0.5 mi / 0.5 hr
in Inyo National Forest north of Mammoth Lakes
A geologic phenomenon, the Inyo Craters make a great destination for an easy day hike in the Mammoth Lakes area. They are part of a chain of craters and other volcanic formations that reaches from Mammoth Lake to Mono Lake. The craters—evidence of Mammoth’s fiery past—are the remains of a volcanic explosion of steam that occurred a mere 600 years ago. At that time, the mountain was a smoldering volcano. Magma pushed up into the water table, heated the water, and kaboom! The result was a phreatic blast that created these craters. The hike to see them is a short, gentle climb, but the elevation sucks the air out of many visitors who have just arrived in Mammoth. The trail leads through a lovely open forest of red fir and Jeffrey pine. In each of the two Inyo Craters a small pond fills with melted snow each spring, and at least some water remains throughout the summer.
User Groups: Hikers, horses, and dogs. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A Mammoth High Country map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. An Inyo National Forest map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Mammoth Mountain.
Directions: From the Mammoth Lakes junction on U.S. 395, turn west on Highway 203 and drive four miles through the town of Mammoth Lakes to the junction of Minaret Road/Highway 203 and Lake Mary Road. Turn right on Minaret Road and drive one mile. At the sign for Mammoth Lakes Scenic Loop, turn right and drive 2.7 miles. Turn left at the sign for Inyo Craters (the road turns to dirt) and drive 1.3 more miles to the Inyo Craters parking lot.
Contact: Inyo National Forest, Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center, Mammoth Lakes, 760/924-5500, www.fs.usda.gov/inyo.
1.0 mi / 0.5 hr
at Lake George in Mammoth Lakes
Campers at Lake George and Mammoth Lakes visitors who just want a short and easy day hike will be pleased to find that this no-sweat trail provides access to hidden Barrett and TJ Lakes. The trail starts on the northeast shore of Lake George (which in itself is a gorgeous spot), follows the lakeshore for about 100 yards, then climbs alongside a small stream to little Barrett Lake. The tiny lake is framed by Red Mountain in the background. Hey, this was so easy, you might as well continue another 0.25 mile to TJ Lake, the more scenic of the two lakes. The distinctive granite fin of Crystal Crag (10,377 feet) towers above TJ Lake’s basin, adding drama to the scene. In addition to the pretty but popular lakes, this trail shows off some lovely mountain meadows, gilded with colorful penstemon, shooting stars, and paintbrush in midsummer.
User Groups: Hikers and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A Mammoth High Country map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. An Inyo National Forest map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Crystal Crag.
Directions: From the Mammoth Lakes junction on U.S. 395, turn west on Highway 203 and drive four miles through the town of Mammoth Lakes to the junction of Minaret Road/Highway 203 and Lake Mary Road. Continue straight on Lake Mary Road and drive four miles to a junction for Lake George. Turn left here, drive 0.3 mile, then turn right and drive another 0.4 mile to Lake George. The trailhead is located near the campground.
Contact: Inyo National Forest, Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center, Mammoth Lakes, 760/924-5500, www.fs.usda.gov/inyo.
3.2 mi / 2.0 hr
at Lake George in Mammoth Lakes
If you think Lake George is gorgeous, wait until you see Crystal Lake, located southwest of Lake George in a bowl scoured by glaciers and tucked into a hollow below 10,377-foot Crystal Crag. The trail to reach it has a 700-foot elevation gain and is pleasantly shaded by a hearty hemlock, pine, and fir forest. The path begins near the cabins at Woods Lodge but rises quickly above them. Many hikers huff and puff as they climb this ridge, but the view of the Mammoth Lakes Basin makes it all worthwhile. This high ridge gives you a bird’s-eye look at the basin’s four major lakes: George, Mary, Mamie, and Twin. At a junction at 1.3 miles, go left and you’ll descend 0.3 mile to the outlet of Crystal Lake. The lake is a true jewel, highlighted by permanent snowfields that line its granite backdrop. You aren’t likely to find much solitude here, since the lake is so easy to reach, but the scenery more than makes up for it.
If you want to turn this into a longer hike, you can take the other trail at the fork and head for Mammoth Crest, two miles farther and at 10,400 feet. The trail gains another 700 feet as it leaves the forest and enters a stark, volcanic landscape peppered with whitebark pines. The expansive view from the high point on the crest includes the Mammoth Lakes Basin, the San Joaquin River, the Minarets and the Ritter Range, and Mammoth Mountain. If this hike hasn’t taken your breath away, the vista will.
User Groups: Hikers, horses, and dogs. Mountain bikes are not advised. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A Mammoth High Country map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. An Inyo National Forest map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Crystal Crag.
Directions: From the Mammoth Lakes junction on U.S. 395, turn west on Highway 203 and drive four miles through the town of Mammoth Lakes to the junction of Minaret Road/Highway 203 and Lake Mary Road. Continue straight on Lake Mary Road and drive four miles to a junction for Lake George. Turn left, drive 0.3 mile, then turn right and drive another 0.4 mile to Lake George. The trailhead is on the right, near some cabins.
Contact: Inyo National Forest, Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center, Mammoth Lakes, 760/924-5500, www.fs.usda.gov/inyo.
4.0 mi / 2.0 hr
at Lake Mary in Mammoth Lakes
This is one of the Eastern Sierra’s premier wildflower trails, and it’s easy enough for children to hike. The trail starts just south of Lake Mary, at the end of the Coldwater Campground road. The hike is short and direct, climbing straight to Emerald Lake on a wide, well-used path. A trail branches off to the right to Barrett and TJ Lakes, but just keep heading straight uphill to reach Emerald Lake. Picnickers are often found seated among the rocks by the water’s edge, although by midsummer, the lake dwindles to something that more closely resembles a pond. No matter, the lake is just one small part of this trail’s beauty. The trail skirts the east shore of Emerald Lake and continues along its inlet stream, where wildflowers grow in profusion. Among the wide variety of species to be seen and admired, one standout is the tall orange tiger lilies, a flower that is showy enough to be in a florist’s shop. It has a scent that will knock your socks off. From here, the trail climbs more gradually as it leads you past Gentian Meadow (you may hear the voices of rock climbers as they climb the cliffs beyond the meadow) to the southeast edge of Sky Meadows. Beyond the meadows, permanent snowfields decorate the granite cliffs of Mammoth Crest.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes allowed past the wilderness boundary. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No day permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A Mammoth High Country map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. An Inyo National Forest map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Crystal Crag.
Directions: From the Mammoth Lakes junction on U.S. 395, turn west on Highway 203 and drive four miles through the town of Mammoth Lakes to the junction of Minaret Road/Highway 203 and Lake Mary Road. Continue straight on Lake Mary Road and drive 3.5 miles to a fork just before Lake Mary; turn left and drive 0.6 mile to the Coldwater Campground turnoff, on the left. Turn left and drive 0.5 mile through the camp to the trailhead, at the first parking lot.
Contact: Inyo National Forest, Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center, Mammoth Lakes, 760/924-5500, www.fs.usda.gov/inyo.
10.0 mi / 6.0 hr or 2 days
in the John Muir Wilderness near Mammoth Lakes
How far you hike on Duck Pass Trail is up to you, but if it were up to us, we’d hike at least as far as five miles to Duck Lake, elevation 10,450 feet. Sure, lots of people stop at the other lakes this trail passes along the way—Arrowhead Lake at 1.3 miles out, Skelton Lake at two miles, or Barney Lake at three miles—and these make fine destinations. But you might as well see them all and then keep climbing through Duck Pass to much larger Duck Lake, at five miles. The pass is only a 1,600-foot climb from the trailhead at Coldwater Campground, with plenty of well-graded switchbacks. Just beyond the pass, the trail drops 300 feet to reach Duck Lake, one of the largest natural lakes in the Eastern Sierra. Your first glimpse of its size will blow your mind. Most of the climbing is in the stretch from Barney Lake to the pass, as the trail switchbacks up a talus-covered slope. Day hikers can make their way from Duck Lake on a faint path to Pika Lake, which is visible in the distance about a half-mile away. Backpackers can continue on to Purple Lake (at 7.5 miles) and Lake Virginia (at nine miles). There are usually tons of people on this trail, but with this kind of scenery, everybody is in a good mood.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes allowed past the wilderness boundary. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A free wilderness permit is required for overnight stays and is available from the Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center. Quotas are in effect from May 1 to November 1; for this period, permits are available in advance for a $5 reservation fee per person.
Maps: A Mammoth High Country map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. An Inyo National Forest or John Muir Wilderness map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Crystal Crag.
Directions: From the Mammoth Lakes junction on U.S. 395, turn west on Highway 203 and drive four miles, through the town of Mammoth Lakes, to the junction of Minaret Road/Highway 203 and Lake Mary Road. Continue straight on Lake Mary Road and drive 3.5 miles to a fork just before Lake Mary; turn left and drive 0.6 mile to the Coldwater Campground turnoff, on the left. Turn left and drive 0.8 mile through the camp to the Duck Pass trailhead at the farthest parking lot.
Contact: Inyo National Forest, Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center, Mammoth Lakes, 760/924-5500, www.fs.usda.gov/inyo.
11.2 mi / 6.0 hr or 2 days
in the John Muir Wilderness south of Mammoth Lakes
The Mammoth Lakes area is one of the Eastern Sierra’s star attractions, yet nearby Valentine Lake is perhaps overlooked because the trailhead (at 7,600 feet) is not found at one of the lakes in the Mammoth Lakes Basin. Or perhaps it’s because the climb required to get there is so steep. Regardless of the reason, a morning’s hike—rising some 1,900 feet over 5.6 miles, but with most of the climb compressed in the first two miles to Sherwin Lake—gets you to Valentine Lake, which sits at 9,698 feet.
Some say the lake is shaped like a teardrop, but we think it looks more like a drop of sweat. The hike starts out with a very steep climb (including 0.5 mile of sandy switchbacks in a dry pine forest) and doesn’t level out for the first two miles. You’ll pass a side trail to the Sherwin Lakes at 2.9 miles (a fine destination for those who have had enough, or those who just want to catch fish). From the Sherwin Lakes junction, the grade lessens dramatically, gently climbing and finally meeting up with Valentine Lake’s outlet stream. Valentine Lake has rocky cliffs ringing its edges, making it difficult to explore its shoreline. Pick a spot and toss in a line; the lake has plentiful brook trout.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A free wilderness permit is required for overnight stays and is available from the Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center. Quotas are in effect from May 1 to November 1; for this period, permits are available in advance for a $5 reservation fee per person.
