5) Thousand Island Lake, Ansel Adams Wilderness, Inyo National Forest
Located in eastern Madera County, California, Thousand Island Lake was discovered by Ansel Adams the environmentalist and nature photographer who lent his name to over 200,000 acres of wilderness stretched across the Sierra and Inyo National Forests. A stunning alpine lake 10,000 feet above sea level, Thousand Island Lake itself was named for the scores of tiny granite islets that glitter on its surface. With fewer crowds than nearby Mount Whitney, Thousand Island Lake offers some of the most stunning Sierra views going and rivals the Northern Lights in the phantasmagorical effect of alpenglow on Banner Peak. Spend a day hiking Thousand Islands trails or sleep over in the campsite to take in the light show that illuminates the sky every dusk and dawn. To find Thousand Island Lake leave the California 203 near Mammoth Mountain and continue for seven miles past the Agnew Meadows Trailhead.
