Skelton Lake Day Hike

Mammoth Lakes

Skelton Lake stretches for a quarter mile in length along a valley, 1.8 miles as the crow flies southeast of Lake Mary in the Mammoth Lakes region. The beautiful mountain setting of Skelton Lake makes it a great destination for picnickers, photographers, anglers, and painters. With its long, varied shoreline, Skelton Lake offers many places to explore and to sit and enjoy the quiet and solitude of the wilderness.

Skelton Lake Trailhead

The Skelton Lake trailhead is found by driving up through Coldwater Campground at the south end of Lake Mary. Good facilities are available at the trailhead, including restrooms, drinking water, picnic tables, and parking. The Skelton Lake trail leads southeast from the trailhead.

Skelton Lake Trail

Skelton Lake's trail starts out from its trailhead at a moderate climb and soon steepens. With the trail over 9,000 feet in elevation, hikers usually settle into a slow, steady pace, enjoying the beauty of the forest. After a mile the trail reaches a junction where a side trail to the left leads down to Arrowhead Lake. It's a moderately steep descent to Arrowhead, but not enough to deter those eager to take in the pretty lake.

Beyond the Arrowhead Lake turnoff, the Skelton Lake trail continues up a gradual slope, crosses a knoll, descends briefly, and then climbs gradually again. The trail skirts the western side of the lake before continuing to other destinations up the valley.

Because fishing is good at the inlet stream, the southern end of the lake is often chosen as a destination. But it's hard to go wrong anywhere along the lake's shore. Those who choose the northern end have wonderful views of the lake with rugged peaks in the distance.