Maps: A Mammoth High Country map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. An Inyo National Forest or John Muir Wilderness map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Crystal Crag.
Directions: From the Mammoth Lakes junction on U.S. 395, turn west on Highway 203 and drive 2.6 miles to Old Mammoth Road. Turn left and drive 0.8 mile to Sherwin Creek Road. Turn left and drive 2.9 miles to the signed trailhead on the right for Valentine Lake (past the Sherwin Creek Campground and YMCA camp).
Contact: Inyo National Forest, Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center, Mammoth Lakes, 760/924-5500, www.fs.usda.gov/inyo.
6.7 mi / 4.0 hr
at Horseshoe Lake in Mammoth Lakes
Horseshoe Lake, elevation 8,900 feet, lies at the end of the Mammoth Lakes road and has an excellent trailhead that makes for a great day hike. Don’t be put off by the dead trees and the barren look of the place. A relatively small area by the lake has been affected by carbon-dioxide gas venting up through the soil—the result of seismic activity. You get away from this strange-looking forest quickly. Set out from the northwest side of the lake, ascend the slope, and take the left fork for McLeod Lake. In just under two miles, you’ll reach the start of the loop. Go right to reach Crater Meadow, a beautiful little spot set just below Red Cones, and then circle around to Upper Crater Meadow. Either meadow is a fine destination for a picnic lunch in peace. The contrast is striking: Just a short distance below, there are typically many people at Twin Lakes, Lake Mary, Lake Mamie, and Lake George, yet you are separated from them by Mammoth Pass. You will be surprised at how relatively few people take this loop hike, and glad that you made the choice to do so.
Vernal Fall, a Yosemite highlight
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A Mammoth High Country map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. An Inyo National Forest map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Crystal Crag.
Directions: From the Mammoth Lakes junction on U.S. 395, turn west on Highway 203 and drive four miles through the town of Mammoth Lakes to the junction of Minaret Road/Highway 203 and Lake Mary Road. Continue straight on Lake Mary Road and drive 4.8 miles to the road’s end, at Horseshoe Lake. The trailhead is on the northwest side of the lake, signed for Mammoth Pass.
Contact: Inyo National Forest, Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center, Mammoth Lakes, 760/924-5500, www.fs.usda.gov/inyo.
2.0-5.0 mi / 1.0-2.0 hr
in Devils Postpile National Monument west of Mammoth Lakes
The first time you lay eyes on 101-foot Rainbow Falls, the tall, wide, and forceful waterfall comes as an awesome surprise. Most first-time visitors see it before or after a trip to the Devils Postpile, a fascinating collection of volcanic rock columns and rubble left from a lava flow nearly 100,000 years ago. It’s like nothing you’ve seen anywhere else. You can hike to Rainbow Falls two ways, either from the ranger station at Devils Postpile National Monument or from the Rainbow Falls trailhead, near Reds Meadow Resort. Either way, this is one of the best short hikes in California.
Your best bet is to start at the ranger station, then pass by the Devils Postpile lava columns in only 0.5 mile. Stop and gape at this geologic wonder, and perhaps take the short but steep side-trip to the top of the columns, then continue downhill to Rainbow Falls, at 2.5 miles. (If you start at the trailhead by Reds Meadow, your trip to Rainbow Falls is only one mile, but you’ll miss out on the Postpile.)
In order to see the rainbow that gives the waterfall its name, you must show up in late morning or at midday. The rainbow is the result of a prism effect from sun’s rays refracting through the falling water. Two overlook areas across from the waterfall’s brink give you an excellent view, but you can hike down a series of stairs to the falls’ base for an even better vantage point. If you’re inspired, you can travel another 0.5 mile on the trail to find a smaller waterfall on the San Joaquin River, called Lower Falls.
User Groups: Hikers and horses. No mountain bikes. Dogs must be leashed in the national monument. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: Each person entering the Devils Postpile/Reds Meadow area must purchase an access pass. (See Access Note, below.) The fee is $8 per adult and $4 for children ages 3-15. Children ages 2 and under are free. Passes may be purchased at the Mammoth Mountain Adventure Center at Mammoth Ski Area.
Maps: A Devils Postpile map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. An Inyo National Forest map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Mammoth Mountain.
Directions: From the Mammoth Lakes junction on U.S. 395, turn west on Highway 203 and drive four miles through the town of Mammoth Lakes to Minaret Road (still Highway 203). Turn right and drive 4.5 miles to the shuttle bus terminal (adjacent to the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area). Purchase an access pass and board a shuttle bus here. Disembark at the Devils Postpile Ranger Station or Rainbow Falls trailhead, which is just before Reds Meadow Resort.
Access Note: Visitors arriving between 7am and 7pm are required to ride a shuttle bus (free with purchase of an access pass) from Mammoth Mountain Ski Area. If you are camping in the Devils Postpile area, or if you arrive before 7am, you are permitted to drive your own car instead of taking the shuttle, but you must pay an entrance fee of $10 per vehicle.
Contact: Inyo National Forest, Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center, Mammoth Lakes, 760/924-5500, www.fs.usda.gov/inyo; Devils Postpile National Monument, Mammoth Lakes, 760/934-2289 (summer only), www.nps.gov/depo.
16.0 mi / 2 days
in the Ansel Adams Wilderness west of Mammoth Lakes
Minaret Lake is a real prize, set just below the awesome glacial-carved Ritter Range, at 9,793 feet. Reaching it requires an eight-mile hike with a 2,400-foot elevation gain, and every step is completely worth it. From the trailhead at Devils Postpile Ranger Station, you hike south to access a bridge across the San Joaquin River, then head northward two miles on John Muir Trail. (You can also start from Upper Soda Spring Campground and hike south on the Pacific Crest Trail, then turn north on the John Muir Trail. The distance is about the same.) After passing tiny Johnston Lake, you reach the junction with Minaret Lake Trail. Turn left and follow Minaret Creek. The trail rises with the creek and in the last mile climbs steeply above tree line before skirting the Minaret Lake outlet and tracing the line of the north shore. The granite peaks that form the lake’s backdrop are Clyde and Ken Minaret. Good campsites are found around Minaret Lake’s rocky shore, but the choicest site is on the small peninsula that juts out into the lake. If you want to do some exploring, Cecile Lake (at 10,239 feet) can be reached via a cross-country route to the northwest of the lake.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. Dogs must be leashed in national monument. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: Each person entering the Devils Postpile/Reds Meadow area must purchase an access pass. (See Access Note, below.) The fee is $8 per adult and $4 for children ages 3-15. Children ages 2 and under are free. Passes may be purchased at the Mammoth Mountain Adventure Center at Mammoth Ski Area.
A free wilderness permit is required for overnight stays and is available from the Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center. Quotas are in effect from May 1 to November 1; for this period, permits are available in advance for a $5 reservation fee per person.
Maps: A Devils Postpile map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. An Inyo National Forest or Ansel Adams Wilderness map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For topographic maps, go to the USGS website to download Mammoth Mountain and Mount Ritter.
Directions: From the Mammoth Lakes junction on U.S. 395, turn west on Highway 203 and drive four miles through the town of Mammoth Lakes to Minaret Road (still Highway 203). Turn right and drive 4.5 miles to the shuttle bus terminal (adjacent to the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area). Purchase an access pass and board a shuttle bus here. Disembark at the Devils Postpile Ranger Station.
Note: Visitors arriving between 7am and 7pm are required to ride a shuttle bus (free with purchase of an access pass) from Mammoth Mountain Ski Area. If you are camping in the Devils Postpile area, or if you arrive before 7am, you are permitted to drive your own car instead of taking the shuttle, but you must pay an entrance fee of $10 per vehicle.
Contact: Inyo National Forest, Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center, Mammoth Lakes, 760/924-5500, www.fs.usda.gov/inyo; Devils Postpile National Monument, Mammoth Lakes, 760/934-2289 (summer only), www.nps.gov/depo.
10.0-16.0 mi / 1-2 days
in the Ansel Adams Wilderness west of Mammoth Lakes
Fern Lake can be the destination on an ambitious day hike from Devils Postpile, or the start of a great 15-mile backpacking loop. Either way, this is an excellent hike that has become very popular. Starting from the ranger station at Devils Postpile, you head south to access the bridge across the San Joaquin River, then follow the King Creek Trail. About two miles in, you face a crossing of King Creek that can be tricky early in the summer. Exercise some caution. Then climb through the pine forest to reach a junction, at 4.9 miles. Follow the spur to Fern Lake, elevation 8,800 feet, where many good campsites are found. The lake is set in a small rock bowl at tree line, below Iron Mountain, in the Minarets. Day hikers will often while away a few hours here and then retrace their steps for a 10-mile round-trip.
Those continuing onward will find the trail pokes in and out of sparse forest for the next two miles to Becks Cabin. From here, a one-mile side-trip leads to Superior Lake (7.5 miles from your start, and at 9,400 feet), another excellent spot for an overnight. A faint path leads 0.7 mile from Superior Lake to the two Beck Lakes (at 9,800 feet), which are surrounded by high granite ridges. A visit to Beck Lakes—set in a glacial-formed pocket below the Minarets and amid celestial mountain scenery—is highly recommended. When you return to the loop at Becks Cabin, you have a 4.8-mile descent to reach John Muir Trail, where you turn right and head back to the bridge and the ranger station.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. Dogs must be leashed in national monument. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: Each person entering the Devils Postpile/Reds Meadow area must purchase an access pass. (See Access Note, below.) The fee is $8 per adult and $4 for children ages 3-15. Children ages 2 and under are free. Passes may be purchased at the Mammoth Mountain Adventure Center at Mammoth Ski Area.
A free wilderness permit is required for overnight stays and is available from the Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center. Quotas are in effect from May 1 to November 1; for this period, permits are available in advance for a $5 reservation fee per person.
Maps: A Devils Postpile map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. An Inyo National Forest or Ansel Adams Wilderness map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For topographic maps, go to the USGS website to download Mammoth Mountain and Mount Ritter.
Directions: From the Mammoth Lakes junction on U.S. 395, turn west on Highway 203 and drive four miles through the town of Mammoth Lakes to Minaret Road (still Highway 203). Turn right and drive 4.5 miles to the shuttle bus terminal (adjacent to the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area). Purchase an access pass and board a shuttle bus here. Disembark at the Devils Postpile Ranger Station.
