Often referred to as "The Switzerland of the Sierra," June Lake, Calif., is a unique, high-country experience for family adventurers. Tucked away in the Central Eastern Sierra region three hours south of Lake Tahoe, Nev., and 90 miles east of Yosemite National Park, June Lake has picture-perfect vistas - glacier peaks, cascading waterfalls, abundant streams and lakes - with views so spectacular they were famously photographed by world-renowned landscape photographer Ansel Adams, who brilliantly captured the essence of this naturally wondrous area.


The June Lake Loop consists of four lakes - June, Silver, Gull and Grant - each offering opportunities in the summertime for trout fishing, boating, and waterskiing. The area is a natural playground for outdoor enthusiasts, who can take to the parks and trails for mountain biking, hiking or rock climbing.

Wintertime offers skiing and snowboarding at nearby June Mountain, as well as snowmobiling on 75,000 acres of open terrain and snow-ridden paths. A welcome stop in the heart of the Eastern Sierras, June Lake is a year-round family retreat that's made of lasting memories.

MARINAS
• Gull Lake Marina. Located adjacent to Gull Lake Park, the Gull Lake Marina features a newly renovated, full tackle shop that carries handcrafted gifts, Gull Lake apparel, fishing licenses, a wide range of bait and tackle, and food and beverages. Families can enjoy lunchtime in the glass-enclosed, lakeside deck with picnic tables and rocking chairs, with a nearby trout pond for feeding fish. The marina offers a complimentary fish station for cleaning fish, deluxe fishing pontoons and flat-bottom boats, canoes, kayaks, and paddleboats for rent. (760) 648-7539, www.gulllakemarina.com.
• Big Rock Marina. Situated at Big Rock Resort in the heart of Inyo National Forest - founded by Teddy Roosevelt and celebrating its centennial anniversary this year - this boat-launching facility is open during the summer from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. and features boats and slips available for rent, including a 14-foot V-hull, 16-foot barge, paddleboats and kayaks. The tackle/gift shop sells fishing poles, reels, bait, snacks, drinks, ice, luxury blankets and other items. (800) 769-9831, www.bigrockresort.net.


ACCOMMODATIONS
• Double Eagle Resort and Spa. Sitting high in the Eastern Sierras at the base of Carson Peak and Horsetail Falls, this four-season resort and spa features luxury rooms and suites dispersed throughout 13 acres of rushing streams and towering pines. Onsite amenities include the resort's signature Creekside Spa and Fitness Center, a heated indoor pool and fly fishing on Ron's Pond. The two-bedroom cabins have fully equipped kitchens, spacious decks with outside patio furnishings and permanent barbecues. Wood-burning fireplaces or stoves add to the ambiance of this rustic setting. (760) 648-7004, www.doubleeagle.com.
• Big Rock Resort. Situated on 2.4 acres in Inyo National Forest, this year-round retreat has lakefront cabins, a marina with boat and slip rentals, and a private beach area for guests in the summer. In the winter months, guests can cozy up in a choice of one- to three-bedroom cabins with master suites within walking distance to June Lake Village and only 1.5 miles from June Mountain. (760) 648-7717, www.bigrockresort.net.
• Silver Lake Resort. The oldest "trout fishing retreat" in the Eastern Sierra, this fishing hot spot was established in 1916 by Roy Carson, who set up "Carson Camp" on Silver Lake - named for the silver reflection of the water on overcast days - as a regular place to go trout fishing with his Pasadena buddies. Located at the bottom of Carson Peak at Silver Lake, this summer resort features an old-fashioned general store, gift shop, cafe, cabin rentals, RV park, trout fishing, boat rentals and launching. (760) 648-7525, www.silverlakeresort.net.


RESTAURANTS
• Eagle's Landing Restaurant. This casual upscale restaurant at the Eagle's Landing Resort offers guests scenic views of mountains and waterfalls, with a spacious outdoor deck during the summer season. Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the "Landing" features popular specialty entrees such as herb-roasted rotisserie chicken, macadamia-crusted halibut, baby-back ribs, and Kobe-beef burgers. For boating families on the go, take-out foods, picnic baskets or box lunches are also available. (760) 648-7004, www.doubleeagle.com.
• Alpine Delicatessen. This long-time established deli and pizza shop located in June Lake Village in downtown June Lake serves hot and cold sandwiches, pizza, soft-serve ice cream and beverages, and has an onsite ice machine for refilling onboard coolers. Accessible to June Mountain and surrounding resorts, lakes and marinas, this family-friendly eatery is a centrally located must-stop between boating activities. (760) 648-7633, www.junelakeloop.com/alpinedeli/.


OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
• Fishing. June Lake's four lakes - June Lake, Gull Lake, Silver Lake and Grant Lake - are well known as the ultimate locations for catching any number of trophy-sized rainbow, brook, cutthroat and brown trout. The loop and surrounding canyons offer abundant lakes, rivers and streams for popular fishing activities, including bait fishing from the shore, offshore fishing from a float tube or boat, or fly fishing along the lakes and creeks. Local fishing hot spots include Walker Lake, Parker Lake, Reverse Creek and Rush Creek.
• Kayaking. With its many lakes, streams and attractions in the area, the Eastern Sierra region makes for the ultimate kayaking experience. Guided kayak tours are offered at Mono Lake, giving adventurers the unique experience of paddling through tufa formations on one of the oldest living lakes in existence. Kayak rentals are available at many surrounding marinas, including nearby Crowley Lake Marina, which also sells kayaks, and offers rentals and lessons. (760) 935-4301, www.crowleylakefishcamp.com.


LANDMARKS
• Yosemite National Park. One of the first wilderness parks in the United States, Yosemite National Park is nearly 1,200 square miles of natural beauty. Best known for its waterfalls and giant sequoias, this vast wilderness is also filled with deep valleys and grand meadows, connected to the Eastern Sierras by one of the most scenic high-country roads in the world. The hour-and-a-half trip west through Tioga Pass to Yosemite Valley is well worth the drive, with spectacular panoramas at Glacier Point, Tuolumne Meadows and surrounding historic communities. (209) 372-0200, www.nps.gov/yose/.
• Mono Lake Tufa State Reserve. Approximately 10 miles north of June Lake, Mono Lake is an ancient, inland sea, filled with salt waters that sustain a unique biosphere where tiny brine shrimp feed millions of migrating birds each year. Mono Lake has unusual shorelines with two volcanic islands and formations called tufas, which are piled-up mineral deposits formed beneath the water's surface when mineral-rich spring water mixes with salt water. The Forest Service offers self-guided walking tours on the shoreline of Seal Beach, kayak and canoe tours, a visitor's center and museum. (800) 777-0369, www.parks.ca.gov/.
• Bodie State Historic Park. Preserved in a state of "arrested decay," Bodie State Historic Park is an original California gold-mining ghost town that has remained virtually untouched, due to the preservation efforts of the California State Park system. Founded in the late 1800s by Waterman S. Body as a gold-mining town, this once thriving community had a growing population of 10,000. Designated as a National Historic Site and a State Historic Park in 1962, only a small portion of the town has survived, but the interiors of the buildings have remained untouched and are still stocked with goods. Bodie is open year-round but only accessible by over-snow equipment from October to May. (760) 647-6445, www.parks.ca.gov/.


CULTURAL
• Eastern Sierra Troutstock. The premier fishing competition and festival in Mono County, Troutstock is a Labor Day weekend celebration of all things trout. It features the Million Dollar Derby, a fantastic opportunity for participants of all ages and surrounding communities to compete for a million-dollar prize trout. The third-annual Troutstock Eastern Sierra 2007 includes 15 lakes, a kids fishing pond, trout cooking and casting demonstrations, kids fishing games, live entertainment, artists' booths and $10,000 in guaranteed cash prizes. All events benefit the Hot Creek Hatchery Foundation to support fish-stocking programs in California. (760) 934-2712, www.troutstock.com; (760) 648-7334, www.hotcreekhatcheryfoundation.org.


FAST FACTS

POPULATION: 600
WEATHER: June Lake's temperatures range from winter lows in the teens to highs in the 70s and 80s in the summertime.
TRIVIA: The water at Yosemite Falls in Yosemite National Park is fed mostly by snowmelt. Peak flow usually happens in late May, but by August, Yosemite Falls is often dry. It begins flowing again a few months later, after the winter snows arrive.
HISTORY: Originally inhabited by the Paiute and Shoshone Native Americans, the Eastern Sierra region was eventually settled by gold miners who arrived in the 19th century.
TOURIST INFO: For more information, visit www.junelakechamber.org, or call (760) 648-7584.