Laurel Lake #1 Access is located south of Sherwin Creek Road near Mammoth Lakes and serves as a trailhead for the Laurel Lakes Trail in the John Muir Wilderness.

Access is via a rough, high-clearance 4x4 road; most visitors hike the final section to reach the lake.

Dispersed camping at Laurel Lake does not require a wilderness permit, though overnight trips into the wilderness require permits with a limit of 8 people per day from May through November.