Day One

Leave LA by 7 AM and drive to Sabrina Lake Trailhead

• Take Sabrina Basin Trail from trailhead all the way to beautiful Blue Lake. At Blue Lake there is a signed junction for Donkey Lake or Dingleberry Lake (I wasn’t joking about the quirky lake names!), take a right to head toward Dingleberry Lake. Continue on the Sabrina Lake Trail all the way to Hungry Packer Lake.
• The landscape is jaw-dropping. Picture Peak appears to rise right out of the bright blue waters and the mirror reflection of this peak in the mornings is unbeatable!

Arrive early at Hungry Packer Lake to have the best of pick of campsites!

• As you approach the lake you will notice a few campsites where the trail ends close to the outlet of Hungry Packer Lake. Most of these sites are too close to the lake’s shore to be legitimate sites even though they are well-worn.
• I recommend scrambling along the northern shore to the granite inlet to set up camp with an unobstructed view of the lake and Picture Peak.

If you're feeling ambitious, add a visit to Midnight Lake

• The trek to Midnight Lake only adds one mile roundtrip
• It's a stunning side trip, well worth the additional mile
• Bring water shoes for Middle Fork Bishop Creek crossings if heading out in the early season.

Cook up dinner and settle in

• YAY! Soak up the stars and alpine lake views
• Enjoy your first sunset at Hungry Packer Lake

Car to camp - 6.8 miles with 2,234 feet of elevation gain - 4 hours

Hungry Packer Lake is tucked away in John Muir Wilderness, a 100-mile stretch along the Sierra Crest in Inyo National Forest

Day Two

Make brekkie, pack up, and hike to Baboon Lakes

• Retrace your route back to the junction at Blue Lake and turn right to head up Donkey Lake Trail. This is a lesser taken trail that leads up to Donkey and Baboon Lakes.
• Turn onto Baboon Lake Trail almost immediately after hopping onto Donkey Lake Trail. The trail up to Baboon Lakes is only an additional mile from here but it is a strenuous and steep climb which starts of well marked but slowly becomes faint and hard to follow.
• The final half mile requires you to pick your way up steep terrain following a series of sporadic cairns. Use a pre-downloaded GPS map to avoid losing your way here! After ascending to the top of the ridge you’ll be rewarding with long views of the basin that are well worth the tough climb

Find a campsite above the lakeshore

• The largest and most commonly used campsites are tucked into the area where the trail leads down from the ridge along the northern shore of the lake. These sites can be found a couple hundred feet up from the granite shoreline of the lake and are well protected from wind. There are additional sites found along the eastern shore of the lake. Cross the Baboon Lakes outlet to find a small clearing or granite site on the less-travelled side of the lake.

Take a side tour through the Upper Lakes or explore Sunset Lake

• The trek to Baboon Lakes only takes a few hours so spend the remainder of the day exploring the upper lakes or taking a cross-country journey to remote Sunset Lake.

Clean up and cook up dinner at camp

• Savor your last night in Inyo National Forest!

Camp to camp - 4.5 miles with 853 feet of elevation gain - 3 hours

The name "Inyo" derives from a Native American word meaning "dwelling place of the great spirit."

Day Three

Cook up breakfast, pack up, and return to Sabrina Lake Trailhead

• Retrace your steps down to the junction at Blue Lake and continue down the Sabrina Basin trail to the trailhead.

Head home!

Camp to car - 4.7 miles - 2  hours

John Muir Wilderness was designated and protected by Congress in 1964. Since then, it has become the second most-visited wilderness in the country!