Stella Lake via Alpine Lakes Loop Trail

Stella Lake via Alpine Lakes Loop Trail is a 2.1-mile out-and-back from the Bristlecone, Alpine Lake and Sky Island Forest Trailhead to Stella Lake and back along the west side of the Alpine Lakes route. The mapped leg is about 1.1 miles each way, with roughly 460 feet of total climbing. Allow about 1 to 1.5 hours. Wheeler Peak rises over the lake, but the trail starts near 10,000 feet, so the thin air can make this short hike feel harder than its mileage suggests.

If you would rather see two lakes and avoid retracing the same leg, continue around the full 2.7-mile Alpine Lakes Loop past Teresa Lake. That circuit is only about half a mile longer than the Stella out-and-back.

From the shared trailhead, take the short link to the Alpine Lakes path and follow the west, counterclockwise branch toward Stella. The climb is gradual through conifers; as the route opens into alpine meadows, Wheeler Peak and Doso Doyabi come into view. Two Wheeler Peak Summit Trail junctions occur before the lake. Stay on the Alpine Lakes route at both, rather than taking a summit spur.

Stella is the turn-around for this outing. The full loop carries on toward Teresa Lake and returns by a different side of the circuit. The full loop is an easy 2.7-mile walk through forest and meadows, but it is a separate, longer experience from this Stella-only out-and-back.

Stella Lake is a high mountain lake beneath Wheeler Peak, with views toward Doso Doyabi as well. Snowmelt feeds the lakes in this basin, so Stella can shrink in late summer and early fall. Wildflowers and wildlife are regular summer sights along the high route, though no particular animal is guaranteed.

At the shore, frame the lake with Wheeler Peak behind it; a strip of rocky foreground helps show the water and the scale of the peaks. Water levels and the amount of exposed shore change through the season.

The trailhead is at the end of Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive. There are pit toilets at the parking area, but no potable water along the drive, so bring what you need. The trail is near 10,000 feet, and afternoon thunderstorms can build in summer. Take the altitude seriously, and turn back if you feel unwell or storms are approaching. Pets are not allowed on park trails; trained service animals are permitted.

Use marked parking spaces only; roadside parking is prohibited. The paved drive has an 8% grade, and vehicles longer than 24 feet cannot continue beyond Upper Lehman Creek Campground. The scenic drive typically closes in winter and after snowfall; when it is closed, reaching this high trailhead requires the longer Lehman Creek Trail connection. Check the current road status before setting out.