Once July rolls around, every day (at least from July 1 to Oct. 31) feels like Christmas in the Golden Trout Wilderness where heavy concentrations of radiant golden trout race about the depths of the crystal-clear backcountry waters of the Eastern Sierra Nevada.
Reaching the home of the majestic fish is no easy task as nearly all the alpine lakes that hold them require anglers to backpack or horseback in. On average, the quest for gold is going to take unknowing anglers on a trek of more than five or six miles through the oxygen-thin Sierra air. That's why the Cottonwood Lakes trailhead is such a special destination, offering some of the most convenient access to golden trout.
The trailhead is perched higher than 10,000 feet and about 25 miles above downtown Lone Pine - located midway between Reno and Los Angeles along Highway 395. The first Cottonwood Lake can be reached via a 4.5-mile hike that can take anywhere between two and four hours depending on your hiking ability. Once you reach the first lake of the basin you're 11,008 feet above sea level, surrounded by pools and creeks brimming with fish that look like they've been sculptured from gold.
