Deep inside the Southern Sierras, the high-altitude valley that is Mineral King attracts all types of outdoor enthusiasts. That includes fisherman looking for those high-Sierra trout that bite like there’s no tomorrow.
I found them at the first Mosquito Lake, elevation 9,450 feet. The lake was reached after two hours of hiking and considerable elevation gain. The views along the way were spectacular, revealing rocky snow-capped peaks towering above Mineral King’s picturesque alpine terrain.
The Mosquito Lakes are a collection of several granite catch basins holding water draining from the peaks higher up. I stopped at the first lake but there are three more higher up that can be reached if you’re willing to do some rock scrambling.
The fish here were not shy. Just about every cast attracted a nibble or fish on. These trout were not big, none larger than 12 inches. They were, however, a good fight on my ultra-light-weight reel and rod.
The hike’s trailhead is at the end of the road in Mineral King valley. Cold Springs Campground and the Mineral King Ranger Station are less than a mile back down the road.
To reach the first Mosquito Lake, it’s a 7.2 mile round trip walk that gains 1,600 feet on the way up and out of the valley. In August I passed only one two other hikers on the trail and had the lake completely to myself.
I later found a very informative web page describing the hike on HikingWalking.com. The following is an excerpt:
Follow the trail as it heads south, ascending along the west side of the beautiful East Fork Kaweah River valley on an easy grade through scrub covered hillsides, sprinkled with scattered fir and junipers. A profusion of willows grow along the river banks and in the marshy areas of the meadows lining the valley floor. Vandever Mountain (11,947-ft.) and Farewell Gap, the saddle to the east of the peak, frame the head of the valley.
Continue Reading on HikingWalking.com
Mineral King is inside Sequoia National Park and is accessed by a slow, windy forest road from Highway 198 east of Visalia.
