miles are exposed screen. Not much fun but gorgeous after that.
hiked counter clockwise since there is no boat taxi, trail is good footing and beautiful wildflowers
Nice & easy acclimation hike, a good starting point to get used to elevation if you're spending more days in the high country around the Tioga Rd. or surrounding wilderness. Recommend hiking this one counter-clockwise as an out & back to Evergreen Lake, instead of coming back on the western (north-facing) side of the lake - no snow on the trail in mid-August as there was just a month ago, however it's SUPER rocky and you're basically hiking on a scree field for the 2nd half of the hike. I found it annoying, something so flat that should be easy but just made for a really unstable experience. Next time I'd do an out & back on the east side of the lake. Views were nicer from this side, in my opinion! Saw tons of wildflowers at this time of year, a real treat. Slightly buggy in the meadow between the two lakes but totally manageable.
This trail didn't start out strong with a two mile trip over loose rocks and snow as well as a bridge out to cross a fast flowing stream. It did however improve rapidly and ended up being one of our favorite places on this trip. Phenomenal views, just be prepared to get a bit wet if you want to cross. Mid-July - snow still 3-4ft deep in sections of the trail. Snow melt meant water levels were very high and the meadow was flooded.
I visited Green stone lake through Saddlebag lake trail today. The East side trail is pretty open with a little snow patch at the beginning. You may need low cut hiking booths, because there are several shallow water running on the trail. West side trail looks covered by snow.
Easy loop to hike in a short time. South facing trail was clear. The north facing trail had snow on it however it is passable and adds a slight level of difficulty and diversity to an otherwise boring hike.
