Evelyn Lake Trail

Evelyn Lake Trail is a 5.8-mile out-and-back spur to a small rocky lake from a junction on the Atwell-Hockett Trail near Hockett Meadow. The mapped corridor runs about 2.9 miles each way, then returns on the same line. Allow about four hours for the spur once you reach the junction. The start is already around 8,500 feet, and the route reaches about 9,100 feet, so altitude adds effort.

The junction is just before Hockett Meadow and its ranger station. The branch heads west, then bends north toward the lake basin. Pale granite and conifers frame the shoreline; boulders at the water's edge make the clearest view. The mapped path ends about 40 meters short of the mapped shore, so the final approach is not pinned precisely. Stay with the established tread and do not improvise a shortcut to the shore. The roughly 7.5-mile outing sometimes associated with this area combines Evelyn Lake and Cahoon Rock; this entry covers only the lake spur.

Atwell Mill is the nearest road access. Getting from its trailhead to the Evelyn Lake junction adds about 10–11 miles each way on the Atwell-Hockett Trail, making the complete walk from Atwell Mill roughly 26–27 miles round trip. The approach descends through forest toward the East Fork Kaweah, then climbs through East Fork Grove toward Hockett Meadow. NPS lists parking, a vault or composting toilet, and drinking water at the trailhead; check seasonal availability before relying on water. Mineral King Road is narrow, winding, partly unpaved, and seasonal. Pets are prohibited on park trails, and overnight wilderness stays require a permit from the Mineral King Ranger Station.