Convict Lake is the place I always recommend to any friend visiting the Eastern Sierra—the hike circumnavigating the lake is short enough, at about two miles, for novice trekkers, but the terrain is so varied that to accomplish it feels noteworthy.
Winter Hiking & Snowshoeing
If you’re not into sliding down hills wearing two planks (or one, if you’re a snowboarder), there’s still plenty to do in the Eastern Sierra in the wintertime, whether you prefer getting your hiking boots on solid dirt or are into the awesome exercise of cross-country skiing (only recently did I realize that a NordicTrack mimics the whole-body workout of this activity).