Lower Rock Creek, California
Introduction
Facts
Virtual Guide Journal
This is a wonderful Golden Trout stream. Reaching this stream on foot will take you two days, unless you
are a super stud. You can hire a packer to taxi you in, but unless you’re a senior citizen your friends will
justifiably call you a sissy. Anyway, to get to Rock Creek take California’s Highway 395 to Lone Pine and
head up into the Alabama Hills toward Whitney Portal.
Before too long you will reach Horseshoe Meadows Road. Go left (south) and drive up to Horseshoe
Meadows, which is where theCottonwood Lakes trail head is located. From this trail head hike west to
Cottonwood Pass. After dropping over the pass you will go by Chicken Spring Lake. This is a good place to
camp. Another 9 miles down the trail is Rock Creek. The trail will cross right over it. Where the trail crosses
the creek is a great camping area. Fish up and down from that point.
are a super stud. You can hire a packer to taxi you in, but unless you’re a senior citizen your friends will
justifiably call you a sissy. Anyway, to get to Rock Creek take California’s Highway 395 to Lone Pine and
head up into the Alabama Hills toward Whitney Portal.
Before too long you will reach Horseshoe Meadows Road. Go left (south) and drive up to Horseshoe
Meadows, which is where theCottonwood Lakes trail head is located. From this trail head hike west to
Cottonwood Pass. After dropping over the pass you will go by Chicken Spring Lake. This is a good place to
camp. Another 9 miles down the trail is Rock Creek. The trail will cross right over it. Where the trail crosses
the creek is a great camping area. Fish up and down from that point.
This is Golden Trout fishing at its best. What a wonderful Golden Trout stream this is. Tie on a couple dry
flies and you will lose count of how many fish you have caught after a couple hours. Most of the fish are
small, but you might pull a fat 10+ inch fish to hand several times per day.
Be mindful that this creek runs west off the peaks surrounding New Army Pass, which can also be reached
from the Cottonwood Lakes trail head at Horseshoe meadows. The upper reaches of Rock Creek will blow
your mind. It’s beauty is barely describable. You will have a hard time watching your fly because the
surroundings are so wondrous.
flies and you will lose count of how many fish you have caught after a couple hours. Most of the fish are
small, but you might pull a fat 10+ inch fish to hand several times per day.
Be mindful that this creek runs west off the peaks surrounding New Army Pass, which can also be reached
from the Cottonwood Lakes trail head at Horseshoe meadows. The upper reaches of Rock Creek will blow
your mind. It’s beauty is barely describable. You will have a hard time watching your fly because the
surroundings are so wondrous.
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