Note: Visitors arriving between 7am and 7pm are required to ride a shuttle bus (free with purchase of an access pass) from Mammoth Mountain Ski Area. If you are camping in the Devils Postpile area, or if you arrive before 7am, you are permitted to drive your own car instead of taking the shuttle, but you must pay an entrance fee of $10 per vehicle.
Contact: Inyo National Forest, Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center, Mammoth Lakes, 760/924-5500, www.fs.usda.gov/inyo; Devils Postpile National Monument, Mammoth Lakes, 760/934-2289 (summer only), www.nps.gov/depo.
7.6 mi / 4.0 hr or 2 days
in the Ansel Adams Wilderness west of Mammoth Lakes
Shadow Lake is one of the most popular destinations in the Devils Postpile region simply because of its sheer beauty. The only unpleasant part of this hike is making your way through the busy trailhead parking lots at Agnew Meadows. Once that’s accomplished and you’re on the trail, all is bliss, as long as you’re in good condition and ready for a sustained climb. (Campers at Agnew Meadows can cut a half-mile off this trip each way by starting from the trail at camp, not from the trailhead parking lot.) The route starts out quite mellow as it wanders through the wildflowers at Agnew Meadows. It then follows the River Trail along the middle fork of the San Joaquin River. Just beyond shallow Olaine Lake (at two miles) lies a junction, where you go left for Shadow Lake. Cross a bridge and prepare to climb. A long series of steep, shadeless switchbacks ensues as you climb alongside a narrow creek gorge. Fortunately the view looking down the San Joaquin River Canyon becomes ever more grand as you rise upward. At last you reach the waterfall on Shadow Lake’s outlet stream and then climb the final stretch to the lake. Its backdrop is like something you’ve seen on a million Sierra postcards, with the Minarets and Mounts Ritter and Banner towering above the lake. Day hikers have the best deal here; they can just pick a spot along the 8,737-foot lakeshore and drink in the view. Camping is not permitted at Shadow Lake, so backpackers must continue on to smaller Rosalie Lake (much more climbing over the next two miles). Ediza Lake is also a popular overnight option, 2.5 miles from Shadow Lake.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: Each person entering the Devils Postpile/Reds Meadow area must purchase an access pass. (See Access Note, below.) The fee is $8 per adult and $4 for children ages 3-15. Children ages 2 and under are free. Passes may be purchased at the Mammoth Mountain Adventure Center at Mammoth Ski Area.
A free wilderness permit is required for overnight stays and is available from the Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center. Quotas are in effect from May 1 to November 1; for this period, permits are available in advance for a $5 reservation fee per person.
Maps: A Devils Postpile map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. An Inyo National Forest or Ansel Adams Wilderness map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For topographic maps, go to the USGS website to download Crystal Crag and Cattle Mountain.
Directions: From the Mammoth Lakes junction on U.S. 395, turn west on Highway 203 and drive four miles through the town of Mammoth Lakes to Minaret Road (still Highway 203). Turn right and drive 4.5 miles to the shuttle bus terminal (adjacent to the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area). Purchase an access pass and board a shuttle bus here. Disembark at the Agnew Meadows Campground. Walk through the trailhead parking lots to the Shadow Lake trailhead.
Note: Visitors arriving between 7am and 7pm are required to ride a shuttle bus (free with purchase of an access pass) from Mammoth Mountain Ski Area. If you are camping in the Devils Postpile area, or if you arrive before 7am, you are permitted to drive your own car instead of taking the shuttle, but you must pay an entrance fee of $10 per vehicle.
Contact: Inyo National Forest, Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center, Mammoth Lakes, 760/924-5500, www.fs.usda.gov/inyo; Devils Postpile National Monument, Mammoth Lakes, 760/934-2289 (summer only), www.nps.gov/depo.
28.0 mi one-way / 3 days
from the Agnew Meadows trailhead north to the trailhead parking area at Tuolumne Meadows on Highway 120
This section of the JMT/PCT features breathtaking views of the Minarets, many glacial-cut lakes, and the wondrous descent into Yosemite. The PCT starts here by leaving Reds Meadow, an excellent place to arrange a food drop and a chance to eat your first cheeseburger in weeks. The trail heads out into the most beautiful section of Inyo National Forest and the Ansel Adams Wilderness. All in a row, the PCT passes Rosalie, Shadow, Garnet, and Thousand Island Lakes. If they look like Ansel Adams’s pictures in real life, it’s because they are. The background setting of Banner and Ritter Peaks is among the most spectacular anywhere. From Thousand Island Lake, the PCT makes a fair climb over Island Pass (10,200 feet), then drops down into the headwaters of Rush Creek, where emerald green flows swirl over boulders, pouring like a wilderness fountain. From here, it’s a decent, steady ascent back above tree line to Donohue Pass (11,056 feet), the southern wilderness border of Yosemite National Park. It was here, while munching a trail lunch, that we saw a huge landslide on the westward canyon wall. A massive amount of rock material fell in just a few seconds—an unforgettable show of natural forces. The trail becomes quite blocky at Donohue Pass, and you rock hop your way down to the headwaters of Lyell Fork, a pretzel-like stream that meanders through the meadows. It pours all the way to Tuolumne Meadows, and following it, the trail is nearly flat for more than four miles. At Tuolumne Meadows you can resupply—and get another cheeseburger.
To continue north on the JMT, see the Tuolumne Meadows to Yosemite Valley (JMT) hike in this chapter. If you are walking this trail in reverse, see the Lake Thomas Edison to Agnew Meadows (JMT/PCT) hike in the Sequoia and Kings Canyon chapter.
User Groups: Hikers and horses. No dogs or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A wilderness permit is required for traveling through various wilderness and special-use areas the trail traverses. Contact either the Inyo National Forest or Yosemite National Park for a permit that is good for the length of your trip.
Maps: A John Muir Trail Map Pack is available from Tom Harrison Maps. An Inyo National Forest map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For topographic maps, go to the USGS website to download Vogelsang Peak, Mount Ritter, Koip Peak, and Mammoth Mountain.
Directions: From Lee Vining, drive 26 miles south on Highway 395 to Mammoth Junction. Turn west on Highway 203/Minaret Summit Road to the town of Mammoth Lakes and drive 14 miles to the Agnew Meadows Campground and the trailhead parking area.
Contact: Yosemite National Park, Yosemite, 209/372-0200, www.nps.gov/yose; Inyo National Forest, Mono Basin Scenic Area Visitors Center, Lee Vining, 760/647-3044, www.fs.usda.gov/inyo.
9.0 mi / 5.0 hr
on the South Fork Merced River in Sierra National Forest
Considered by many to be the premier Sierra spring wildflower trail, Hite Cove Trail offers hikers a look at 60 flower varieties, including goldfields, lupine, poppies, brodaiea, monkeyflower, shooting stars, fiesta flowers, fairy lanterns, baby blue eyes, and Indian pinks. To see them, visit from late February to early May, before the show is over. Conveniently, this is usually the only time of the year when the trail is open, because the first 0.75 mile of trail is on private property, and access is restricted during fire season.
You start hiking on a paved driveway, but the asphalt only lasts for a few yards, then the trail transitions to a narrow single track that hugs the side of the steep canyon wall, high above the South Fork Merced River. Even if you aren’t terribly interested in wildflowers, the river and canyon views are tremendous. About one mile out is an obvious rock outcrop, a few feet off the trail, where you can sit and enjoy the rushing river below. Another 0.5 mile farther, the trail drops down right alongside the river, and where the current mellows out, there are many tempting swimming holes. Those wishing to turn this hike into an overnight trip can camp at Hite Cove, the site of the 1879 Hite Cove Hotel. A campfire permit is required for overnight stays. From there, you can continue hiking to Devils Gulch, 2.5 miles farther. To do so, however, requires crossing the South Fork Merced River at Hite Cove, a difficult feat early in the year.
Note: As of September 2019, the Hite Cove Trail is closed due to damage from the 2018 Ferguson Fire, but the Forest Service plans to reopen it by March 2020. Call the Bass Lake Ranger Station or visit the Sierra National Forest website to make sure this trail is open before planning your trip. Access to the trail is restricted during fire season.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A Sierra National Forest map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download El Portal.
Directions: From Mariposa, drive 22 miles east on Highway 140 to Savage’s Trading Post. The parking area is on the north side of the road, but the trail begins on the south side, near Savage’s Trading Post.
Contact: Sierra National Forest, Bass Lake Ranger Station, North Fork, 559/877-2218, www.fs.usda.gov/sierra.
7.4 mi / 5.0 hr
in Yosemite Valley
At 2,425 feet, Yosemite Falls is the highest waterfall in North America. That’s why hundreds of park visitors hike this strenuous trail every day in the spring and summer. There’s no feeling quite like standing at the waterfall’s brink and realizing you’ve conquered a landmark of this magnitude.
Still, if you tucker out on this demanding climb to Upper Yosemite Fall, just remember that you always have a fallback position: you can hike only 1.2 miles one-way to the Columbia Point overlook, which is reached via more than 100 switchbacks and a total gain of 1,200 feet, then call it a day. The view of Yosemite Valley from Columbia Point is a stunner, and plenty of people who planned on hiking to Upper Yosemite Fall turn around here and still leave satisfied.
Those who push on are also rewarded. After a level section and then a short, surprising descent, you get your first full-impact view of horsetail-shaped Upper Yosemite Fall. In the spring and early summer months, this view will blow you away. The trail then switchbacks upward, more steeply now, through a canyon to the west of the fall, which allows passage to the top of the north rim of Yosemite Valley. At this point, you’ve gained 2,700 feet and hiked 3.5 miles; it’s only another 0.2 mile to the brink of Upper Yosemite Fall. (Make sure you take the spur trail signed as Overlook.) From the metal fence above the fall’s lip, you gain an incredible perspective on the waterfall’s drop and the valley floor far below.
If this trip hasn’t provided you with enough exertion, continue another 0.75 mile, crossing the bridge above the falls, to Yosemite Point at 6,936 feet in elevation, where you get a stunning view of the south rim of the Valley, Half Dome, and North Dome, and a look at the top of Lost Arrow Spire, a single shaft of granite jutting into the sky.
User Groups: Hikers only. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. There is a $35 entrance fee per vehicle at Yosemite National Park, good for seven days.
