Lake Sterling–Glacier Lakes Basin Trail, 4 sights
4.6 mi · ▲ 432 ft · 1 hr 45 min
Lake Sterling–Glacier Lakes Basin Trail, 4 sights is a 4.6-mile out-and-back near Rainbow, CA. The route reaches Lake Sterling. It climbs 432 ft, with sections as steep as 16% grade. It scores 90/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Lake Sterling–Glacier Lakes Basin Trail, 4 sights
4.6 mi · ▲ 432 ft · 1 hr 45 min
Elevation 6,934–7,111 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: Glacier Lakes Basin Trail · 39.35398, -120.49402
Weather Aug 4: sunrise 6:05 AM · sunset 8:12 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Glacier Lakes Basin Trail, heading E.
- 50 ftPass Lake Sterling.
- 1.7 miContinue straight onto Mossy Pond West Trail, heading NE.
- 0.5 miSharp left onto Mossy Pond OHV Trail, heading W.
- 300 ftReach Lake Sterling, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 250 ftSharp right onto Mossy Pond West Trail, heading SW.
- 0.5 miContinue straight onto Glacier Lakes Basin Trail, heading SW.
- 1.7 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.1 mi in (~2 min). Leave by 7:50 PM for the 8:12 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:30 PM — 12 min before dark.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Glacier Lakes Basin Trail Trailhead
- Lake Sterling–Mossy Pond, 5 sights 5.3 mi · ▲ 476 ft
- Lake Sterling 5.5 mi · ▲ 845 ft
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