We found the Sky Meadows trail by accident. There was a sign for it on our way back from Duck Lake. At the time, both of us were too tired to attempt it. Fortunately, we decided to look it up and paid it a visit on our recent trip. I’m glad we did because the trail to Sky Meadows is very beautiful. Even though it is only 4 miles round trip, it is a butt-kicker. You’ll gain about 1000ft within 2 miles. However, it is worth the effort because the Sky Meadows trail is gorgeous the whole way. It features the breathtaking emerald color lake (Emerald Lake), wildflowers, cascading waterfalls, and the lush meadows perched below the granite peaks of the Mammoth Crest and Blue Crag.
Note: Please make sure to respect this beautiful place and the surround areas. Always practice LEAVE NO TRACE. This means no loud music, no graffiti, and pack out what you pack in! Please help us protect this place for generations to come!
Stats
Where
Emerald Lake trailhead:
37°35’29.6″N 118°59’26.7″W
Parking
Paved lot with decent amount of parking spaces
Restroom
There are restrooms at the trailhead.
Fee
Free
Weather
Distance
About 4 miles R.T.
Elevation Gain
About 1000ft
Level
Moderate
Time:
2-4 hours
Pet-friendly
Dogs can use this trail but must be kept on leash
Ideal Weather
Dry, cooler days.
Ideal Time
Best time to go is from May though October. If you go early in the morning, you’ll have to whole trail to yourself.
Video
Getting There
Sky Meadows trail in Mammoth Lakes starts at the same trailhead as Emerald Lake. It is located near the end of Coldwater Creek Campground Road, before Duck Lake trailhead. To get there from the village of Mammoth Lakes, follow Lake Mary Road for 3.5 miles. Turn left onto Around Lake Mary Road. After 0.6 miles, turn left onto Coldwater Creek Campground Road. Follow Coldwater Creek Campground Road to go past the campsites toward the end of the road. There is a sign for the trailhead on the right-hand side. If you see Duck Lake trailhead, you’ve gone too far.
The Adventure
Hike to Emerald Lake
We pulled up to Emerald Lake trailhead bright and early. There are a couple of routes to do the Sky Meadows trail. The shortest one, which is the one we did, is to go through the Emerald Lake trailhead. If you’re up for a challenge, you can always loop that in with the Duck Lake trail before Skelton Lake to create a loop. By the way, make sure you use insect repellant. The mosquitoes can be pretty bad on this trail.
It is about 0.8 miles from the trailhead to Emerald Lake. The trail goes slightly uphill before flattening out as it approaches Emerald Lake. It starts through a nicely shaded forest then runs alongside lush green creeks. There are a few signs along the way showing where to go. There are also couple of forks along the way, make sure to stay left to go toward Emerald Lake. These forks are not very noticeable unless you’re looking for them. Also, watch out for tree roots. They will sneak up on you.
Emerald Lake
Once you get to Emerald Lake, make sure to spend some time enjoying this beautiful lake. Under full sunlight, you can see why the lake got its name. Its water has this stunning emerald green color. During a calm day, the lake resembles a giant mirror. It is quite a sight to see.
From Emerald Lake to the Waterfalls
When you’re done spending time at Emerald Lake, follow the trail past the lake to a fork. There are small wooden signs at the beginning of this fork. Follow the sign to go right, toward Gentian and Sky Meadows. If you go straight (left), it will take you to Skelton Lake and Duck Lake. This is the last sign you will see along this trail. It is also the beginning of the Sky Meadows trail. From here, it is about 1 mile to Sky Meadows.
This section of the trail is beautiful! The trails run alongside the beautiful lush creek with multiple sections of small waterfalls. There is tons of shade along the way. Eventually, the trail crossed over to the other side of the creek. When we went, there were a lot of wildflowers. I can’t imagine going here in the Spring. This trail must be extra beautiful with the colorful wildflowers.
Once the trail crosses over to the other side of the creek, it quickly follows more waterfalls and then meets up with the Gentian Meadows. Once you leave Gentian Meadows, the Sky Meadows trail starts to gain elevation rapidly. The trail leaves the creek at this point and begins to wind through the forest. This part kicked our butts a bit, especially because we’re still adjusting to the altitude.
The Waterfalls
Right before the last steep section of the trail, we could hear the sound of tumbling water. Sure enough, there were beautiful waterfalls up ahead. The waterfalls looked to be about 30ft tall. It is mesmerizing watching the water cascading over the green mossy rocks. It was quite warm out so it was refreshing getting splashed by the water. This water is ice cold though. Dustin couldn’t feel his feet after standing in there for a bit.
To Sky Meadows
After spending a lot of time here, we said our goodbyes to the waterfalls and got back on the trail to Sky Meadows. It was a short but fairly steep hike through the forest before the trail opened up into the gorgeous lush green Sky Meadows. The view of the green meadow nestled below the Mammoth Crest and the jagged peak of Blue Crag is spectacular. Even in July, there were also a lot of wildflowers all around. We can’t wait to go back for this trail in the Spring. The whole meadow must be blooming with all the colorful wildflowers!
This is where the Sky Meadows trail ends. However, it looks like there is a small trail leading to the other side of the meadow that goes up into the forest. We didn’t know where this trail leads to, so both of us decided to turn back at the meadow.
Sky Meadows has quickly becomes one of our favorite short hikes in Mammoth Lakes, besides Crystal Lake. This trail has everything from a beautiful lake, tons of shade, creeks, waterfalls, wildflowers, and stunning meadows with spectacular mountain views. I mean, what else could you ask for?
These are the gear that we personally use and find them helpful for this particular adventure. Don’t forget to check out our Recommended Gear section as well.
adventure gear
Good hiking shoes are recommended on these adventures. Vy uses the Merrell Women’s Moab 2 hiking boots
Dustin’s shoes are Targhee III Waterproof
Make sure to use lots of sunscreens! We use eco-friendly, reef-safe sunscreen, Stream2Sea SPF 30.
Face sunscreen is also important. We love these tinted, organic All Good Organic Sunscreen Butter.
You should always bring plenty of water. Vy loves the Camelback L.U.X.E.
For shorter hikes, the Patagonia Women’s Nine Trails Pack 18L is perfect to hold water and your essentials.
If you want something lighter, we love the packable Patagonia Women’s Houdini® Jacket and Patagonia Men’s Houdini® Jacket
This area have a lot of bugs. It is best to bring insect repellent with you. We use this plant-based insect repellent and it works pretty good for us. You can use whatever works for you.
other things to bring
Always good to bring some snacks with you. For healthy and easy snacks, check out some of our recipes.
camera gear
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