Maps: A Half Dome or Yosemite National Park map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Yosemite Falls.
Directions: From Merced, drive 70 miles northeast on Highway 140 to Yosemite National Park. Follow the signs toward Yosemite Valley, entering through the Arch Rock entrance station. Continue on Highway 140/El Portal Road, which becomes Southside Drive, for 10.5 miles. Just beyond the Yosemite Chapel, bear left at the fork and head toward Yosemite Village and the visitors center, then turn left and drive west on Northside Drive 0.75 mile to the parking lot. Park in the lot (do not park in the spaces marked Permit Parking Only), then walk to Camp 4, which is across Northside Drive and 0.25 mile west of Yosemite Lodge. You may not park in the Camp 4 lot unless you are camping there. If you are riding the free Yosemite Valley shuttle bus, disembark at Camp 4 or Yosemite Lodge.
Contact: Yosemite National Park, Yosemite, 209/372-0200, www.nps.gov/yose.
13.5 mi / 1 or 2 days
in Yosemite Valley
If you seek more of a challenge than the day hike to Upper Yosemite Fall, the trail to Eagle Peak delivers the stunning destinations of the shorter trip (Columbia Point and Upper Yosemite Fall) plus an additional three miles one-way to a lookout atop the highest rock of the Three Brothers formation. Here, the vista is sublime. All of Yosemite Valley comes into view from the top of Eagle Peak, including an interesting perspective on North Dome, Clouds Rest, and Half Dome. On rare, extremely clear days you can also see the mountains and foothills of the Coast Range, 100 miles to the west.
Follow the trail notes for the hike to Upper Yosemite Fall (see listing in this chapter), then after taking the spur trail to the fall’s brink, backtrack 0.25 mile to the trail junction for Eagle Peak Trail. Follow Eagle Peak Trail northwest for 1.5 miles, enjoying plentiful shade from Jeffrey pines and white firs, then hike south for one mile through Eagle Peak Meadows (prepare to get your feet wet here unless it is very late in summer). At a trail junction with El Capitan Trail, bear left for a 0.6-mile ascent to your final destination—the summit of Eagle Peak, elevation 7,779 feet. After completing this trip, you’ll never view the Three Brothers from the valley floor the same way again.
User Groups: Hikers only. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: There is a $35 entrance fee per vehicle at Yosemite National Park, good for seven days. Wilderness permits are required for overnight stays. They are available on a first-come, first-served basis up to two days in advance at the Yosemite Wilderness kiosk near your chosen trailhead, or up to 24 weeks in advance through Yosemite’s online wilderness reservation system at www.yosemiteconservancy.org for a $5 reservation fee per person.
Maps: A Half Dome or Yosemite National Park map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Yosemite Falls.
Directions: From Merced, drive 70 miles northeast on Highway 140 to Yosemite National Park. Follow the signs toward Yosemite Valley and enter through the Arch Rock entrance station. Continue on Highway 140/El Portal Road, which becomes Southside Drive, for 10.5 miles. Just beyond the Yosemite Chapel, bear left at the fork and head toward Yosemite Village and the visitors center, then turn left and drive west on Northside Drive 0.75 mile to the parking lot. Park in the lot (do not park in the spaces marked Permit Parking Only), then walk to Camp 4, which is across Northside Drive and 0.25 mile west of Yosemite Lodge. You may not park in the Camp 4 lot unless you are camping there. If you are riding the free Yosemite Valley shuttle bus, disembark at Camp 4 or Yosemite Lodge.
Contact: Yosemite National Park, Yosemite, 209/372-0200 or 209/372-0740 (permit reservations), www.nps.gov/yose or www.nps.gov/yose/wilderness (permit reservations).
1.1 mi / 0.5 hr
in Yosemite Valley
It’s so short you can hardly call it a hike, and the route is perpetually crawling with people. Still, the trail to Lower Yosemite Fall is an absolute must for visitors to Yosemite Valley. When the falls are roaring with snowmelt in the spring and early summer, they never disappoint even the most seasoned hiker.
The only problem is that many visitors can’t figure out where to leave their car and start the hike. Your best bet is to ride the shuttle bus from other points in the Valley, which deposits you at the “new” Yosemite Fall Trailhead, an attractive log structure positioned alongside Northside Drive. You can also park your car alongside the road near the shuttle bus stop, but good luck finding a space in the summer months. Either way, once you get started, the trail is simple enough to follow. Within about 10 minutes of walking, you are standing at the footbridge below the falls, and in the spring you can get soaking wet from the incredible mist and spray. By late summer, on the other hand, the fall often dries up completely. Be sure to walk the entire loop instead of just heading out-and-back to the falls; there is much to see along the way. And most important of all: if you really want to see the waterfall at its most magnificent, plan your trip for some time between April and June, during peak snowmelt. Seasoned waterfall lovers should also plan to visit on full moon nights in spring; if conditions are just right, a “moonbow” will appear surrounding the lower fall.
User Groups: Hikers and wheelchairs. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes.
Permits: No permits are required. There is a $35 entrance fee per vehicle at Yosemite National Park, good for seven days.
Maps: A Half Dome or Yosemite National Park map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Half Dome.
Directions: From Merced, drive 70 miles northeast on Highway 140 to Yosemite National Park. Follow the signs to Yosemite Valley, entering through the Arch Rock entrance station. Continue on Highway 140/El Portal Road, which becomes Southside Drive, for 10.5 miles. Just beyond the Yosemite Chapel, bear left at the fork and head toward Yosemite Village and the visitors center, then turn left and drive west on Northside Drive 0.75 mile to the parking lot. Park in the lot (do not park in the spaces marked Permit Parking Only). The trail begins across Northside Drive from Yosemite Lodge. You can also park on either side of Northside Drive near the Lower Yosemite Fall bus shuttle stop and walk from there.
Contact: Yosemite National Park, Yosemite, 209/372-0200, www.nps.gov/yose.
3.0 mi / 2.0 hr
in Yosemite Valley
This is a hike that every visitor to the Valley should take, even if it’s the only trail they walk all year. Despite how crowded the trail inevitably is, this is a world-class hike to one of the most photographed waterfalls in the world. Make your trip more enjoyable by starting as early in the morning as possible, before the hordes are out in full force.
Start by taking the free Yosemite shuttle bus to the trailhead at Happy Isles. (Or you can add on an extra mile each way by hiking from the day-use parking area in Curry Village to Happy Isles.) The partially paved route is a moderate 500-foot climb to the Vernal Fall footbridge, then a very steep tromp up the seemingly endless granite staircase to the top of the fall. Although many people hike only to the footbridge, 0.8 mile from Happy Isles, it’s definitely worth the extra effort to push on another 0.5 mile to reach the top of Vernal Fall.
Doing so means ascending another 500 feet on the Mist Trail’s famous granite stairway, which frames the edge of Vernal Fall. You will come so close to the plunging spray that you may feel as if you are part of it. Sometimes you are—during peak snowmelt in spring, hikers are frequently drenched in spray and mist. Remember to bring a rain poncho if you don’t like getting wet.
When you reach the 317-foot-high fall’s brink, you can stand at the railing and watch the dizzying flow of rushing whitewater as it tumbles downward. This is a trip you have to do at least once in your life.
Warning: Do not cross or wade the Merced River at the top of Vernal Falls, and do not under any circumstances climb over the railing, especially during peak flows. Fatalities do occur here; don’t be one of them.
User Groups: Hikers only. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. There is a $35 entrance fee per vehicle at Yosemite National Park, good for seven days.
Maps: A Half Dome or Yosemite National Park map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Half Dome.
Directions: From Merced, drive 70 miles northeast on Highway 140 to Yosemite National Park. Follow the signs toward Yosemite Valley, entering through the Arch Rock entrance station. Continue on Highway 140/El Portal Road, which becomes Southside Drive, for 11.6 miles to the day-use parking lot at Curry Village. Then ride the free Yosemite Valley shuttle bus to Happy Isles. In winter, when the shuttle does not run, you must hike from the day-use parking lot in Curry Village, adding two miles to your round-trip. The Mist Trail may be closed in winter; call to check on weather conditions.
Contact: Yosemite National Park, Yosemite, 209/372-0200, www.nps.gov/yose.
6.8 mi / 4.0 hr
in Yosemite Valley
You can hike either the John Muir Trail or Mist Trail to reach Yosemite’s classic Nevada Fall, but the best choice is to make a loop out of it by hiking up on the Mist Trail, then down partway or all the way on the John Muir Trail. Both trails join above and below Nevada Fall, so you have some options. By hiking uphill rather than downhill on the Mist Trail’s treacherous granite staircase, you can look around at the gorgeous scenery every time you stop to catch your breath. The John Muir Trail is somewhat less scenic, especially in its lower reaches, so save it for the way back downhill.
Mist Trail and John Muir Loop to Nevada Fall
Start at Happy Isles and follow the signed trail to the footbridge over the Merced River, below Vernal Fall. After crossing the bridge, stay close along the river’s edge on the Mist Trail for 1.2 miles to the top of Vernal Fall. If it’s springtime, make sure you bring your rain gear for this stretch, or you will be drenched in spray. After a brief rest at the waterfall overlook, continue along the river’s edge, passing a gorgeous stretch of stream known as the Emerald Pool, still following the Mist Trail. In 0.5 mile, the path crosses the river again, then climbs another mile to the brink of Nevada Fall. Total elevation gain to the top of the 594-foot falls is 2,600 feet, a healthy ascent. But when you get to walk this close to two world-class waterfalls, who’s complaining? For your return trip, cross the footbridge above Nevada Fall and follow John Muir Trail to loop back. As you descend, check out the great view of Nevada Fall with Liberty Cap in the background. This is one of the most memorable scenes in Yosemite Valley.
Note: You can cut back over to the Mist Trail at Clark Point, just above Vernal Fall, if you so desire. That way, you get a second chance to see Vernal Fall and hike the Mist Trail’s granite staircase. But let your knees decide—plenty of hikers don’t want to face those stairs a second time, especially in the downhill direction.
User Groups: Hikers only. No dogs or mountain bikes. Horses are allowed only on John Muir Trail. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. There is a $35 entrance fee per vehicle at Yosemite National Park, good for seven days.
Maps: A Half Dome or Yosemite National Park map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Half Dome.
