Ansel Adams Wilderness · Eastern Sierra
Thousand Island Lake
Rush Creek Trail · Fri Jun 19 – Sun Jun 21, 2026
The plan: drive up Friday and park at the Rush Creek Trailhead at Silver Lake, then hike ~7 miles in to Thousand Island Lake and set camp for the night. Fish the lake at dusk and dawn. We carry all the food we need — anything we catch is a bonus.
crew Tony · Shelden · Matthew
tap a name for their experience · rated out of 10 · still rough, edit freely
Matthewsoccer (CDM) with Tony & Shelden
Not rated yet — Matthew, drop your numbers in. What we know: he plays soccer as a defensive mid, so there's a real aerobic base to build on.
Sheldenmarathoner · endurance athlete · soccer · did Half Dome
Tonyorganizer · explosive sprinter (~190 lb) · weak aerobic base · new to fishing
At a Glance
- starts
- Fri Jun 19 — leave SF, drive up, car camp to acclimate (Juneteenth)
- hike in
- Sat Jun 20 — ~7 mi & ~3,000 ft up to the lake
- hike out
- Sun Jun 21 — dawn fish, then ~7 mi down + drive home
- length
- 3 days · 1 night at the lake (+ Fri car camp)
- distance
- ~14 mi · out & back
- total climb
- ~3,884 ft · lake sits at 9,840 ft
- trailhead
- Rush Creek · Silver Lake, June Lake CA (~7,200 ft)
- permit
- #0859608163-1 · Rush Creek · entry Sat Jun 20 · 5 spots
- fishing
- rainbow & brook trout · best at dawn & dusk
The Climb7,200 → 9,840 ft
Getting There~5 hr from SF
-Drive — SF → Rush Creek TH, ~5 hr via I-580 E → CA-120 E → US-395 N
!Friday night — car camp near the trailhead (~7,200 ft) to acclimate; reserve a site on recreation.gov ASAP
-Park — Rush Creek Trailhead lot at Silver Lake (June Lake Loop / Hwy 158); use the overnight backpacker parking. Empty the car of all food and scented items — it's bear country.
-Then hike in — ~7 mi up Rush Creek to Thousand Island Lake; make camp at the lake (300+ ft back from the outlet, per regs).
The Trail — Rush Creek → Thousand Island Lake
~14 mi round trip · 3,884 ft gain · Ansel Adams Wilderness
View on AllTrails →
Trailhead
Rush Creek TH · Silver Lake, June Lake CA
Drive from SF
I-580 E → CA-120 E → US-395 N
At the Lakewhat people do here
It's one of the most popular overnight spots in the Ansel Adams Wilderness — a dozen-odd camps spread around the shore, but it stays quiet day and night. Sitting under Banner Peak and Mt. Ritter, half the appeal is just being there. With one night, here's the realistic menu:
-Catch the sunrise — the signature thing; light on Banner Peak with the islands mirrored in the water. Worth the early alarm even on a short trip.
-Swim — people swim here on warm summer afternoons; mid-June will be brisk (fresh ice-off), but a quick dip's on the table.
-Fish dusk & dawn — trout at the inlet and outlet. See the fishing guide.
-Short wander — if there's energy after camp, poke toward Emerald & Ruby Lakes or up toward Island Pass for the views.
-Photos & do nothing — it's a Sierra classic for a reason. Sit, eat, take it in.
If you ever come back for two nights: the big layover day-hikes open up — Garnet Lake, Ediza Lake, and Lake Catherine (a deep-blue lake with a glacier under Banner Peak). Many people also string it into the ~25 mi Ediza–Thousand Island loop over 3 days, out on the PCT and back on the JMT.
Where You Can Campenforced · Forest Order 05-04-50-25-02
Thousand Island Lake has enforced camping restrictions (Inyo Forest Order 05-04-50-25-02, in effect through June 18, 2027). It's not a closure — you can camp, just not on the shoreline or near the outlet. Plan a legal spot before you arrive; don't count on a lakeside site.
!No camping within 100 ft — of any lakeshore, stream, or trail
!No camping within ¼ mile of the outlet — the NE end where the lake drains toward Rush Creek / the JMT
›So camp — on the benches set back from the water and away from the outlet; there's good legal ground on the south & west side.
It's enforceable. Violations carry fines up to $5,000. Read the full Forest Order + Exhibit A, or the alert page. When in doubt, ask the ranger when you sort the permit.
Difficultyoverall: moderate
vs Half Domeyour benchmark day
Half DomeThis trip · day 1
distance~15 mi round trip~7 mi to camp
climb~4,800 ft~3,000 ft
on foot~10–12 hr~5–7 hr
packdaypack + 3 L waterfull pack ~30 lb
exposurecables, big dropnone
tops out~8,800 ft~9,840 ft
›The verdict. Shelden and Tony did Half Dome and were fine, so the engine's there. Matthew's the unknown to check. This is shorter, less climbing, and has no cables.
!What's new. A full overnight pack (~30 lb) vs the daypack + 3 L you carried on Half Dome, and sleeping higher. You've hauled weight before — this is just more of it, so a loaded training hike or two will dial it in.
