Nestled In The Sierra Nevada Is California's Crystal-Clear Lake With Mountain Views And Scenic Alpine Trails

"One of the most beautiful lakes I have ever seen, with a snowy mountain in the background. A spectacular place to relax and take in the views." So reads just one of the many five-star Google reviews for California's Garnet Lake, a spot that seems to inspire awe in pretty much everyone who comes its way — it scores a whopping 4.9 out of 5 on Google overall. It's easy to see the reason for the plaudits: Garnet is a shimmering mass of clear water, haloed by evergreen trees, and cradled below mighty peaks.

The one drawback? Getting here will be no walk in the park, for Garnet Lake sits around 9,680 feet high in the Ansel Adams Wilderness, a rugged region of glacier-carved valleys, twisted mountains, and sweeping pine forests draped over the crest of California's Sierra Nevada. Naturally, that means big views and big adventure as you take to challenging trails and eventually emerge at Garnet Lake to see the summits of the Ritter Range jostling overhead.

Most expeditions to Garnet Lake begin at trailheads on the eastern side of the mountains. To get to them, you'll need to divert around 30 minutes off U.S. Route 395, that scenic high-desert and mountain road trip that skirts this haunch of the Sierra Nevada from top to bottom. The regional Mammoth Yosemite Airport (MMH) is just down the road, though the nearest major international airport is located up in Reno, roughly three and a half hours' drive to the north.

Here's something you should know: The trek up to Garnet Lake is long. With the closest access point located over 8 miles away at Agnew Meadows, just outside of the year-round resort town of Mammoth Lakes, a trip to Garnet Lake is always going to lend itself to backpacking over day hiking. A popular way to conquer the trip is to plan out a loop, encircling not just Garnet Lake, but two other spectacular bodies of water — Shadow Lake and Thousand Island Lake — high in the eastern Sierra Nevada. Expect to cover more than 17 miles and test the hamstrings on a whopping 3,000-foot-plus elevation gain if you go for that.

After leaving Agnew Meadows, hikers ramble alongside a river for a couple of miles before the path diverts westwards, beginning its ascent into the High Sierra in earnest. Shadow Lake will be the first port of call. It's heralded by a handsome waterfall cut into multiple tiers, and then suddenly opens up in a bowl under the hulking summits of the Ritter Range. Pushing on to Garnet Lake means skirting the northern banks and joining the famed John Muir Trail along the way, which zigzags up and over a pass with spectacular panoramas of the jagged Minarets unfolding behind.

This is where you'll get your first glimpse of Garnet Lake itself and begin your descent to the shoreline, where many people set up camp for the night. From there, you can either loop back on the Pacific Crest Trail, or continue on to the refreshing and ethereal waters of Thousand Island Lake to get even more jaw-dropping views before returning toward Agnew Meadows along the River Trail beside the San Joaquin River.

Garnet Lake sits in the heart of the Ansel Adams Wilderness, a vast swath of California's Eastern Sierra that's like a roll call for the most beautiful aspects of the region — mighty granitic summits that top out at over 13,000 feet above sea level, sections of the Pacific Crest Trail, and even glaciers are in attendance here. The upshot? Anyone hiking its 349 miles of marked trails can look forward to some pretty dang spectacular views.

And so it is on the route to Garnet Lake, which includes one of the most stunning sections of the whole John Muir Trail. And then there are the views you get as a backpacker camped beside the lake itself. From here, head on to the precipitous cliffs of striking Banner Peak, a mountain that Summit Post has dubbed "arguably the most picturesque peak in the Sierra Nevada". That lurches up beside Mount Ritter, the pinnacle of its namesake range.

Garnet Lake offers a gorgeous place to take a dip, too, which is no doubt welcome news to those dedicated wild swimmers who've just scrambled to 9,600 feet up into the Sierra Nevada. You can search the northeastern shoreline for mini inlets with dashes of sand and boulders for easy access. Expect cold water — Garnet is fed by snowmelt like so many of the other lakes here.