June Lake Loop

Today we went to see three parks just off US-395 on a loop that runs around three lakes (one of which is called June Lake.)  Each lake has an RV park located on it for us to see with the benefit of driving along the edge of each of the lakes.  This area is slightly north of the Mammoth Lakes cutoff from US-395 and the trip is another astounding view of mountains mixed in with waterfalls and lake views. There is even a cafe in the middle of the trip where we find a lunch that is delicious (and healthy) with a view of Silver Lake.  The rain storms of the previous night have cleared in the early morning as we leave for our day's trip.

June Lake is the first stop and the park has a large area on the slope of a hill looking down over the lake and a launch area.  The park is busy and we find our sources of information in the well stocked store with multitudes of gift items that draw my eye, each claiming its own audience and tempting for a longer view. Though they are busy, the two camp hosts who assist us are great.  I learn one of them lives there year round in a 23 foot camper and has done so for 19 years!  He claims the county reliably plows them out in the winter and he doesn't mind the snow.  He is every bit of our age and shares this life with his wife. We drive the park with spaces tucked in between the trees and see lots of folks of all ages enjoying the outdoors.  There is no cell phone nor WiFi here which encourages everyone to step away from their electronic gadgets and enjoy the views and nature.  The joy of being a child in the woods like this (as I was raised) stirs within me and I long to linger here and play while pretending to merely be an old lady taking photos.  Well, maybe the two are intertwined.

We continue around June Lake and see the mountains we had viewed from the last RV park.  There is a bit of a town here and several vacation homes have claimed their space and views along the road.  We pass a huge rock at the beginning of town that looks as if God placed it there with His very own fingers and it measures twice the height of our car and at least the length.  While we have seen many of these boulders, this one's proximity to the road is awe inspiring and humbling at the same time when you consider the forces that moved it there and so carefully balanced it.

There is still snow melting here from small patches scattered about the slopes of the surrounding mountains.  Water is finding its way down to the lake and collecting into a waterfall effect in one spot we pass.  Waterfalls draw us to them with a desire to capture the action of the falling water, freezing it in our frame and hoping to capture its mesmerizing effect.  Due to its distance from our car, there is no sound but further down the road we see its end result as a stream gurgles over rocks into Silver Lake.

The resort at Silver Lake is gorgeous with cabins, RV sites and another great store.  The amenities are immaculate and it is a pleasure to review them aided by the very friendly staff and owner.  I mentally check off this location as a place to consider staying on next year's trip.  We see a woman walking to the lake to swim and a boy with his Dad heading is the same direction to fish.  There is kayaking or hiking for those too timid to climb into the water.  Again with no electronic gadgets, we find ourselves entertained by the scenery and people around us and I wonder why anyone would want to live in the masses of humanity ever again.

Further down the road the scenery returns to a more barren and desert look at Grant Lake which is decidedly lowered by the lack of rain.  Here there is no electricity in the RV park.  Boaters do seem to find the water enticing and several are fiddling with their boats along the dock or out in the lake.  This park is not my cup of tea, but to others the water and marina outweigh any alternative considerations.

I leave you with a cone filled willow branch chair from the Silver Lake Resort...