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Spend a week in the High Sierra chasing California’s rare golden trout. This pack-supported, guided excursion combines expert fly instruction, remote alpine lakes, and conservation-minded angling.
Spend a week in the High Sierra chasing California’s rare golden trout. This pack-supported, guided excursion combines expert fly instruction, remote alpine lakes, and conservation-minded angling.
Book with McGee Creek Pack Station
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Operated by McGee Creek Pack Station · Crowley Lake, California
Golden Trout Fishing Excursion is a seven-day, pack-supported backcountry fishing trip in the High Sierra near Crowley Lake, California, United States. Guides lead anglers into remote alpine lakes and streams where the rare California golden trout awaits against a backdrop of granite ridges, glacially carved basins, and subalpine meadows. This trip centers on focused fly fishing for the state’s native golden trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss aguabonita) and blends technical angling with simple, comfortable wilderness camps. Each day begins with a pre-dawn hike to glassy high lakes ringed by lichen-scattered granite and stands of whitebark pine. Guides hold brief casting clinics on shore before you wade quiet water to present attractors to wary trout. Afternoon glass-offs can reveal ribbon-like trout slashing emerging mayflies. Nights are spent at tent camps where gear is packed in by stock—expect warm meals, a wood-smoke tang where permitted, and conversations about water, weather, and tactics under an expansive dark-sky canopy. Key features include steep granite walls, alpine cirques, meadow-fringed trout streams, and selective populations of golden trout that display coppery flanks and bright red lateral bands. Vegetation shifts from sage and bitterbrush at lower elevations near Crowley Lake to mountain hemlock and alpine wildflowers at the fishing elevations. The golden trout is California’s state freshwater fish and recovering populations here are prized by conservation-minded anglers. This excursion stands out because it combines expert guiding with true remoteness; angling access requires pack support and several miles of cross-country travel that screens out day-trip crowds. That solitude yields encounters with wildlife—marmots on talus slopes and peregrine falcons scouting canyons—alongside the rare chance to target a trout species native to these high basins. Practical notes: the trip is best for anglers comfortable with multi-day backcountry travel and fly-casting in variable conditions. Guides supply local knowledge on fly patterns, watercraft etiquette, and camp logistics, but guests should arrive with basic gear and a willingness to wade cold mountain streams. Leave No Trace principles are strictly observed to protect spawning corridors and shoreline vegetation. Logistics include long daylight hiking, altitude gains that can top thousands of feet on approach, and weather that can flip from sun to snow in summer. Participants should plan layered clothing, water purification, and durable wading boots. Permits and seasonal restrictions may apply; guides handle camp placement and permits as required. This is an immersive learning trip—expect instruction on reading water, matching hatch selection, and ethical handling techniques to protect vulnerable trout populations for anglers.
challenging.
7 days.
Participants should be in good cardiovascular shape, accustomed to multi-mile hikes with a loaded pack and repeated wading in cold water.
Basic fly-casting skills are helpful; guides provide daily clinics, but comfort with casting and wading improves your experience.
Guiding, pack-supported camp logistics, meals in camp, and instruction are included; gear like rods, waders, or specific fly patterns may be your responsibility—confirm with the operator.
The posted trip is suitable for ages 12+; younger participants should be physically prepared and accompanied by a guardian.
The itinerary includes miles of cross-country hiking and pack-supported approaches that keep you removed from motorized access and day-tour crowds.
Local regulations and conservation practices vary; follow guide instructions, use barbless hooks when requested, and adhere to any seasonal restrictions.
Acclimatize before arrival, stay hydrated, pace yourself, and communicate symptoms to guides who can modify itinerary or evacuate if needed.
The golden trout is recognized as California’s state freshwater fish, a species long associated with Sierra high basins and angling tradition.
The program emphasizes Leave No Trace, selective handling, and permit compliance to protect spawning corridors and shoreline vegetation for future generations.
McGee Creek Pack Station is a trail ride outfitter based at Crowley Lake, California, offering guided horseback and mule rides that explore McGee Canyon, Horsetail Falls, and nearby scenic areas around Mammoth Lakes. The operation provides a range of ride lengths and experiences including one-hour and two-hour loops, a four-hour half-day ride, and a full seven-hour canyon tour along the historic Baldwin mining road.\n\nRides are offered on horses and mules and are tailored to different skill levels and group types. Family-friendly options include the Beaver Meadow half-day ride, which welcomes riders aged 6 and up. The Horsetail Falls Ride is a two-hour loop to Horsetail Falls and McGee Gorge, while the McGee Creek Loop provides a gentle, panoramic route along McGee Creek and views of the White Mountains. The McGee Canyon Tour covers longer backcountry terrain with lodgepole pines and seasonal wildflowers, and guests are encouraged to bring a packed lunch for the seven-hour excursion.\n\nIn addition to natural-history rides, McGee Creek Pack Station presents a specialty Lone Pine Film Festival Horseback Tour that visits iconic Alabama Hills filming locations accompanied by Western Film Historian Douglas Grieve. All descriptions focus on factual route highlights, scenery, and ride durations to help visitors choose the right trail experience in the Mammoth Lakes and Crowley Lake area.
Book with McGee Creek Pack Station