Tioga Pass Entrance Station · Photo: National Park Service · Public domainMore than half of Lee Vining’s land is conserved: 78%
78% of Lee Vining’s land is conserved, about 2,596 acres. 779 acres are parks and preserves, 1,240 per 1,000 residents. 18 miles of mapped trail cross Lee Vining, 3.4 per square mile of land.
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
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Pick a walk
Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
2,596 conserved acres
78% of Lee Vining’s land. Who manages Lee Vining’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inyo National Forest National Forest | U.S. Forest Service | 1,367 | Open |
| Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 1,245 | Open |
| Gus Hess Park Local Park | Town or city | 4 | Open |
4 places to go in Lee Vining
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
2 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
2 scenic views without a name on the map.
7 named trails
1.9 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
The best walking months in Lee Vining: May to August
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.8 | 10.7 | 11.8 | 13.1 | 14.2 | 14.8 | 14.5 | 13.6 | 12.4 | 11.1 | 10.1 | 9.5 |
| High (°F) | 44 | 47 | 53 | 59 | 68 | 77 | 85 | 84 | 77 | 66 | 54 | 44 |
| Rain (in) | 2.2 | 2.1 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 1.9 |
September is the driest month (0.3 in) and July the warmest (highs of 85 °F). 2.2 inches fall in January, the wettest month. The climate in Lee Vining →
Questions about parks and trails in Lee Vining
Are dogs allowed on Lee Vining’s trails?
Gus Hess Community Park doesn’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Lee Vining?
1.9 miles of bike routes are on the map: 1.9 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Lee Vining?
106,604 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Lee Vining or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 1,393 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Lee Vining neighbors.
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →