Climbing, riding, birding and lake days
Lakes and Paddleboarding at June Lake
Most June Lake locals came for the winter and stayed for the summer.
Paddleboards in the garage
Five stand-up paddleboards wait in the garage for guests, so there is nothing to rent and nothing to haul up from town. Carry them down to the shore of Silver Lake, a few minutes away, and you are on the water. Our favorite paddle is Rush Creek above Silver Lake, where the creek winds slowly through the meadow under the canyon walls. Put in on Silver Lake, turn upstream, and the peaks fill the view the whole way.
For trout, see fishing the June Lake Loop.
Lake days
Four lakes sit on the loop, and each has its own kind of summer day. Gull Lake is the closest water to the chalet, with a marina and a rope swing that has launched generations of summers. June Lake has a sandy beach for a slow afternoon. Grant Lake, the largest, is open and wild at the north end of the loop, with granite ledges along the shore and cold, clear water.
Check the water and your landing before you jump, and keep an eye on afternoon wind, which comes up fast on the bigger lakes.
Rock climbing and bouldering
June Lake is surrounded by published climbing areas, including the Bachar Boulders, Big Springs, the Aeolian Buttes, Deadman Summit and the Ice Cream Boulders, along with many spots nobody has written up. The granite domes of Tuolumne Meadows are forty-five minutes away.
Horseback riding
The June Lake pack station is a few minutes down the road. See horseback riding from the chalet for rides from an hour to several days.
Birding
The chalet sits where the Sierra Nevada meets the Great Basin, which makes for some of the best birding in North America. Look for Ospreys, Gray-crowned Rosy Finches, Golden Eagles and Sage Thrashers. Grant Lake, ten minutes away, is one of the top birding spots on the loop, and just beyond it the Mono Basin holds more than 325 recorded species. Even if you can’t tell a Turkey Vulture from an eagle, plenty of birds visit the chalet’s own grounds.
Races
After a race there is nothing better than your own hot tub, a massage down the road, and a California King bed. The Eastern Sierra calendar has included the June Lake Triathlon in early summer, the Mammoth Half Marathon, the Eastern Sierra Double Century, the High Sierra Fall Century and the Tioga Pass Run in September. Check each event for current dates.