Directions: From Merced, drive 70 miles northeast on Highway 140 to Yosemite National Park. Follow the signs toward Yosemite Valley, entering through the Arch Rock entrance station. Continue on Highway 140/El Portal Road, which becomes Southside Drive, for 11.6 miles to the day-use parking lot at Curry Village. Then ride the free Yosemite Valley shuttle bus to Happy Isles, stop No. 16. In winter, when the shuttle does not run, you must hike from the day-use parking lot in Curry Village, adding two miles to your round-trip. Trails may be closed in winter; call to check on weather conditions.
Contact: Yosemite National Park, Yosemite, 209/372-0200, www.nps.gov/yose.
4.6 mi / 2.0 hr
in Yosemite Valley
Thousands of Yosemite visitors walk to Mirror Lake every day in summer, but the vast majority of them miss the best part of this hike. The first thing you need to know: Mirror Lake is not really a lake; it’s a large, shallow pool in Tenaya Creek. The pool is undergoing the process of sedimentation (filling with sand and gravel from Tenaya Creek), so every year it shrinks a little more. Many visitors walk up and down this canyon, shake their heads, and ask each other “Where’s Mirror Lake?” If you know what you are looking for, the shallow pool is interesting to see, especially when its still waters produce a lovely reflective image of the granite domes above. But if you leave Mirror Lake behind and head back a mile or more into Tenaya Canyon, you will get the most out of this hike, and perhaps find the kind of quiet nature experience that most visitors seek in Yosemite.
Start by riding the free shuttle from Curry Village parking lot to Mirror Lake Junction. (Or walk there, if you wish, adding 1.5 miles round-trip to your hike.) From the bus stop, walk 0.5 mile on pavement to Mirror Lake and check out the interpretive signs at its edges. Then follow the foot trail up Tenaya Creek for 1.5 miles, passing the left turnoff for Snow Creek Trail. When you reach a footbridge across Tenaya Creek, cross it and loop back on the other side. Views of Half Dome, Mount Watkins, and neighboring granite walls are spectacular, and the forested creek canyon presents an intimate amphitheater in which to view them. Find a boulder somewhere, have a seat, and take in the show. This loop trail is nearly level the whole way, and once you go beyond Mirror Lake and into the lower Tenaya Creek Canyon, you are likely to find a little solitude.
User Groups: Hikers only. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. There is a $35 entrance fee per vehicle at Yosemite National Park, good for seven days.
Maps: A Half Dome or Yosemite National Park map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Half Dome.
Directions: From Merced, drive 70 miles northeast on Highway 140 to Yosemite National Park. Follow the signs toward Yosemite Valley, entering through the Arch Rock entrance station. Continue on Highway 140/El Portal Road, which becomes Southside Drive, for 11.6 miles to the day-use parking lot at Curry Village. Then ride the free Yosemite Valley shuttle bus to Mirror Lake Junction.
Contact: Yosemite National Park, Yosemite, 209/372-0200, www.nps.gov/yose.
17.0 mi / 1 or 2 days
in Yosemite Valley
No argument about it, Half Dome is one of those once-in-your-life-you-gotta-do-it hikes. Just be sure you know what you’re in for before you set out on this epic trail. For starters, you need to get a permit whether you plan to day-hike or backpack to the summit. Next, you need to know that the season is fairly short: if the weather cooperates, the Half Dome cables are usually in place from the weekend before Memorial Day in May through Columbus Day in early October. Attempting to climb the dome when the cables are not in place is extremely dangerous, so don’t even consider it. The trail itself is 17 miles round-trip with a 4,800-foot elevation gain, a demanding hike by any standards. You need to be in solid physical shape. The vast majority of hikers make the trek in a single long day, and that’s why a permit system was put in place to manage traffic and help keep hikers safe. A maximum of 300 people per day are granted permits to ascend Half Dome. Of those 300 hikers, approximately 225 are day hikers and 75 are backpackers. Day-hiking permits are distributed by preseason lottery via the website www.recreation.gov. Lottery applications are taken online March 1-31 at www.recreation.gov. Hikers who didn’t enter or succeed in the preseason lottery can try their luck at the daily lottery. Approximately 50 day-hiking permits are available each day during the hiking season. To apply for a daily lottery permit, go to www.recreation.gov or call 877/444-6777. For the daily lottery you must apply online two days prior to your desired hiking date, and you are notified of the lottery results late the same night. Hikers who want to climb Half Dome as part of an overnight trip need to follow a completely different process; they must obtain a wilderness permit for backpacking and request a Half Dome permit for hiking to the summit.
Half Dome
Got your permit? Okay, now check the contents of your backpack. All day hikers should be sure to bring a load of water and food with them. You’ll be handing it out to others who are not so well prepared, as well as gulping it down yourself. To begin the trip, follow either the John Muir Trail or the Mist Trail from Happy Isles to the top of Nevada Fall (the Mist Trail is 0.6 mile shorter), then go left and enter Little Yosemite Valley, where backpackers make camp. At 6.2 miles the John Muir Trail splits off from the Half Dome Trail and you head left for Half Dome. Just under two miles later you approach Half Dome’s shoulder, which is a massive hump that is informally called Sub Dome. This is where a ranger is usually stationed to check to make sure that you have a permit (people without permits will not be allowed beyond the base of Sub Dome). A granite stairway, consisting of about 600 steps, leads you up the dauntingly steep face of Sub Dome. Then the trail descends a bit, and you reach the steel cables that run 200 yards up the back of Half Dome. Here, many people start praying a lot and wishing there weren’t so many other hikers on the cables at the same time. Pick up a pair of old work gloves from the pile at the base of the cable route; you’ll need them to protect your hands as you pull yourself up the cables. It takes both hands and feet to haul yourself up 440 feet of nearly vertical granite. Many hikers are surprised by how much arm strength this requires. But when you reach the top, the views are so incredible that you forget all about your tired arms and feet. There’s plenty of room for everyone on top of Half Dome; its vast, mostly flat surface covers about 13 acres.
To make the trip easier, you can choose to split the hike into two days by camping at Little Yosemite Valley, 4.7 miles in (a wilderness permit is required; see notes above). This lets you save the final ascent for the next day. If you’re backpacking, you may also choose to hike to Little Yosemite Valley Camp from Glacier Point, spend the night, summit Half Dome first thing in the morning, then hike back out via Happy Isles and Yosemite Valley. You’ll need to arrange a car shuttle or ride the Glacier Point bus from Yosemite Lodge, but this is a great way to see an incredible amount of scenery in two days and avoid the climb up the Mist Trail to Little Yosemite Valley Camp.
User Groups: Hikers only. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: There is a $35 entrance fee per vehicle at Yosemite National Park, good for seven days. Permits are required for anyone day-hiking or backpacking to Half Dome’s summit (see notes above for instructions on how to apply for a permit).
Maps: A Half Dome or Yosemite National Park map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Half Dome.
Directions: From Merced, drive 70 miles northeast on Highway 140 to Yosemite National Park. Follow the signs toward Yosemite Valley, entering through the Arch Rock entrance station. Continue on Highway 140/El Portal Road, which becomes Southside Drive, for 11.6 miles to the day-use parking lot at Curry Village. Then ride the free Yosemite Valley shuttle bus to Happy Isles.
Contact: Yosemite National Park, Yosemite, 209/372-0200 or 209/372-0740 (permit reservations), www.nps.gov/yose or www.nps.gov/yose/wilderness (permit reservations).
7.6 mi / 4.0 hr
in Yosemite Valley near the Wawona Tunnel
Many consider the view from Inspiration Point at the entrance to the Wawona Tunnel to be one of the finest scenes in Yosemite—a wide panorama of Yosemite Valley, El Capitan, Half Dome, and Bridalveil Fall. If you like this view, you may want to see more of it by taking this hike from the trailhead at the vista point parking lot. The Pohono Trail leads uphill on a moderately steep grade until at 1.3 miles it reaches the “old” Inspiration Point. This is where the road to Yosemite Valley went through in the days before the Wawona Tunnel, and the view is now largely obscured by trees. Keep climbing, however, because with another 1,000 feet of elevation gain, you will cross Meadow Brook and reach the left cutoff trail for Stanford Point. You’re 3.8 miles from the trailhead and you’ve climbed 2,200 feet, but your reward is an eagle’s-eye view of the valley floor, 3,000 feet below, and a vista to the east of Half Dome and all its granite cousins. This stretch of the Pohono Trail is a dependable workout and the trail is never crowded with hikers.
User Groups: Hikers only. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. There is a $35 entrance fee per vehicle at Yosemite National Park, good for seven days.
Maps: A Yosemite National Park map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download El Capitan.
Directions: From Merced, drive 70 miles northeast on Highway 140 to Yosemite National Park. Follow the signs to Yosemite Valley, entering through the Arch Rock entrance station. Continue 6.3 miles on Highway 140/El Portal Road, which becomes Southside Drive, and turn right at the fork for Highway 41/Wawona/Fresno. Continue 1.5 miles to the parking lots on either side of the road just before you enter the Wawona Tunnel. The trailhead is at the parking lot on the left (south) side of the road.
Contact: Yosemite National Park, Yosemite, 209/372-0200, www.nps.gov/yose.
0.5 mi / 0.5 hr
in Yosemite Valley
Bridalveil Fall is right up there with Lower Yosemite Fall as a must-do walk for visitors (including nonhikers) to Yosemite Valley. Like that other famous waterfall walk, the path to Bridalveil Fall is paved with people. But the best thing about this waterfall is that unlike other falls in Yosemite Valley, Bridalveil runs year-round. It never dries up and disappoints visitors. The walk to its overlook is short and nearly level; the trail delivers you to a small viewing area about 70 yards from the fall. You can look straight up and see Bridalveil Creek plunging 620 feet off the edge of the south canyon wall. In high wind the fall billows and sways; if you are lucky you might see rainbows dancing in its mist. Another bonus is that your position at the Bridalveil overlook is such that if you do an about-face, you have an excellent view of Ribbon Fall flowing off the northern Yosemite Valley rim. Ribbon Fall is the highest single drop in the park at 1,612 feet, but it only flows in the earliest months of spring.
User Groups: Hikers and wheelchairs. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes.
Permits: No permits are required. There is a $35 entrance fee per vehicle at Yosemite National Park, good for seven days.
Maps: A Yosemite National Park map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download El Capitan.
