Bottleneck Lake Fishing
Inyo County

Making Your Way to Bottleneck Lake

The trailhead at Lake Sabrina is reached by driving west about 17 miles from Bishop on Highway 395. Parking at Lake Sabrina is found along the highway about a half mile east of the trailhead, not right at the lake. For overnight trips into the John Muir Wilderness, which includes the Sabrina Basin, you will need a wilderness permit, which you can pick up at the ranger station in Lone Pine or Mammoth Lakes.

The trail up from Lake Sabrina is steep, with many swtichbacks. For those not accustomed to high elevation hiking, plan to take it slowly. Carry water. 2½ miles of hiking accompanied by a 1,100-foot climb will deliver you to beautiful Blue Lake, a great place to stop for lunch or to camp. You can fish there for both rainbow and brook trout.

Half way down the shore of Blue Lake, turn onto the Dingleberry Lake trail. It is clearly marked with a sign. The trail rises and drops slightly as it works its way around a rugged canyon, past lower Emerald Lakes, and over a low ridge before dropping to Dingleberry Lake.

As you approach Dingleberry Lake, look across the valley toward the hillside on the north side of the lake. The cross country route to Bottleneck Lake climbs that mountainside and passes through the gap between the two prominent peaks.

Although you could camp at Bottleneck Lake, it is probably better done as a day hike since the climb from Dingleberry is steep. The route should only be attempted by experienced cross-country hikers. Various routes lead up to the gap directing you to Bottleneck. I began at the creek crossing 0.2 miles upstream from Dingleberry and angled across the slope and up, following an obvious tree line leading north. Once high on the slope, I doubled back to the pass. The lowest point is on the left (southwest) side of the pass. Follow an obvious route through the gap and almost immediately find yourself at Bottleneck Lake.

Lodging and Camping

Good backpacking camps can be found all over the Sabrina Basin. At Dingleberry Lake, packers often set up groups at the campsite designated for horse groups immediately upstream from the lake. You will find nice campsites a little farther upstream where the trail crosses the creek. You could also camp at nearby Blue Lake or Emerald Lakes or in many places farther upstream along the creek.

For accommodations near the trailhead, consider Parchers Resort located a few miles away near South Lake. They have cabins with a range of amenities. Down the road a short distance from Lake Sabrina is Cardinal Village Resort with housekeeping cabins.

For complete information about campgrounds near the Sabrina Basin, see

Fishing Supplies

Fishing supplies can be purchased locally at the following places:

• Lake Sabrina Boat Landing
• Cardinal Village Resort Store
• Parchers Resort Store
• Brock's Flyfishing Specialists, Bishop
• Sierra Trout Magnet Fly Shop, Bishop
• High Sierra Tackle, Bishop

High Sierra Trails

Sabrina Basin