My Birthday Weekend Getaway on the June Lake Loop

There’s something magical about a June Lake Loop weekend getaway—especially when it’s timed with the first warm days of summer in California’s Eastern Sierra. Nestled along the scenic June Lake Loop off Highway 395, this alpine escape is all about glassy lakes, rugged mountain trails, and a welcoming small-town vibe.

From a snowy birthday hike on the Mount Dana trail to lazy afternoons at June Lake Beach and evenings at the local brewery, this trip had the perfect mix of adventure and relaxation. Here’s how my birthday weekend in June Lake Loop unfolded, and why it’s one of my favorite traditions.

If you’re curious about planning your own trip, I’ve also put together a detailed June Lake Loop itinerary with hiking recommendations, scenic stops, and tips for navigating Highway 395.

Day 1 – Kicking Off the June Lake Loop Weekend Getaway

As so many times before, this June baby loves to spend her birthday in June Lake. The Eastern Sierras have been one of our favorite playgrounds for years, with a special big love for June Lake—just a little quaint, beautiful community with lakes, trails, mountains, and the famous June Lake Brewing (JLB). Not really famous, lol, only to locals and frequent visitors.

Leaving LA Early

We left early Friday morning from LA. Really early—like 5 AM. Beat the traffic and get the most out of the first travel day. Long drives are great for podcasts, and that turned our travel into interesting learning sessions on various different topics.

First Stop: Lone Pine

Our first stop was Lone Pine, three hours in, just in time for breakfast. Love the omelets at Lone Pine Café, but pretty much you can’t go wrong—they have a pretty delicious menu.

Bishop Bookstore & Coffee

The next stop for us is always the bookstore in Bishop. We like to check out bookstores wherever we go, and Spellbinder Books is one of our regular stops. Always find a book or two and happy to support local businesses along the way. The bookstore has a restaurant/café adjacent to it; if Lone Pine is too early to stop, we’ll have our coffee and breakfast here or at the Looney Bean Café—YUM.

Stretching Our Legs at Convict Lake

Next stop was Convict Lake. After a few hours of driving, going on 4–5 now, it’s nice to get out and walk the trail around Convict Lake. Easy trail, mostly flat, some water crossings, but mostly just beautiful views of the lake and the mountains around.

Convict Lake Campground is also amazing, and we stay there a lot as well—especially since they have a lot of first-come, first-served campsites. When we travel early on Friday, we can usually secure a place there. (Another campground we like a lot is McGee Creek, across from Crowley Lake.) This time we were staying in Silver Lake Campground, all the way up in the June Lake Loop.

Arriving at Silver Lake Campground

We did our morning walk around Convict Lake and continued all the way to June Lake, where we were going to stay for the next three nights. Our campsite in Silver Lake Campground was beautiful as always—nestled in a valley surrounded by snowy mountains and the sound of the waterfall, with the beautiful Silver Lake bordering the camp.

Love just walking around the camp, a big loop leading to the beautiful lake. Always a great option with the morning coffee—just walk all the way to the boat launch to see the sunrise or sunset, or just for fun. Love walking, so it’s a great bonus to have a beautiful walking loop right at your camp.

And that’s pretty much what we did on that first Friday we arrived. Just parked our camper, set up our stuff, and went for a nice walk to the gorgeous lake. When the sun came down, we enjoyed some downtime in the camper, made dinner, and read books until our eyes closed.

Day 2 – Birthday Hike in Yosemite’s High Country

Day two, we woke up early in the morning, made some coffee, and got ready for our planned birthday hike—Mount Dana Peak. We’d never done it before or even heard about it. A sweet young man in the Visitor Center in Lone Pine told us all about it. He described it as his favorite hike, and with so much excitement that we immediately knew we needed to give it a try. Maybe not all the way to the peak—supposedly a very challenging hike, especially with a lot of snow still on the ground—but at least attempt to get as far as we could.

The location was perfect as well, right at the Yosemite entrance. Tioga Pass had just opened for the summer and we were super excited to get up there.

Stopping at the Whoa Nellie Deli

On the way, we of course made a stop at the Mobile Station, a great place to fill up on water, use the bathroom, buy snacks at the store, and just hang out at the grassy picnic tables area while we got our stuff ready for the hike. The Mobile store also has a great restaurant where we like to grab early dinners when we are in the area. Their fish tacos are my favorite and the wine is beautifully priced.

Snowy Trail & Stunning Views

Got to the trail, grabbed our day packs, and started climbing. A lot of snow on the ground made the trail hard to follow. We downloaded a route map from the AllTrails app and that helped us somewhat stay close enough to the trail, even when we had to detour around obstacles.

The weather was perfect. The sun came out, no wind, and beautiful clouds in the sky. It was a brutal ascent on very difficult terrain—sharp loose rocks, long stretches of snow, and lots of winter debris.

The views were amazing and it was absolutely a glorious hike! We were so happy to have found it, and I was so happy to embark on a brand-new hike on my birthday—the best birthday gift.

We climbed for about three hours and then started on the very harsh, difficult road back down. We might try and summit one day, but on that first go we decided to just go halfway.

The conditions did not feel fully safe, and we did not plan ahead for an extreme adventure. My recommendation would be to definitely give this trail a go no matter how far. It’s beautiful, challenging, and super fun. So grateful to have found out about it. Mount Dana! Happy birthday to me.

Yosemite Bonus: Olmsted Point

Got back in the camper and drove all the way to Olmsted Point before turning around and coming back down to June Lake. It was fun to spend most of the day in Yosemite. It’s so close to June Lake, the road was open, and there was no need for reservations to get in the park—a no-brainer. Never miss a chance.

Evenings at June Lake Brewing

Back in June Lake, we headed straight to the brewery. After all, it’s been our favorite place to eat and drink since the first time we discovered June Lake. We’ve been loyal customers since. Good food, good beers, good crowds, and crazy music. Always vibing positive. Super special place you must try if you are ever in the area.

Tummies full and heads buzzing, we got back to camp and settled down for our second night in the camper. Couldn’t wait to pass out into dreamland—something about the sound of the waterfall gave me the most lucid dreams.

Day 3 – Beach Time, Local Trails & Farewell

Morning Hike to Yost Lake

We started the day with a little hike to Yost Lake (not so little and a pretty steep uphill). And then continued to the beach where we spent the afternoon. It started raining, as it often does without warning in the Eastern Sierra.

Relaxing at June Lake Beach

On our last day, we really wanted to spend some time on June Lake Beach. We love just sitting on the beach in our little chairs and reading books, laying down in the sun, and even going in the water if the weather is warm enough.

The beach is usually very busy with lots of people and families having a good time—picnicking, swimming, paddleboarding, blow-up boats, and just splashing around.

We popped our camper in the parking lot overlooking the beach and took a little nap until the sun came out again.

One Last Brewery Stop & Sunset Walk

After a few hours at the beach, we went back to the brewery for a late lunch/early dinner. Really enjoyed my fish burrito. The food trailer at the brewery is really good, and so far everything I’ve tried has been delicious. Back to camp for our sunset walk and wind-down.

Day 4: One Last Sunrise & Heading Home

The next morning was time to pack up and start the journey back home. We made it to Bishop just in time for a good coffee and breakfast at the Looney Bean, then drove the long road back to LA—already dreaming about our next June Lake weekend getaway.

Planning your own trip? Check out my detailed June Lake Loop itinerary for tips, hikes, and the best stops along Highway 395.