The hook
An alpine lake scattered with rocky islets sits under Banner Peak, and it's the reflection Ansel Adams made famous.
01Why it's worth it
Thousand Island Lake lies at the foot of Banner Peak in the Ansel Adams Wilderness, a long shallow lake strewn with islets that catch the peak's reflection at first light, one of the most photographed scenes in the Sierra and one Ansel Adams shot again and again. It's the source of the Middle Fork of the San Joaquin, and it sits on the John Muir and Pacific Crest trails, so JMT hikers pass right through and everyone else earns it: about nine miles in from Agnew Meadows near Mammoth, doable as a very long day but far better as an overnight, with Garnet Lake and the other Ritter Range lakes strung nearby. Be there at sunrise when Banner Peak burns orange over the water and you'll understand why people carry a pack this far for a lake.
02How to experience it
The trailhead is at Agnew Meadows off the Mammoth and Reds Meadow road, about five and a half hours from the Bay, and the road runs a mandatory shuttle in peak season. A wilderness permit is required. The High Trail in and the River or Shadow Creek trail out makes a loop of roughly sixteen to twenty miles; go for an overnight and shoot the peak at first light. It combines naturally with the Devils Postpile and the Mammoth-area pins.