Directions: From Merced, drive 70 miles northeast on Highway 140 to Yosemite National Park. Follow the signs toward Yosemite Valley, entering through the Arch Rock entrance station. Continue for 6.3 miles on Highway 140/El Portal Road, which becomes Southside Drive, and turn right at the fork for Highway 41/Wawona/Fresno. Turn left almost immediately into the Bridalveil Fall parking lot. The trail begins at the far end of the parking lot. If you are driving into Yosemite Valley on Highway 41 from the south, watch for the Bridalveil Fall turnoff on your right about one mile after you exit the Wawona Tunnel.
Contact: Yosemite National Park, Yosemite, 209/372-0200, www.nps.gov/yose.
9.6 mi / 6.0 hr
in Yosemite Valley
Many years ago, we hiked this trail on our first-ever visit to Yosemite and were shocked when we got to the top and found a giant parking lot and refreshment stand located there. What, you mean we could have driven to the high point on this trail? It’s true, but your arrival at dramatic Glacier Point is somehow made all the more meaningful if you get there the hard way, which means hiking Four-Mile Trail all the way up from the valley floor, gaining 3,220 feet in 4.8 miles (not 4.0 miles, as the name implies). The trail is partially shaded and makes for a terrific day hike with an early morning start. Then you can have a leisurely brunch or lunch from your bird’s-eye perch on Glacier Point. Don’t like what you brought in your daypack? No problem. A snack shop sells hot dogs and the like all summer. From Glacier Point, you have unobstructed views of just about every major landmark in Yosemite Valley—most notably Half Dome, Basket Dome, Yosemite Falls, Vernal and Nevada Falls, and the valley floor far, far below you.
User Groups: Hikers only. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. There is a $35 entrance fee per vehicle at Yosemite National Park, good for seven days.
Maps: A Half Dome or Yosemite National Park map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Half Dome.
Directions: From Merced, drive 70 miles northeast on Highway 140 to Yosemite National Park. Follow the signs to Yosemite Valley, entering through the Arch Rock entrance station. Continue on Highway 140/El Portal Road, which becomes Southside Drive, for 9.5 miles. The trailhead is located next to mile marker V18 on the right side of Southside Drive. Park in the pullouts along the road.
Contact: Yosemite National Park, Yosemite, 209/372-0200, www.nps.gov/yose.
2.0-7.0 mi / 1.0-4.0 hr
off Glacier Point Road in Yosemite National Park
Some trails seem to capture the essence of Yosemite, and the McGurk Meadow Trail is one of those. The trailhead is the first one you reach as you wind along Glacier Point Road to spectacular Glacier Point. It’s worth a stop to take the short walk through a fir and pine forest to pristine McGurk Meadow, a mile-long meadow crossed by a footbridge over a small feeder creek. A quarter-mile before the meadow the trail passes an old pioneer cabin, still standing in half-decent repair.
You can turn around at the meadow for a short and easy trip, or you can follow the trail until it connects to the Pohono Trail, which traverses Yosemite’s south rim. An ideal destination is Dewey Point, a spectacular promontory with an unforgettable view of Yosemite Valley, located just off the Pohono Trail. That option turns this hike into a seven-mile round-trip.
User Groups: Hikers only. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. There is a $35 entrance fee per vehicle at Yosemite National Park, good for seven days.
Maps: A Yosemite National Park map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download El Capitan.
Directions: From Merced, drive 70 miles northeast on Highway 140 to Yosemite National Park. Follow the signs toward Yosemite Valley, entering through the Arch Rock entrance station. Continue 6.3 miles on Highway 140/El Portal Road, which becomes Southside Drive, and turn right at the fork for Highway 41/Wawona/Fresno. Continue for 9.2 miles, turn left on Glacier Point Road, and drive 7.5 miles to the McGurk Meadow trailhead, on the left. Park in the pullout about 75 yards farther up the road.
Contact: Yosemite National Park, Yosemite, 209/372-0200, www.nps.gov/yose.
3.2 mi / 1.5 hr
off Glacier Point Road in Yosemite National Park
Perhaps the best time to take this hike to Bridalveil Creek is immediately after visiting Bridalveil Fall. After a short walk from Glacier Point Road through a forested area, you wind up at the edge of Bridalveil Creek, a babbling brook that seems far too tame to produce the giant waterfall downstream. To make the trip, follow Ostrander Lake Trail from Glacier Point Road for 1.4 miles. This stretch is almost completely level and is framed by colorful bunches of lupine in midsummer. When the trail splits, take the right fork toward Bridalveil Creek. The stream is so tame here that there is no bridge to cross—it’s an easy rock hop by midsummer, although it can be a dangerous crossing in late spring. Pick a spot along its banks, and spend some time counting the wildflowers or the small, darting trout. If you are camping at Bridalveil Creek Campground or just heading up the road to visit Glacier Point, this easy walk is a pleasant leg-stretcher that will take you away from the crowds that throng so many of Yosemite’s famous destinations.
User Groups: Hikers only. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. There is a $35 entrance fee per vehicle at Yosemite National Park, good for seven days.
Maps: A Yosemite National Park map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Half Dome.
Directions: From Merced, drive 70 miles northeast on Highway 140 to Yosemite National Park. Follow the signs toward Yosemite Valley, entering through the Arch Rock entrance station. Continue for 6.3 miles on Highway 140/El Portal Road, which becomes Southside Drive, and turn right at the fork for Highway 41/Wawona/Fresno. Continue for 9.2 miles, turn left on Glacier Point Road, and drive another 8.9 miles to the Ostrander Lake trailhead, on the right.
Contact: Yosemite National Park, Yosemite, 209/372-0200, www.nps.gov/yose.
12.5 mi / 1 or 2 days
off Glacier Point Road in Yosemite National Park
While many people take short day hikes from Glacier Point Road, a longer 12.5-mile trip to Ostrander Lake may better suit your taste. The trail is surprisingly easy, considering the long miles, and the first half is quite level. You can hike out and back in a day, or get a wilderness permit and camp near the lake’s shores. The wide blue lake, set at 8,580 feet, is a popular destination for cross-country skiers in the winter, as is evidenced by the stone Ostrander Ski Hut and the ski markers tacked high up on trees along the route. Although the trail (really an old road) begins in a regenerated forest fire area, it traverses a typical high-country landscape of firs, pines, and, as you ascend, granite. You have to gain 1,600 feet along the way, most of it in the final three miles to the lake. The culmination of the climb occurs at nearly six miles out, as you reach the trail’s highest point, a saddle on top of 8,700-foot Horizon Ridge. Here you are rewarded with excellent views of Half Dome, North Dome, Basket Dome, and Liberty Cap. This is a fine place to catch your breath. From here, the lake is less than 0.5 mile farther. On summer days, bring your swimsuit and a book, and plan to spend a few hours on Ostrander’s sand- and boulder-lined shoreline.
User Groups: Hikers only. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: There is a $35 entrance fee per vehicle at Yosemite National Park, good for seven days. Wilderness permits are required for overnight stays. They are available on a first-come, first-served basis up to two days in advance at the Yosemite Wilderness kiosk near your chosen trailhead, or up to 24 weeks in advance through Yosemite’s online wilderness reservation system at www.yosemiteconservancy.org for a $5 reservation fee per person.
Maps: A Yosemite National Park map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For topographic maps, go to the USGS website to download Half Dome and Mariposa Grove.
Directions: From Merced, drive 70 miles northeast on Highway 140 to Yosemite National Park. Follow the signs toward Yosemite Valley, entering through the Arch Rock entrance station. Continue for 6.3 miles on Highway 140/El Portal Road, which becomes Southside Drive, and turn right at the fork for Highway 41/Wawona/Fresno. Continue for 9.2 miles, turn left on Glacier Point Road, and drive 8.9 miles to the Ostrander Lake trailhead, on the right.
Contact: Yosemite National Park, Yosemite, 209/372-0200 or 209/372-0740 (permit reservations), www.nps.gov/yose or www.nps.gov/yose/wilderness (permit reservations).
2.2 mi / 1.0 hr
off Glacier Point Road in Yosemite National Park
It’s hard to believe you can get so much for so little, but on Sentinel Dome Trail, you can. The granite dome is located about a mile before Glacier Point on Glacier Point Road, and its elevation is 1,000 feet higher than the point’s. Views from the dome’s summit extend a full 360 degrees. A short and nearly level walk leads you to the base of the dome, and a 100-yard climb up its smooth granite back side brings you to its summit. There you are greeted by stunning vistas in all directions, including an unusual perspective on Upper and Lower Yosemite Falls. This is one of the best places in Yosemite to watch the sun set. To make a longer excursion, you can easily combine this hike with the hike to Taft Point and the Fissures (see listing in this chapter), which starts from the same trailhead but heads in the opposite direction.
User Groups: Hikers only. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. There is a $35 entrance fee per vehicle at Yosemite National Park, good for seven days.
Maps: A Half Dome or Yosemite National Park map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Half Dome.
Directions: From Merced, drive 70 miles northeast on Highway 140 to Yosemite National Park. Follow the signs to Yosemite Valley, entering through the Arch Rock entrance station. Continue 6.3 miles on Highway 140/El Portal Road, which becomes Southside Drive, and turn right at the fork for Highway 41/Wawona/Fresno. Continue for 9.2 miles, turn left on Glacier Point Road, and drive 13.2 miles to the Taft Point/Sentinel Dome trailhead parking lot, on the left side of the road.
Contact: Yosemite National Park, Yosemite, 209/372-0200, www.nps.gov/yose.
2.2 mi / 1.0 hr
off Glacier Point Road in Yosemite National Park
It’s not so much the sweeping vista from Taft Point that you remember (although certainly you could say that the views of Yosemite’s north rim and the valley floor are stunning). What you remember is the incredible sense of awe that you feel, perhaps mixed with a little fear and a lot of respect, as you peer down into the fissures in Taft Point’s granite—huge cracks in the rock that plunge hundreds of feet down toward the valley. One of the fissures has a couple of large boulders captured in its jaws; they’re stuck there, waiting for the next big earthquake or ice age to set them free. Be sure to walk to the metal railing along the edge of Taft Point’s cliff, where you can hold on tight and peer down at the valley far, far below. If you have kids with you or anyone who is afraid of heights, be sure to keep a tight handhold on them.
User Groups: Hikers only. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. There is a $35 entrance fee per vehicle at Yosemite National Park, good for seven days.
Maps: A Half Dome or Yosemite National Park map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Half Dome.
