Upper Kinney Lake

Near: Ebbetts Pass
Distance: 3 miles
Elevation: 8,600 - 8,800 ft
Vegetation: Pine Forest
Last Visit: September 2020

Upper Kinney Lake is a short, easy hike from Ebbetts Pass. With just a couple hundred feet of climb and a trailhead starting over 8,700 feet in elevation, it's a great destination for a light afternoon hike for a lowlander looking to test their altitude tolerance before taking on a bigger challenge.  If you do this hike and still feel you've got some extra energy to burn off, you can take a dirt road and use-trail to the top of Ebbetts Peak, over looking the pass, for just an extra mile of hiking (though with 400 feet of climb, very steep at a couple of points).  While this hike is far from the most spectacular option in the Sierra, its location at on the narrow, winding and very scenic Hwy 4 above Lake Alpine keeps it far from crowds and traffic, a good counterpoint to more popular hikes around Lake Tahoe to the north or Yosemite National Park to the south.

Rules

This hike is in the Humbolt-Toiyabe National Forest.  The Kinney Lakes are just outside the Mokelumne Wilderness area, which straddles the Eldorado and Stanislaus National Forests.  As far as I can tell you don't need any permits for overnight camping unless you enter the wilderness.  No fees or permits are required for day use.  Dogs under effective voice command may be off leash.

Trailhead

A couple of small pullouts with room for ~10 cars total at Ebbetts Pass on Hwy 4.  There is room for a few more cars on the shoulder of the road just below that pass on the east side where the PCT crosses the road.  No facilities here, no fees.

Route Notes

If you park at the pass, the trail won't be immediately apparent.  Walk around 100 yards down Hwy 4 to the east to find where the PCT crosses the road.  From there the trail is easy to follow. The PCT only goes within a few hundred feet of the lake, but there is a sign for the lake when the trail gets near it and you can see the lake through the trees at a couple of points.  It's easy to walk down to the lakes through the open woods or on the few side trails running off in its direction.  

From the lake you can see a prominent minor peak (Peak 9530).  This is the little brother to nearby Reynolds and Raymond peaks, all three topped by pillars of crumbling volcanic rock.  We were able to find a way up to nearly the top of Peak 9530 without any serious rock climbing.  Only attempt such a thing if you're comfortable with off-trail navigation and you have a good topographic map handy.

To summit Ebbetts Peak, take the dirt road that intersects Hwy 4 at the pass near the historical marker. This is an access road that ends in a a couple of pullouts just a few hundred yards to the north.  From these pullouts you can squeeze through a barbed wire fence and follow the steep use trail to the Summit of Ebbetts Peak.  Usually there is a US flag on that summit visible from the pass, so it's easy to know you're in the right place. 

 

 Photos

Sign for Upper Kinney Lake on the PCT.  The trail never quite hits the lake. Just take one of the handful of the side trails down to the water.

 

 

Upper Kinney Lake, looking towards the dam on the northeast side of the lake.

  

The summit panorama from Ebbetts Peak

 

 

A sleepy Presto steals Lori's pack as a pillow on Ebbetts Peak