RATING |
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 |
DISTANCE |
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3.0 miles round-trip |
HIKING TIME |
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1.5 hours |
ELEVATION GAIN |
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400 feet |
HIGH POINT |
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9,600 feet |
EFFORT |
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Moderate Workout |
BEST SEASON |
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June to October |
PERMITS/CONTACT |
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Mammoth Ranger Station, (760) 924-5500, |
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MAPS |
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Tom Harrison Maps “Mammoth High Country” |
NOTES |
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Dogs allowed |
Take a walk into history at the old mine buildings of the Mammoth Consolidated Gold Mine, then hike to heart-shaped Heart Lake and its wide-open vistas of the Minaret Range.
From the Mammoth Lakes junction on U.S. 395, turn west on Highway 203 and drive 4 miles through the town of Mammoth Lakes to the junction of Minaret Road/Highway 203 and Lake Mary Road. Continue straight on Lake Mary Road and drive 3.5 miles to a fork just before Lake Mary. Turn left and drive 0.6 mile to the Coldwater Campground turnoff on the left. Turn left and drive 0.9 mile through the camp to the Mammoth Consolidated Gold Mine trailhead at the farthest parking lot.
There are so many day-hiking trails to choose from in the Mammoth Lakes Basin, you could easily visit for two weeks, hike a different trail every day, and not even scratch the surface. With Sierra scenery this lovely and accessible, it’s hard to pick a starting point, so you might as well start from the door of your tent at the popular Coldwater Campground, across the road from Lake Mary.
Not camping? No problem. Noncampers are welcome here too, with plenty of free parking for day visitors at the trailhead. Just make sure you get the “right” trailhead; three different trails lead from Coldwater Campground. You want the one that starts at the sign for the Mammoth Consolidated Gold Mine, 0.2 mile past the Duck Pass trailhead (it’s also signed for Heart Lake).
Both the gold mine and Heart Lake are perched on the slopes of colorful Red Mountain, which was originally called “Gold Mountain” during Mammoth’s first mining boom, which occurred around 1880. Despite the hardships of cold temperatures, deep snow, and frequent avalanches, many miners made and lost their fortunes on Gold Mountain/Red Mountain in the last 130 years.
One of the first Mammoth trails to become snow-free each spring, the Heart Lake Trail is a lovely walk through aspen groves and sagebrush plains to the aptly named heart-shaped lake, but a visit to the fascinating mine structures at the trailhead make this hike into a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. The buildings and mine tunnels of the Mammoth Consolidated Gold Mine aren’t terribly old; most date between 1927 and 1933. The miners’ bunkhouses, cookhouse, assayer’s office, and manager’s office are still standing, as well as the ore-processing mill and parts of the ore-transportation system. The mine was reported to have produced about $100,000 worth of gold, but it is unlikely that was enough to pay the owners’ expenses.
The trail to pretty Heart Lake is one of the first in the Mammoth Lakes area to be snow-free for hiking.
After a self-guided tour of the mine site, head uphill on the signed Heart Lake Trail, gradually ascending the slope of Red Mountain to the basin where Heart Lake is cradled. As you ascend, turn around to enjoy panoramic views of Mammoth Mountain and the jagged Minaret Range. Once you arrive at the small lake, determine the best spot to discern its heart-like shape, then pull a sandwich out of your pack and savor this beautiful place. Some hikers bring along their fishing rods for this trip, and if you do, you might catch a trout or two.
Several other trails lead from Coldwater Campground. During wildflower season (usually late July), the 3.6-mile round-trip to Emerald Lake and Sky Meadows is highly recommended. The trailhead is found on the opposite side of the campground loop.
