Shadow of the Minarets Trail

Activity Type: Hiking
Nearby City: June Lake
Length: 20 total miles
Elevation Gain: 3,580 feet
Trail Type: Loop
Skill Level: Difficult
Duration: 3 – 4 days
Season: Mid-​July through September
Trailhead Elevation: 8,200 feet
Top Elevation: 10,300 feet
Local Contacts: Ansel Adams Wilderness; Mammoth Lakes Visitor Center
Let your own abilities determine which of these two hikes you will take into the spectacular country around the base of Mount Ritter and the Minarets. The Ediza Lake hike follows excellent trails to a beautiful destination. The traverse hike – which continues from Ediza Lake on a steep and sketchy route to Iceberg, Cecile, and Minaret Lakes – requires route finding skills, a bit of easy scrambling, and, for much of the summer, an ice ax for crossing the icy slopes around Iceberg Lake. At Minaret Lake, the traverse route rejoins well-​maintained trails for the descent to Devils Postpile National Monument.