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Little Lakes Valley Trail to Morgan Pass
Trail Running Route
Hard
7.15 mi
1,284 ft
An easy run through a stunning glacier-carved valley.
"A hike of Little Lakes Valley via Mosquito Flat makes for a quintessential Eastern Sierra outdoor experience,” writes Drew Robinson [on ]( In addition to hiking, the mellow grade and stunning scenery makes this trail ideal for an easy, scenic trail run too!
This out-and-back route passes a plethora of alpine lakes with numerous options for additional side options to even _more_ lakes. The trail runs up the bottom of a glacier-carved valley and is ringed on all sides by gorgeous mountain peaks. Most notably, Mount Morgan towers overhead at 13,760 feet, Mount Starr at 12,835 feet, and the 13,730-foot Bear Creek Spire sits at the far end of the valley.
At 7 miles long, this run may seem lengthy to the uninitiated, but with a mere 1,200 feet of elevation gain, it’s actually very achievable for less fit runners. And since the route is an out-and-back, you can always choose when you turn around. If you’ve only run two miles in and you’re ready to turn around, that’s totally fine, because you’ll already have enjoyed some truly incredible views!
The route as mapped here turns around at the top of the low Morgan Pass, but you can choose to continue over the top of the pass to tack on more miles… and reach even more lakes.
The trail tread itself consists “mostly [of singletrack] with rocky patches and gradual elevation gain,” according to Robinson.
Sources:
Written by Greg Heil
"A hike of Little Lakes Valley via Mosquito Flat makes for a quintessential Eastern Sierra outdoor experience,” writes Drew Robinson [on ]( In addition to hiking, the mellow grade and stunning scenery makes this trail ideal for an easy, scenic trail run too!
This out-and-back route passes a plethora of alpine lakes with numerous options for additional side options to even _more_ lakes. The trail runs up the bottom of a glacier-carved valley and is ringed on all sides by gorgeous mountain peaks. Most notably, Mount Morgan towers overhead at 13,760 feet, Mount Starr at 12,835 feet, and the 13,730-foot Bear Creek Spire sits at the far end of the valley.
At 7 miles long, this run may seem lengthy to the uninitiated, but with a mere 1,200 feet of elevation gain, it’s actually very achievable for less fit runners. And since the route is an out-and-back, you can always choose when you turn around. If you’ve only run two miles in and you’re ready to turn around, that’s totally fine, because you’ll already have enjoyed some truly incredible views!
The route as mapped here turns around at the top of the low Morgan Pass, but you can choose to continue over the top of the pass to tack on more miles… and reach even more lakes.
The trail tread itself consists “mostly [of singletrack] with rocky patches and gradual elevation gain,” according to Robinson.
Sources:
Written by Greg Heil
Created By
Strava Routes
Route and Elevation
Segments
| Name | Distance | Elev. Diff. | Avg. Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long lake | 2.09 mi | 285 ft | 2.6% |
| Mosquito to Morgan Pass | 3.84 mi | 820 ft | 4.0% |
| Morgan Pass | 3.57 mi | 830 ft | 4.4% |
| Little Lakes Valley Trail Climb | 0.36 mi | 167 ft | 7.0% |
| Morgan And Back | 6.83 mi | -791 ft | -0.0% |
| Little Lakes Valley Trail Climb | 0.29 mi | 144 ft | 9.2% |
| Unnamed Rd Climb | 1.30 mi | 522 ft | 7.6% |
| Gem lake to Mosquito Flat | 3.25 mi | -610 ft | -3.6% |