So you are looking for the best lakes for a cold plunge in California. Are you crazy? Or do you just love to cold plunge in some alpine cold waters the way that I do? I don’t judge other cold plungers, this is not that one “Shrinkage” episode of Seinfeld, The Hamptons from 1994.
Discover the best lakes for cold plunge in California—where the water’s cold, the views are epic, and yes, shrinkage is real (just ask George Costanza). From alpine dips to glacial gasps, we cover where to plunge and why it’s worth every frozen… toe.
Nothing makes me happier than a vacation morning, trekking up to a ten-thousand-foot alpine lake just to jump in at 8 a.m. I know, I know, everybody cold plunges these days. Thanks to celebrities like Joe Rogan, the cold plunge has become oh so trendy. But I like to think, the lifetime hiker in me used to cold plunge, before cold plunging was cool. (literally)
Take those waters
If it’s ten a.m. and I am jumping in Second Lake fed by North Palisades Glacier, until my bones ache, then I am usually the only silly hiker in a bathing suit on the trail. I’m likely the only crazy hiker chick dying to jump in a half-frozen 10,000-foot lake above Big Pine, California. I’ve always been a lover of all cold-weather situations. However, cold plunging has become something I’ve been embracing just in the last few years. Here in southern California, sure, you can pay seventy bucks for a day pass to the lovely and zen-like Glen Ivy Hot Springs to jump in freezing cold pools, or you could just hike straight uphill for two hours for the epic chance to douse yourself in true crystal cool mountain-fed waters.
Your wellness experience awaits
During this last week of camping in the eastern Sierras, it was a high of sixty degrees most days but very humid. I was sweating so profusely, I felt like I could wring out my shirt at eight a.m.! Now, where is that high-altitude cold plunge lake?
Spoiler alert: When it comes to the cold-plunge, it’s not just to show off on Instagram that you’re the kind of person who voluntarily jumps into water that could refrigerate ham.
So, let’s talk about the glorious insanity that is cold plunging!
First of All, Why? Why Would You Do This to Yourself?
You could be:
A health junkie, A masochist with a GoPro, Or just someone who took a wrong turn on a hike and fell in a crisp and cold alpine lake.
Seriously though, cold plunging improves circulation, reduces inflammation, boosts mood, and makes you feel like Thor after a Red Bull.
Real Benefits of Cold Plunging (Yes, Science Says So):
Increased dopamine (you’ll feel ready to run up yet another mountain afterwards)
Reduced muscle soreness (post-hike reward time!) Better sleep (after the trauma wears off) improved immune function (fight colds with the cold), Mental toughness (survived the plunge = can survive talking to your liberal relatives on Thanksgiving)
Best Cold Plunge Lakes in California (Where You Might Scream, but in a Good Way)
❄️ Eagle Lake (Near Lake Tahoe)
Small, scenic, and icy-fresh.
Lake Tahoe in May? Basically liquid snow. Average surface temp hovers around 50°F (10°C) — bring your bravery. Hint: Cold-plunge near the shoreline, the water is way less cold than jumping off of a boat!
Duck Lake (Mammoth Lakes Area)
This is one of the best cold-plunge spots in the Eastern Sierra. Of course, it’s about a ten-mile round-trip hike to get to Duck Lake. By the time you trek to Duck Lake all morning long, believe me, you may be sweaty and ready to jump into an icy cold alpine lake! Did you pack your lake shoes? I always pack lake shoes when going for a cold plunge adventure. Yes, I have found glass in even high alpine lakes before. Sometimes I stumble upon old fishing lures. Nobody wants to walk away from a zen-like cold-plunge with tetanus!
Hike Distance: ~10 miles round trip from the trailhead at Coldwater Campground.
Elevation: A cool 10,600 feet — and we do mean cool. That alpine air will humble you before the water even does.
Not-So-Scientific Cold Plunge Advice:
Don’t dive. The goal is health, not hospital. Breathe like you’re meditating, not dying. Enjoy the cold. Embrace it. And try not to scream like a little girl.
Exit with dignity… Really, just try to exit these high elevation alpine lakes without getting hurt, you do have to hike out five miles! This is where water shoes come in handy. It makes it easier not to slip on those icy, cold, slippery rocks.
Not coming down with hypothermia is one of the goals of cold-plinging. Do not cold-plunge in the dead of winter when it is in the twenties. Trust me, you may regret it!