WILDERNESS PERMITS for our guests are issued from our commercial quota, NOT from the general public quota.

Day 1: Riders head north from the pack station (10,000ft)on the trail that switchbacks above Rock Creek Lake. It’s mostly a level climb through lodgepole pine and fields of lupin and Indian paintbrush. We ride overlooking one of the most magnificent juniper groves in the west. After an hour and a half we have reached the top of the Hilton Creek/Rock Creek divide (10,600ft) overlooking the two lower Hilton Lakes. The descent down takes 30 minutes before we reach Lake #2 (9,900ft).

You’re deep in the heart of the backcountry…the ten Hilton Lakes and the immediate area are a photographer’s paradise. We will be at our lakeside camp on Davis Lake by lunch. The afternoon is free to fish, rest or explore the Davis Lake area. Favorite activities include hiking to the water falls on the west-side peninsula or heading to sand covered beaches for a swim. The hike up the stream to Lake #2 is good for fishing or exploring. Fishing is excellent for brown, rainbow and brook trout.

Days 2 and 3: Layover…days to explore the upper lakes basin. We can head up to Lake # 3. This fifty- minute ride brings us to a sub-alpine lake overlooking the entire Hilton canyon. Excellent fishing for rainbow. Often, we tie the horses up and hike up to the Lake #5, a 30 minute hike. Another hour allows you to visit Lakes #6-#9. Playing in the snowbanks is fun for those that enjoy snow in the heat of summer.

After lunch, we can ride on over to Lake #4 and enjoy the beauty of the meadows and streams near the old Indian camp. Riders generally make it back to camp by 4 pm for a shower or nap in the afternoon sun.

Day 4: In the morning, take an hour to hour and a half ride down Hilton Creek to Turk Meadow. This ride through large aspens, limber pine and Mountain Mahogany brings us to one of the largest meadows on the eastside. The broad canyon is bordered by the red colored 13,000 ft Mt. Morgan contrasting with the snow covered Mt. Huntington to the south. We head back to camp around noon to meet up with those that didn’t take the morning ride. The group rides out to arrive at the pack station by 4 PM.

Fishing is excellent in the Hilton Lakes area. Davis Lake, (Hilton Lake #1) is very large with alternating meadows and lodge pole pine forests surrounding the lake. Lots of nice campsites and fires are allowed. There are nice browns and rainbows in the lake.

The stream between Davis and Lake #2 is generally good in the early part of the summer for the rainbows. Hilton Creek about a 30-minute walk down canyon from Davis Lake is one of my favorite creeks in the mountains. All browns and it is generally quite productive. In early July, Lake #3 has good fishing for the rainbows. Fish can range from 10-15”. For lots of brookies, Lake #4 and the stream coming out of it are fun to fish. Lakes #5, #6 and #7 are accessible from a short walk above Lake #3.

Call us TODAY at 760-872-8331 for a quick response to your questions. You can email us, also. FEES: All Trail Rides and Packing Schools are subject to a 2% USFS fee. Horse Drives are are subject to a 3% USFS fee. Mustang Trips are are subject to a 3% USFS fee. Trips traveling in Yosemite National Park are subject to an additional 3% park use fee. Trips traveling in the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are subject to an additional 3% park use fee. Permits and permit monitoring fees are applied per person for trips. Permits are issued from the commercial allocation. Rock Creek Pack Station, Inc operates under permit on the Inyo National Forest. NOTICE: In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, and reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible State or local Agency that administers the program or USDA?s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information is also available in languages other than English. To file a complaint alleging discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027 , found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html , or at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provided in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (a) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (b) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (c) email:program.intake@usda.gov. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender. Last Updated:November 4, 2024 Copyright © 2005-2024 Rock Creek Pack Station - All Rights Reserved