Directions: From Merced, drive 70 miles northeast on Highway 140 to Yosemite National Park. Follow the signs to Yosemite Valley, entering through the Arch Rock entrance station. Continue for 6.3 miles on Highway 140/El Portal Road, which becomes Southside Drive, and turn right at the fork for Highway 41/Wawona/Fresno. Continue for 9.2 miles, turn left on Glacier Point Road, and drive 13.2 miles to the Taft Point/Sentinel Dome trailhead parking lot, on the left side of the road.
Contact: Yosemite National Park, Yosemite, 209/372-0200, www.nps.gov/yose.
13.0 mi one-way / 7.0 hr
off Glacier Point Road in Yosemite National Park
If you can arrange a shuttle trip, Pohono Trail from Glacier Point downhill to its end at Wawona Tunnel is worth every step of its 13 miles. The two ends of the trail have the best drive-to viewpoints in all of Yosemite, and in between, you are treated to dozens of other scenic spots (including Sentinel Dome, at 1.5 miles, and Taft Point, at 3.8 miles), as well as four bird’s-eye lookouts over the valley floor: Inspiration, Stanford, Dewey, and Crocker Points. Starting at Glacier Point and ending at Wawona Tunnel, you’ll cover a 2,800-foot descent, but there are some “ups” along the way, too—like at the very beginning (from Glacier Point to Sentinel Dome), and between Bridalveil Creek and Dewey Point. The trail stays on or near Yosemite Valley’s southern rim the entire way except for one major detour into the woods to access the bridge crossing of Bridalveil Creek. Remember to bring along a good map, because many of the trail’s best offerings are just off the main path. If you don’t take the short spur routes to reach them, you’ll miss out on some spectacular scenery.
The view of Yosemite Falls from Pohono Trail in front of Sentinel Dome is the best in all of Yosemite. For the best overall vista along the trail, it’s a toss-up between Glacier Point, Taft Point, and Dewey Point.
User Groups: Hikers only. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: There is a $35 entrance fee per vehicle at Yosemite National Park, good for seven days. Wilderness permits are required for overnight stays. They are available on a first-come, first-served basis up to two days in advance at the Yosemite Wilderness kiosk near your chosen trailhead, or up to 24 weeks in advance through Yosemite’s online wilderness reservation system at www.yosemiteconservancy.org for a $5 reservation fee per person.
Maps: A Yosemite National Park map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For topographic maps, go to the USGS website to download Half Dome and El Capitan.
Directions: From Merced, drive 70 miles northeast on Highway 140 to Yosemite National Park. Follow the signs to Yosemite Valley, entering through the Arch Rock entrance station. Continue for 6.3 miles on Highway 140/El Portal Road, which becomes Southside Drive, and turn right at the fork for Highway 41/Wawona/Fresno. Continue for 9.2 miles, turn left on Glacier Point Road, and drive 15.7 miles to Glacier Point. Park and walk toward the main viewing area across from the café and gift shop. Look for the Pohono Trail sign about 150 feet southeast of the café building, on your right.
Contact: Yosemite National Park, Yosemite, 209/372-0200 or 209/372-0740 (permit reservations), www.nps.gov/yose or www.nps.gov/yose/wilderness (permit reservations).
8.5 mi one-way / 5.0 hr
off Glacier Point Road in Yosemite National Park
The Panorama Trail follows a spectacular route from Glacier Point to Yosemite Valley, heading downhill most of the way, but you must have a shuttle car waiting at the end or it’s one heck of a long climb back up. A great option is to take the Yosemite Lodge tour bus for one leg of the trip; call 209/372-1240 to reserve a seat (fee required).
The aptly named Panorama Trail begins at Glacier Point, elevation 7,214 feet. You switchback downhill, accompanied by ever-changing perspectives on Half Dome, Basket Dome, North Dome, Liberty Cap, and, in the distance, Vernal and Nevada Falls. You will gape a lot. After passing Illilouette Fall and ascending a bit for the first time on the trip, continue eastward to the Panorama Trail’s end near the top of Nevada Fall. Turn right to reach the top of the fall and have a rest at the overlook, then continue downhill on the Mist Trail on the north side of the river. After a view-filled descent along the north side of Nevada Fall, you’ll cross the river in 1.4 miles and walk alongside lovely Emerald Pool on your way to the top of Vernal Fall. Enjoy the show here, then tromp down the granite staircase on the busy trail back to Happy Isles. From there you can take the free valley shuttle bus back to your car, parked somewhere in Yosemite Valley.
Note: The route has a 3,200-foot elevation loss over its course, but there is also a 760-foot climb after you cross Illilouette Creek. Also be forewarned that while the starting miles of the trip are quite tranquil, the final two miles by Vernal Fall are usually a parade of people.
User Groups: Hikers only. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. There is a $35 entrance fee per vehicle at Yosemite National Park, good for seven days.
Maps: A Half Dome or Yosemite National Park map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Half Dome.
Directions: From Merced, drive 70 miles northeast on Highway 140 to Yosemite National Park. Follow the signs to Yosemite Valley, entering through the Arch Rock entrance station. Continue for 6.3 miles on Highway 140/El Portal Road, which becomes Southside Drive, and turn right at the fork for Highway 41/Wawona/Fresno. Continue for 9.2 miles, turn left on Glacier Point Road, and drive 15.7 miles to Glacier Point. Park and walk toward the main viewing area, across from the café and gift shop. Look for the Panorama Trail sign about 150 feet southeast of the café building, on your right.
Contact: Yosemite National Park, Yosemite, 209/372-0200, www.nps.gov/yose; lodge tour buses, 209/372-1240.
4.0 mi / 2.5 hr
off Glacier Point Road in Yosemite National Park
Those who can’t afford the time or make the car shuttle arrangements necessary to hike the entire Panorama Trail should at least take this incredible out-and-back trip on the top portion of the route. Glacier Point is your starting point, and the bridge above Illilouette Fall becomes your destination, but what happens in between is sheer magic. Some say that hiking Panorama Trail is like staring at a life-size Yosemite postcard, but we say it’s more like being in the postcard. As you walk, you feel as if you’ve become one with the magnificent panorama of Half Dome, Basket Dome, North Dome, Liberty Cap, and far-off Vernal and Nevada Falls. The trail is downhill all the way to Illilouette Fall in two miles, which means you have a 1,200-foot elevation gain on the return trip. The path is extremely well graded, so even children can make the climb. After viewing the waterfall from a trailside overlook, walk another 0.25 mile and stand on the bridge that is perched just above the 370-foot drop. For obvious reasons, don’t think about swimming here.
User Groups: Hikers only. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. There is a $35 entrance fee per vehicle at Yosemite National Park, good for seven days.
Maps: A Half Dome or Yosemite National Park map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Half Dome.
Directions: From Merced, drive 70 miles northeast on Highway 140 to Yosemite National Park. Follow the signs to Yosemite Valley, entering through the Arch Rock entrance station. Continue for 6.3 miles on Highway 140/El Portal Road, which becomes Southside Drive, and turn right at the fork for Highway 41/Wawona/Fresno. Continue for 9.2 miles, turn left on Glacier Point Road, and drive 15.7 miles to Glacier Point. Park and walk toward the main viewing area, across from the café and gift shop. Look for the Panorama Trail sign on your right, about 150 feet southeast of the café building.
Contact: Yosemite National Park, Yosemite, 209/372-0200, www.nps.gov/yose.
8.2 mi / 5.0 hr
off Highway 41 near Wawona in Yosemite National Park
Maybe the best thing about Alder Creek Falls is that with all the world-famous waterfalls in Yosemite, this one just plain gets overlooked. Or maybe the best thing is the fun hike to reach it, starting with the challenge of locating the hidden trailhead along Highway 41. After you accomplish this feat, you begin with a one-mile beeline hike straight uphill through the forest, which will surely get your heart pumping. At the top of the ridge and a trail junction, turn left and hike through the trees for two more miles, still heading uphill but now more gently. Three miles from the trailhead, the route suddenly goes level as it joins an old railroad grade, and then it’s a one-mile easy stroll to the spot where Alder Creek takes the plunge off a granite lip. The waterfall is about 250 feet tall, and the best view of it is from the trail, about 100 yards away from it. If you choose to keep hiking beyond the falls, you’ll find many fine picnic spots among meadows filled with wildflowers.
User Groups: Hikers and horses. No dogs or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: There is a $35 entrance fee per vehicle at Yosemite National Park, good for seven days. Wilderness permits are required for overnight stays. They are available on a first-come, first-served basis up to two days in advance at the Yosemite Wilderness kiosk near your chosen trailhead, or up to 24 weeks in advance through Yosemite’s online wilderness reservation system at www.yosemiteconservancy.org for a $5 reservation fee per person.
Maps: A Yosemite National Park map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Wawona.
Directions: From Merced, drive 55 miles northeast on Highway 140 to Yosemite National Park. Follow the signs to Yosemite Valley, entering through the Arch Rock entrance station. Continue for 6.3 miles on Highway 140/El Portal Road, which becomes Southside Drive, and turn right at the fork for Highway 41/Wawona/Fresno. Drive south on Highway 41 for 21 miles to a hairpin turn in the road (if you are coming from the south, it is exactly 4.2 miles north of Chilnualna Falls Road in Wawona). Park in the large dirt pullout on the west side of the road; the trailhead is on the east side of Highway 41. There is no marker except for a Yosemite Wilderness sign.
Contact: Yosemite National Park, Yosemite, 209/372-0200 or 209/372-0740 (permit reservations), www.nps.gov/yose or www.nps.gov/yose/wilderness (permit reservations).
3.2 mi / 1.25 hr
off Highway 41 near Wawona in Yosemite National Park
Sometimes you just want to take a stroll in the park, and the Wawona Meadow Loop is exactly that. Many hikers ignore this trail because of its proximity to the Wawona Golf Course, but they are missing out on an easy, pleasant meander. On this level trail (a former stage road), you can see terrific wildflowers in early summer and enjoy the good company of butterflies as you take a lazy stroll. From the signed trailhead across the road from the Wawona Hotel, hike to your left on the dirt road, following the split rail fence. At the end of the meadow the old road crosses the stream and returns to the hotel on the north side of the golf course. If you wish, you can even bring your dog or ride your bike on this trail. If you’re staying at the Wawona Hotel, you can hike from there, crossing the Wawona Road on your way out and back.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and mountain bikes. No horses. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. There is a $35 entrance fee per vehicle at Yosemite National Park, good for seven days.
Maps: A Yosemite National Park map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Wawona.
