Attractions and Places To See around Crowley Lake - Top 8

Hilton Creek Lakes are six lakes in Mount Huntington basin, each one with its own beauty. The hike to the lakes is precious, passing by Lodgepine and Aspen forest (this is a popular hike to see autumn colors), with plenty of wildflowers during summer. The second lake is often chosen for camping, and the third has idyllic views of Mt. Huntington and Mt. Stanford. This is a perfect moderate day hike in the Sierra, which is not very popular, and you can pick a lake for yourself to enjoy some solitude. It requires a wilderness permit for camping, for more information see: https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/inyo/recreation/recarea/?recid=20402&actid=50

This singletrack trail near Rock Creek is fantastic, with ride options from a longer out-and-back to a quick lap or two on the upper sections. It's best to run lower tire pressure due to the sandy substrate and keep an eye out for rocks to avoid getting a pinch flat. There is parking at both ends of the trail for easy access. The upper section provides some fast and fun riding, while the lower section is more scenic and offers more adventure riding, complete with gnarly rock gardens and incredible scenery.

Convict Lake is a glacial lake and is surrounded by majestic mountains. The picturesque lake, however, has a very sad history. It gets its name from an incident that happened in 1871, when 29 convicts escaped from Carson City Jail and found a place to hide near the lake. After killing a mail carrier who had found them by chance at Convict Lake, they were followed by military officers and there was a bloody shoot-out. The surviving prisoners were found soon after and lynched.

One of the best known set of hot spring pools in the Mammoth area. Luckily it attracts most of the people, leaving the other lesser known springs to be quieter. But even this site calms down during the week and outside the holiday seasons

Be aware, the popular Convict Lake Trail the loops around the lake is closed to bicycles.

The picturesque alpine lake is the place of a dark story. It was named after an incident in 1871, when 29 convicts escaped from prison in Carson City and found a place to hide near the lake. They were followed by a local posse after killing a mail rider who accidentally found them at Convict lake and as soon as it caught up to the convicts, members of both sides were killed in a shootout. The convicts that survived the shootout were found and lynched later on. Today, Convict Lake is a great spot for fishing. You can find rainbow trout, German brown trout and species of sucker fish in the clear blue waters. It is also a fine hiking location. A 3-miles trail goes around the lake and another one connects it to the Sierra Crest.

Wild Willy's Hot Springs are within walking distance of a medium-sized parking lot. There are about three different sized and differently hot natural pools. Dispersed camping is allowed around the location.

Convict Lake is a glacier-blue Alpine lake suitable for fishing and boating. In addition, a hiking trail leads around the lake.