Summer is ending - Solo Backpacking in the Eastern Sierra | Twenty Lakes Basin | Steelhead Lake

Solo female backpacking: With summer’s end, I backpack once more in the Eastern Sierra, just east of Yosemite, in the Twenty Lakes Basin. Part of the Hoover Wilderness | Inyo National Forest This approximately 9-mile moderate loop starts at Saddlebag Lake and takes me through multiple beautiful lakes and varied terrain from dirt to very rocky paths. There is a water taxi that can take you from one end of Saddlebag to the other, which if taken both ways, can shave off approximately 3 miles from the complete loop. I spend a very windy night at Steelhead Lake but I would recommend Shamrock as a great site as well. Wilderness Permit required, which can be reserved at Recreation.gov. Search for Inyo National Forest - Saddlebag Lake (non quota): https://www.recreation.gov/permits/23.... There doesn't appear to be a quota for this area, so last-minute permits are easy to obtain. Alltrails: Twenty Lakes Basin and Saddlebag Lake Loop (I went counter-clockwise.) 00:55 Ellery Lake 01:03 Saddlebag Lake 03:08 Hummingbird Lake 03:57 Odell Lake 05:13 Helen Lake 11:07 Shamrock Lake 11:58 Excelsior Lake 12:12 Steelhead Lake 24:24 Wasco Lake 24:39 Greenstone Lake Per the website: Reservations open daily ONLINE at 7AM PST: 60% of quota is released 6 months in advance (i.e. entry date of July 4 opens on January 4) 40% of quota is released 2 weeks in advance, on the same day of the week (i.e. if entry date is on a Tuesday, permits become available on the Tuesday 2 weeks prior) "NR" means the 60% has all been reserved and the 40% has not yet been released. I am the Wandersome Woman. Join me as I explore the outdoors: backpacking, camping, hiking, and boondocking/ car camping. Check out my other channel, Wandersome, for general travel content!    / @wandersome   Instagram: @wandersomewoman   / wandersomewoman   #backpacking #solohiking #solocamping