Baboon Lakes are gathered in the upper canyons of spectacular Sabrina Basin, one of the many great destinations in the Eastern Sierra Nevada. Ambitious hikers can reach them in a single day from the Lake Sabrina trailhead, while those who would rather break the 2,000-foot ascent into two days will find comfortable camping at Blue Lake, at the midpoint of the hike.
Blue Lake
Visitors to Baboon Lakes are well rewarded for their efforts. A base camp at the lower lake serves as a great place from which to launch other adventures - explore the upper lakes, fish for rainbow and brook trout, hike cross-country up to remote Sunset Lake, or bag some of the 13,000+ foot peaks that beckon along the jagged skyline.
Upper Baboon Lake
Baboon Lakes - Key Facts
Location: John Muir Wilderness, Inyo County, 19 miles west of Bishop.
Trailhead: Lake Sabrina, elevation 9,130 feet
Baboon Lakes elevation: 10,976 feet
Elevation Gain: 2020 feet
Hiking Distance: 4.5 miles (high elevation and steep trail make it a challenging hike)
Best seasons: Mid-summer to fall
Campsites: Sites among boulders and stunted trees; no campfires allowed
Baboon Lakes name: According to Peter Browning's Sierra Nevada Place Names the lakes were named for the monkey-like antics of some CCC workers
Wildlife
Baboon Lakes are high enough that visits by bears are rare. Even so, making sure food is hung properly out of their reach or stored in bear-proof canisters is wise. It also keeps the food safe from other gnawing critters like marmots and ground squirrels. Rattlesnakes are rare but possible along the trail near Lake Sabrina, so travelers should always use caution. Baboon Lakes are above their normal range. Like everywhere else in the Sierra, mosquitoes are annoying in the early summer. Plan your trip for late August to avoid the worst of them or September when cold nights keep the pesky insects away.
Lake Sabrina
Baboon Lakes - Key Facts
Location: John Muir Wilderness, Inyo County, 19 miles west of Bishop.
Trailhead: Lake Sabrina, elevation 9,130 feet
Baboon Lakes elevation: 10,976 feet
Elevation Gain: 2020 feet
Hiking Distance: 4.5 miles (high elevation and steep trail make it a challenging hike)
Best seasons: Mid-summer to fall
Campsites: Sites among boulders and stunted trees; no campfires allowed
Baboon Lakes name: According to Peter Browning's Sierra Nevada Place Names the lakes were named for the monkey-like antics of some CCC workers
Reach the trailhead at Lake Sabrina from Highway 395 in Bishop. From downtown Bishop, turn west onto the road to Lake Sabrina (Highway 168) and drive 19 miles to the lake. Along the way, a side road leads to South Lake and near Lake Sabrina another road leads to North Lake. All three lakes serve as trailheads for Sierra backpacking trips. Continue straight toward Lake Sabrina.
The Sabrina Basin trailhead is on the left side of the road just before the dam, but parking is back down the road before the turnoff to North Lake.
Camping is plentiful in National Forest campgrounds all along Highway 168. Camping is not allowed outside of established campgrounds in this area.
California's Best Camping
For complete information about campgrounds in the Eastern Sierra, see
Lodging is available at Parchers Resort located a few miles away near South Lake. They have cabins with a range of amenities. Down Highway 168 a short distance from Lake Sabrina is Cardinal Village Resort with housekeeping cabins.
Parking
Parking is available on the shoulder of the highway east of the lake. Signs mark the area where overnight parking is permitted.
the lakes were named for the monkey-like antics of some CCC workers
