Inyo National Forest

McGee Creek provides access to the John Muir Wilderness. Travel 32 miles north of Bishop or 8 miles south of the Mammoth turnoff on US 395, then turn west at the McGee Creek exit. Follow this road 4 miles, past the McGee Pack Station to the roads end parking. (8,000')

1. STEELHEAD LAKE - A 10 mile roundtrip. From the parking area, the trail begins as an old jeep trail and soon enters the John Muir Wilderness. The jeep trail is unused and has been reverted to its primitive state., The canyon is mostly Sage and Rabbit Brush covered, but closer to the creek, there are also Black Cottonwood, Water Birch, Copper Birch and Quaking Aspen. The trail follows along McGee Creek. Along here the trail crosses many fords of McGee Creek, and during the early season high water levels are something to watch. The trail then steepens as it turns west through a Lodgepole forest. Soon after, the trail leaves the jeep road at a signed junction and continues to a junction with the Steelhead Lake lateral. (This junction is farther than indicated on the maps. It is where the trail finally returns to creek side.)

The route to Steelhead Lake branches left (east). The trail switchbacks steeply from here up to Grass Lake, then switchbacks up another steep slope to finally reach the north end of Steelhead Lake (10,350'). From Steelhead Lake, one can see Mt. Stanford to the south, Mt. Crocker to the west, and Mt. Baldwin to the north.

2. MCGEE LAKE - A 14 mile round trip. The trip to McGee Lake begins as the trip to Steelhead lake, until the junction with Steelhead lateral. Continue on the main trail here, taking the right branch of the fork. The trail will lead south over a forested and rocky slope, then through meadows and under White Bark Pine, Lodgepole and Mountain Hemlock to the slopes below McGee Lake (10,480').

Nearby, at Little McGee Lake, Crocker Lake and Golden Lake there is good fishing.

Continuing on the trail past McGee Lake will lead you to McGee Pass (11,900' and 9 miles one way from trailhead), and from there to Fish Creek (11.5 miles one way from trailhead), and Lake Edison.