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Horton Lakes and Mount Tom Trip Report
August 16, 2026 2 min read
The Horton Lake Mine Area
The approach to Horton Lakes and how to get there:
The approach to Horton Lakes and how to get there:
Take 168 West from Bishop. Take a right onto Buttermilk Road and the Buttermilk Loop. Navigate past the Buttermilk bouldering country. Normally, most vehicles can get you the 2 miles past the Buttermilk Boulders to the turn off to 07S101A. Anytime it rains, conditions can change from easy to drive, to washed out, so use good judgement. High-clearance 4WD is mandatory for the final stretch to the wilderness boundary gate once you turn off the Buttermilk Loop Road. Otherwise it is only 1.5 miles on this road so you can park at the junction and hike from there. One time, I took my mountain bike on this section before the trail and hiked up Mt. Tom.
The Hike In: Hike the 4-mile old mining road gaining about 2,000 ft past historic remnants of the Sonny Boy Mine and bubbling stream crossings. Enjoy the creek, the flowers and the views back toward Bishop and the Tablelands.
What to watch for:
Lightning
Mosquitos - depending on what type of year
Altitude - Acclimatize and drink lots of water.
The View From Horton Lakes
The History: The Horton Lakes mining area, is perched in a high-elevation hanging valley. It was a hub for tungsten mining during the mid-20th century. Centered around the Hanging Valley Mine and the nearby 12,000-foot Tungstar Mine, operations flourished during the 1940s and 1950s to supply critical wartime and industrial minerals. Miners braved punishing alpine conditions, utilizing steep roads, heavy bulldozers, and wooden aerial tramways to transport the valuable ore down Mount Tom. Today, the abandoned site is where protected relics, including historic cabins, rusted machinery, and tram towers, remain preserved along the trail.
Mount Tom Summit Push
If your feeling strong hike up the steep switchbacks and enter a desolate, Mars-like glacial valley framed by Basin Mountain and Mount Tom. There are a couple exciting spots do to erosion so be careful.
Keep hiking, and keep breathing. Take the western ridge line rather than the loose lower scree chutes. Navigate exposed Class 2-3 scrambling require careful hand and foot placements.
Top out at 13,652 feet after steady climbing from the lake. Clear skies offered magnificent 360-degree views stretching from the White Mountains across the Owens Valley to the high peaks of the Sierra crest. Cautiously downclimb the stable upper ridge sections before carefully managing the loose talus on the return down. Slog back to the car. You'll be tired!
Every breath is worth it when you get this view! 
This can be done in 2 days if you want to camp at Horton Lakes. Might as well bag Basin too. Oh and then there is Four Gables, and 12028 and on it goes in the Eastern Sierra.
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