I love backpacking. My favorite place to go is North Lake out of Bishop. The hiking starts about a mile before the trailhead as there is a pricey campground at the trailhead. Once on the trail, the first few miles are shaded by trees. As you ascend above the treeline, you get to see waterfalls everywhere. There are some going down the mountains on both sides and some along Bishop Creek, which the trail follows. During the fall, it's like Yosemite without the crowds. Before you get to the first lake, Lock Leven, you travel up granite stairs with a large waterfall to your left which is between granite walls on each side of it.
When you get above the granite stairs, there is a nice pool of water fed by a waterfall coming out of Lock Leven. It's about halfway up to Piute Pass. This pool is a great place to soak your feet as the water is cold and eliminates hotspots so you don't get blisters. It is also surrounded by granite so you stay clean going in and coming out and don't end up with pebbles in your shoes. After Lock Leven, there is a group of campsites to the right before the next lake. The trail follows lake after lake until Piute Pass which is above 11,000 feet.
From the pass, you can see lakes for miles. There is a trail that follows them down quite aways but there is little shelter from the wind, rain, or lightening going down that trail. It's better to go left toward Muriel Lake which is a mile or two away and has some trees. At the far end of Muriel lake, there is an awesome campsite. It has a view of all the lakes for at least five or six miles to the west. A couple hundred feet to the east is Muriel Lake. To the north a couple hundred feet, there is a stream with some small waterfalls that is a good place to get water. There is a large boulder nearby propped up by rocks around it that provides shelter for your pack, and maybe you if the weather gets too bad. There are trails around the lake and some mountains that you can climb. With some climbing, you get views of hidden lakes.
Then you travel back to the pass to follow the trail farther down. Take a left at the pass. You have a trail that slowly travels downhill for 7 miles to Hutchinson Meadows. About two or three miles down this trail, there is a stream that crosses the trail and comes from Desolation Lake, the only water source on the trail before the destination of Hutchinson Meadows. The hike is an easy one since you gradually descent the entire way, but it's the length that will wear you out. It's an all day hike with few, if any good campsites along the way. Shortly before Hutchinson Meadows is the first good camp spot at Lower Boyscout Lake. Shortly before the meadows, there is a fence and a short log passageway that works to keep animals in or out. You may have to take your pack off to get through it.
After the passageway is Hutchinson Meadows. It's along the San Joquin River(I think I spelled that wrong). It is the first place along the trail that a large tent would fit, so you won't want to carry anything larger than a two or three man tent to get there. It is the first place that allows campfires. It is close (5-10 miles away) to the John Muir Trail. This area is sheltered from the wind by trees and mountains. From here, you can go back the way you came, follow the John Muir Trail for a while and come out at South Lake (a 50+ mile "loop" -it doesn't take you back to the trailhead), Come out at Florence Lake on the east side of the Sierras, or take the John Muir Trail north or south (to Yosemite or Mt. Whitney). This is near the center of the Sierras and the trails north and south are pretty flat and easy to hike.
If you hike this trail, plan for rain and possibly hail as thunderstorms are very common. Ponchos and spare dry clothes can be lifesavers. Also, bring bug repellent. With so many lakes, mosquitoes hard to avoid. You may want earplugs as well. During thunderstorms at Muriel Lake, the lake basins act as an echo chamber. If lightening strikes the surrounding mountains (which are within a mile away), the echoes last until after the next boom of thunder so it never stops. The higher treeless areas leave you more exposed to the weather, but it's in these places where you see the most awesome views.
