🏞️ Fishing Rae Lakes – Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park
Discover alpine fishing, stunning scenery, and backcountry access via Onion Valley and Roads End
The Rae Lakes basin is one of the Sierra Nevada’s most breathtaking high-alpine landscapes — a series of clear, glacial lakes set deep below towering peaks in Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park. While most visitors know it for backpacking and scenery, fishing here can be exceptional if you’re prepared for a backcountry adventure.
🎣 What to Expect Fishing at Rae Lakes
Rae Lakes (and nearby alpine tarns) offer opportunities to catch native rainbow trout and other cold-water species. Fishing here is naturally wild — no stocking — and is governed by California fishing regulations, so make sure you have a valid California fishing license and practice Leave No Trace.
Because these waters sit high in the Sierra (often above 10,000 ft), fishing typically peaks in late summer through early fall once snow has melted and access trails are clear.
🚶♂️ Access via Onion Valley Trailhead (Eastern Sierra)
One of the classic routes into Rae Lakes comes from the Onion Valley Trailhead, located near Independence, CA. From here, anglers and hikers follow the Kearsarge Pass Trail, climbing steadily up to Kearsarge Pass at about ~11,700 ft before descending toward Rae Lakes.
- Trail Length: ~12–15 miles one-way to the lakes
- Elevation Gain: ~4,500 ft+
- Permits: Required for overnight stays above the pass — secure a wilderness permit through recreation.gov.
- Trail Highlights: Kearsarge Lakes, Bullfrog Lake, Charlotte Lake, and eventually the Rae Lakes basin.
This route is challenging but scenic: expect scree slopes, wildflower meadows, and cresting above treeline. If you time it right, Bullfrog Lake and nearby ponds can hold trout on the eastern side of the pass before you reach Rae Lakes proper.
Because of the climb and altitude, many anglers treat this as a multi-day backpacking trip — camping at intermediate lakes before fishing the Rae Lakes.
🚙 Access via Roads End Trailhead (Western Sierra)
The Roads End Trailhead at Cedar Grove in Kings Canyon is the traditional start for the Rae Lakes Loop, a roughly 41-mile backpacking route that circles through Paradise Valley, the Woods Creek Canyon, and the Rae Lakes basin before returning to Roads End.
From this trailhead:
- Distance to Rae Lakes: ~22–24 miles with several thousand feet of climbing
- Permit: Wilderness permits required and issued at the Road’s End permit station
- Scenery: Deep canyon sections, rivers, granite walls, multiple sub-alpine lakes
This western approach is longer but offers tremendous variety, including great vantage points along the way and multiple lakes that are fishable even before reaching Rae Lakes themselves.
🧭 Tips for Fishing Rae Lakes
Permits & Park Rules:
Wilderness permits are required for overnight trips into the backcountry. From Roads End, you’ll pick up your permit at the permit station; from Onion Valley, permit details are handled via recreation.gov.
Gear Considerations:
- Lightweight spinning or ultralight tackle is often ideal for alpine fishing.
- Cold-water flies and small spinners work well for Sierra trout.
- High elevation and exposure can make weather changeable — pack layers and rain gear.
BUTTON TO MY GEAR SITE
Leave No Trace:
These alpine lakes and meadows are fragile ecosystems. Pack out all trash, fish responsibly, and camp away from lakeshores to protect habitat.