Lower Rock Creek Canyon is divided into sections, and is popular with springtime mountain bikers who come in and out of the sections as they join up with Lower Rock Creek Road. The first and second sections get the most traffic because they have an easier rating. Hiking allows a slower approach to stop and listen to the creek flowing by, but always be on the lookout for bike riders and horseback riders. Access the trail west of Highway 395 about 30 miles south of Mammoth and one mile south of Tom's Place (Gorge Road). This trail sits at a lower elevation (7,000 feet) than the high Sierra, making it relatively snow-free most of the year.