Birch Lake Access is a challenging trailhead located in the Inyo National Forest west of Big Pine, requiring high-clearance 4WD vehicles to reach the parking area via McMurry Meadows Road.

The 5-mile trail gains over 4,000 feet of elevation to reach the alpine lake at 10,800 feet and is steep, rugged, and unmaintained with minimal water and shade, making a pre-dawn start recommended; GPS navigation is strongly advised due to difficult-to-follow trail sections and dense willows near the lake.