›Matthew — the one who wasn't on that Half Dome day, so worth a quick check on his fitness and pack weight so the group paces together.
Itinerary
Fri 19Drive up + acclimate. Leave SF, ~5 hr up US-395. Car camp near the trailhead (~7,200 ft) to sleep at altitude. — Juneteenth
Sat 20Hike in + fish. ~7 mi and ~3,000 ft up past Agnew & Gem Lakes; rest at Clark Lakes (~5 mi). Set camp at the lake, then fish the evening bite under Banner Peak.
Sun 21Dawn fish + hike out. Fish the morning bite, slow breakfast, break camp, ~7 mi back down to the car, then the drive home to SF.
What to Bringtarget ~30 lb packs
Backpacking · Shared — split the load
!Bear canister(s) — required · Matthew · make it a large one (3 ppl + MREs + scented items)
!Stove + fuel + pot — still open · Tony or Shelden?
-Tents — sorted · everyone brings their own (one each)
-Water filter — Matthew · still need backup tablets
-First-aid + repair kit — still open · tape, blister care
-Matthew also brings — coffee, foil, shovel, cleaning wipes, extra MREs, hackysack
Backpacking · Each Person
-Backpack — 50–65 L
-Sleeping bag — 25–30°F
-Sleeping pad
-Water capacity — ~3 L, bottles/reservoir
-Rain jacket — afternoon storms
-Warm layers — fleece/puffy, gloves, hat
-Trekking poles — strongly recommended
-Headlamp
-Sun kit — SPF 50+, sunglasses, hat
-Bug spray + head net — June mosquitoes are brutal
-Offline maps — Gaia / AllTrails
-2 days food — Sat lunch/dinner, Sun breakfast + snacks
-Vision + meds — contacts/glasses, any prescriptions
-Altitude meds (optional) — want Diamox? get your own script from a doctor; don't share Matthew's
Tony — Ortho-K kit. You sleep in them, so two nights (Fri + Sat) means: lens case + enough solution for both nights, and backup glasses — if a lens is lost or your eye gets irritated, the correction fades within a day and you'll want them to hike out. Bring hand sanitizer/wipes and clean your hands before putting them in or taking them out — backcountry grime is an infection risk. And never rinse the lenses with lake or stream water (acanthamoeba) — solution only.
Car Camping · Friday Night — stays at the car
-Cooler — Fri dinner, Sat breakfast, cold drinks
-Camp chairs
-Lantern
-Extra water jugs — top off before the hike
-Pillow + extra blanket
-Trash bags — pack it all out
Fishing
!CA license — one per person · wildlife.ca.gov
-Rod — ultralight collapsible (4–6 ft) · share a couple
-Line — 4–6 lb monofilament
-Spinners — Rooster Tail, Panther Martin
-Flies — Elk Hair Caddis, Adams, Pheasant Tail
-Net, pliers, hooks — size 10–14
-Olive oil + garlic — to cook the catch
FishingJune is prime
We pack every meal we need, so a fish is a bonus, not the plan — but June here is excellent, so come ready.
›Rainbow trout — primary target, up to 24"
›Brook trout — common, smaller fish
›Cutthroat trout — rarer, trophy fish
Season & Rules
-June is prime. Ice is melting off, fish are aggressive post-winter and feeding hard. Rainbows of 15–24" reported here.
!CA fishing license required. wildlife.ca.gov (~$17/day or $52/yr). Limit up to 5 trout/day. Confirm 2026 regs — may be artificial lures only (no bait).
Best Spots
-Inlet + outlet — where the biggest fish hold
-Around the islands — cast the rocky edges
-Rocky points — trout hold in structure
-Clark Lakes — bonus fishing on the hike in (~5 mi), good for brook trout
Best Times
-Dawn 6–8am — best bite, fish near the surface
-Midday — slower, fish go deep; good for exploring
-Dusk 6–8pm — second peak, great dry-fly action
Know Before You Go
!Altitude. You sleep at ~9,840 ft — a big jump from sea level. Friday at the trailhead helps, but the second jump is large: go slow, drink 4+ L/day, skip alcohol night one, ibuprofen for headaches. If a headache gets worse or comes with nausea or dizziness, stop and descend.
!Permit leader. Permit is under Ningyu Gao for 5. The leader (or a named alternate) must be present at pickup and alternates can't be added later — sort who's carrying it before printing opens June 13.
!No campfires — above 10,000 ft. Cook on a stove.
!No cell service — download offline maps before you leave. Leave a trip plan with someone at home.
!Conditions. Bear country; snow possible in June at elevation. Check the forecast and trail report the week of.
Before the Triptap to check
[ ]Sort the permit leader — call Inyo NF, 760-873-2526
[ ]Reserve the Friday campsite — recreation.gov
[ ]Buy CA fishing licenses — wildlife.ca.gov
[ ]Rent / pack a bear canister
[ ]Download offline maps — Gaia or AllTrails
[ ]Split group gear + food
[ ]Pack Ortho-K kit — solution for 2 nights, case, backup glasses, hand sanitizer
TONYTRIPS.COM
see you on the trail ●