Barney Lake Overview

Hoover Wilderness

photo of Baarney Lake, Hoover Wilderness, California
photo of Baarney Lake, Hoover Wilderness, California

Barney Lake Overview

Hoover Wilderness


Barney Lake

Camp in the Shadow of Stately Crown Point

Picturesque Barney Lake spreads in the shadow of 11,346-foot Crown Point in the Hoover Wilderness. An easy 4-mile hike from the Twin Lakes trailhead places visitors on a sandy beach at the foot of the lake. The beach is a popular destination for day-hikers. However, campsites must be at least ¼ mile from the lake. With no suitable sites at the lower end of the lake, backpackers usually continue another mile to find campsites among the trees beyond the head of the lake.

Barney Lake can serve as a jumping off point for a loop adventure in eastern Yosemite National Park or a base camp for day hikes to nearby lakes among the jagged peaks.

Barney Lake beach, Hoover Wilderness, California

Barney Lake Beach


Barney Lake - Key Facts


Location: Hoover Wilderness, Mono County, southwest of Bridgeport
Trailhead: Twin Lakes, elevation 7,027 feet
Barney Lake elevation: 8,258 feet
Elevation Gain: 1,231 feet
Hiking Distance: 5.1 miles to campsite
Best seasons: Early to mid-summer through fall. Fall is best because mosquitoes are gone and day-hikers to the lake have diminished.
Campsites: Small sites among the trees ¼-mile beyond the lake.


sign to Barney Lake, 4 miles

Wildlife

Bears know the area well and are on the prowl for unguarded food. Bear canisters are required in the Hoover Wilderness. Rattlesnakes are rarely seen along the trail or in popular camping spots, but it is always prudent to be watchful for them.

Mosquitoes are particularly bothersome in the early summer and can be annoying even into early August. The best time to visit Barney Lake is in the fall when the mosquitoes are gone. Deer are plentiful, especially around the Twin Lakes trailhead, but also along the trail up to Barney Lake.

Brook trout are found in Barney Lake. Twin Lakes are famous for trophy-size rainbows and browns.

Beavers take to Eastern Sierra streams where aspens grow. Look for their dams along Robinson Creek below Barney Lake.



Lower Twin Lake, Mono County, California

Lower Twin Lake

Barney Lake - Key Facts

Location: Hoover Wilderness, Mono County, southwest of Bridgeport
Trailhead: Twin Lakes, elevation 7,027 feet
Barney Lake elevation: 8,258 feet
Elevation Gain: 1,231 feet
Hiking Distance: 5.1 miles to campsite
Best seasons: Early to mid-summer through fall. Fall is especially nice because mosquitoes are gone, aspens have turned to golden colors, and day-hikers to the lake have slackened.
Campsites: Small sites among the trees ¼-mile beyond the lake.


sign to Barney Lake, 4 miles

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Barney Lake Trailhead:
Twin Lakes

Mono County's Twin Lakes, 11 miles southwest of Bridgeport, are the trailhead for backpackers hiking up Robinson Creek to Barney Lake. Twin Lakes is a popular fishing destination. The turnoff to the lakes from Highway 395 is at the northwest end of Bridgeport. Drive 11 miles to the lakes.

Follow the road around the two lakes to Mono Village, a private campground and marina. Head for the kiosk at the entrance to the campground and pay for parking. The fee is a flat $10 no matter how many nights you are gone.


Nearby Camping and Lodging


Mono Village

Annett's Mono Village is a full-service resort with a 300 space campground, cabin rentals, a motel, a grocery store, a cafe, and a marina with a launch ramp and boat rentals. There is no cell phone reception, but overnight guests of Mono Village have WiFi access. Mono Village does not take reservations.

Other Campgrounds

Farther back along the access road to Twin Lakes are a number of campgrounds, including Lower Twin Lake Campground, Robinson Creek campgrounds, and Honeymoon Flat Campground. They all take reservations.