Directions: From Merced, drive 70 miles northeast on Highway 140 to Yosemite National Park. Follow the signs toward Yosemite Valley, entering through the Arch Rock entrance station. Continue for 6.3 miles on Highway 140/El Portal Road, which becomes Southside Drive, and turn right at the fork for Highway 41/Wawona/Fresno. Drive 27 miles to the trailhead, which is just south of the golf course and across the road from the Wawona Hotel.
Contact: Yosemite National Park, Yosemite, 209/372-0200, www.nps.gov/yose.
8.2 mi / 5.0 hr
off Highway 41 near Wawona in Yosemite National Park
Are you ready to climb? It’s good to be mentally prepared for this hike, which includes a steady four-mile uphill, gaining 2,400 feet to reach the top of Chilnualna Fall. Pick a nice, cool day because this trail is in the lower-elevation part of Yosemite. Your nose will be continually assaulted with the intoxicating smell of bear clover, which together with manzanita and oaks makes up the majority of the vegetation along the route. Halfway up you get a great view of Wawona Dome (elevation 6,897 feet) from a granite overlook. This is a great place to take a break and stretch your hamstrings. Shortly thereafter you glimpse a section of Chilnualna Falls high up on a cliff wall, still far ahead. The trail leads above the brink of the fall’s lower drop to a series of higher cascades. Keep hiking until you reach the uppermost cascade, which consists of five pool-and-drop tiers just 100 yards off the granite-lined trail. You’ll want to spread out a picnic here before you begin the long descent back to the trailhead.
Chilnualna Falls
User Groups: Hikers and horses. No dogs or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: There is a $35 entrance fee per vehicle at Yosemite National Park, good for seven days. Wilderness permits are required for overnight stays. They are available on a first-come, first-served basis up to two days in advance at the Yosemite Wilderness kiosk near your chosen trailhead, or up to 24 weeks in advance through Yosemite’s online wilderness reservation system at www.yosemiteconservancy.org for a $5 reservation fee per person.
Maps: A Yosemite National Park map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For topographic maps, go to the USGS website to download Wawona and Mariposa Grove.
Directions: From Merced, drive 55 miles northeast on Highway 140 to Yosemite National Park. Follow the signs to Yosemite Valley, entering through the Arch Rock entrance station. Continue for 6.3 miles on Highway 140/El Portal Road, which becomes Southside Drive, and turn right at the fork for Highway 41/Wawona/Fresno. Drive south on Highway 41 for 25 miles to Wawona, and turn left on Chilnualna Falls Road. Drive 1.7 miles east and park in the lot on the right side of the road. Walk back to Chilnualna Falls Road and pick up the single-track trail across the pavement.
Contact: Yosemite National Park, Yosemite, 209/372-0200 or 209/372-0740 (permit reservations), www.nps.gov/yose or www.nps.gov/yose/wilderness (permit reservations).
2.0-6.4 mi / 1.0-3.0 hr
off Highway 41 near Wawona in Yosemite National Park
After a two-year closure and a major facelift, Yosemite’s Mariposa Grove reopened in fall 2018. Its larger-than-life giant sequoia trees offer an even bigger wow factor than before. Gone are the exhaust-emitting tram rides, tacky gift shop, and paved roads between the lower and upper groves. In their place are improved parking and access (leave your car at Yosemite’s South Entrance and ride a free shuttle to the lower grove) and wheelchair-accessible trails and boardwalks. The awe-inspiring experience of seeing the gargantuan Grizzly Giant tree—and approximately 500 more mature sequoias—is now better than ever. At more than 100 feet in circumference, the Grizzly Giant’s girth is mind-boggling. It’s one of the oldest known giant sequoias, still standing tall after more than 2,700 years. If you want to see only the most famous trees in the grove, including the Grizzly Giant, take the well-signed two-mile hike through the lower grove and turn around at the signs pointing to the upper grove. If you hike the entire lower and upper grove, you will cover 6.4 miles of trail. For the best chance of avoiding the summer crowds, time your visit for early in the morning or just before sunset.
User Groups: Hikers only. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. There is a $35 entrance fee per vehicle at Yosemite National Park, good for seven days.
Maps: A brochure and trail map are available at the trailhead. A Yosemite National Park map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Mariposa Grove.
Directions: From Merced, drive 70 miles northeast on Highway 140 to Yosemite National Park. Follow the signs toward Yosemite Valley, entering through the Arch Rock entrance station. Continue for 6.3 miles on Highway 140/El Portal Road, which becomes Southside Drive, and turn right at the fork for Highway 41/Wawona/Fresno. Drive 32 miles to the Mariposa Grove parking area by Yosemite’s south entrance, then ride the shuttle bus to the grove’s trailhead. (If you enter the park on Highway 41 from the south, the parking area will be just after you pass through the entrance station.)
Contact: Yosemite National Park, Yosemite, 209/372-0200, www.nps.gov/yose.
4.0 mi / 2.0 hr
off Highway 41 north of Oakhurst
Three separate trailheads access the Lewis Creek National Recreation Trail, but unless you want to hike its entire 3.7-mile one-way distance, the best place to start is at the trail’s midpoint, just off Highway 41. From this roadside trailhead, you can take a 10-minute walk south to Corlieu Falls and/or walk 1.8 miles north to see Red Rock Falls. Neither waterfall is a showstopper, although both are pretty. Instead, the highlight of the trip is the hike itself, a gorgeous walk along flower-lined Lewis Creek, following the route of the historic Madera Sugar Pine lumber flume. Sugar Pine Lumber Company used the flume (an artificial river in a huge wooden trough) to float lumber over 50 miles to the town of Madera. You’ll pass many anglers along the hike; Lewis Creek is stocked with catchable trout. Fishing is best below Corlieu Falls. In addition, the white western azaleas along the stream bloom in profusion in early summer, shaded by a thick canopy of dogwoods, oaks, ponderosa pines, and incense cedars.
User Groups: Hikers and dogs. No horses or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A Sierra National Forest map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Ahwahnee.
Directions: From Oakhurst, drive north on Highway 41 for eight miles to the signed trailhead for Lewis Creek Trail, on the east side of the highway. The trailhead is four miles south of Westfall Picnic Area.
Contact: Sierra National Forest, Bass Lake Ranger Station, North Fork, 559/877-2218, www.fs.usda.gov/sierra.
1.2 mi / 0.5 hr
off Highway 41 south of Yosemite National Park and north of Oakhurst in Sierra National Forest
Shadow of the Giants is a National Recreation Trail that is located within the Nelder Grove of Giant Sequoias. For the sheer numbers of sequoias and the blissful peace and quiet, it beats the heck out of the sequoia groves a few miles north, in Yosemite National Park. On a Saturday afternoon in June, it’s not impossible to walk the one-mile interpretive trail all by yourself. The self-guided signs along the trail are interesting and informative, and the babble of Nelder Creek is a perfect accompaniment to the huge, majestic trees. In addition to the sequoias, the forest is filled with western azaleas, dogwoods, incense cedars, wild rose, sugar pines, and white firs. What’s the best thing we learned on the trail? The bark of mature sequoias is so soft that squirrels use it to line their nests. The trail makes an easy loop and is set at 5,000 feet in elevation. The best sequoias are at the far end of the loop, so make sure you walk all the way.
User Groups: Hikers and dogs. No horses or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A Sierra National Forest map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Bass Lake.
Directions: From Oakhurst, drive north on Highway 41 for five miles to Sky Ranch Road/Road 632. Turn east on Sky Ranch Road and drive six miles to the turnoff for Nelder Grove. Turn left, drive 1.5 miles, and take the left fork, signed for Shadow of the Giants. (The right fork takes you to an interpretive site and additional trails). Drive 0.5 mile to the trailhead.
Contact: Sierra National Forest, Bass Lake Ranger Station, North Fork, 559/877-2218, www.fs.usda.gov/sierra.
2.0 mi / 1.0 hr
off Highway 41 south of Yosemite National Park and north of Oakhurst
It’s best to plan one hour of time for this trip, but you may want to leave room for more, because once you reach the top of Fresno Dome, you won’t want to leave. The trailhead elevation is 8,000 feet, and the trail is beautiful right from the start. It traverses a verdant meadow filled with corn lilies, quaking aspens, and lavender shooting stars. The first 0.5 mile is completely flat; in the second 0.5 mile, you climb up the sloped back side of Fresno Dome. After a moderate ascent (manageable by almost anybody), you’re rewarded with 360-degree views, mostly of conifer-filled valleys. You can just make out a corner of Bass Lake, the town of Oakhurst, and the far-off snowy peaks of the Ansel Adams Wilderness. From up on top of Fresno Dome, it all looks like heaven.
User Groups: Hikers and dogs. No horses or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A Sierra National Forest map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Bass Lake.
Directions: From Oakhurst, drive north on Highway 41 for five miles to Sky Ranch Road/Road 632. Turn east on Sky Ranch Road, drive approximately 12 miles, and bear left at the sign for Fresno Dome Campground. Drive 4.8 miles to the trailhead (two miles past the camp).
Contact: Sierra National Forest, Bass Lake Ranger Station, North Fork, 559/877-2218, www.fs.usda.gov/sierra/.
8.6 mi / 4.0 hr-2 days
in the Ansel Adams Wilderness southeast of Yosemite National Park
Reaching the trailhead for The Niche and Cora Lakes requires a long drive on the Sierra Vista National Scenic Byway, the showpiece road of the North Fork area. If you have the time for it, it’s a great trip. The best approach is to drive out and spend the night at Granite Creek Campground or nearby Clover Meadow Campground, then start hiking the next day. The trip starts with a 3.1-mile gentle ascent through red firs and lodgepole pines to The Niche (at 8,000 feet), where you enter the Ansel Adams Wilderness boundary. Bear left and follow the signs to Cora Lakes, at 4.3 miles. Only one of the Cora Lakes is of substantial size; that’s the lower lake, the first one you come to, on the left. The lake is partly forested and has dependable trout fishing. Because the total ascent to Cora Lakes is only 1,200 feet, you may have some energy left to burn. Backpackers should consider adding on a jaunt to Joe Crane Lake, another four miles to the north. The lake has a long and lovely sandy beach, good fishing, and even better swimming than at Cora Lakes.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A free wilderness permit is required for overnight stays and is available from the Bass Lake Ranger Station. Quotas are in effect year-round; permits can be reserved in advance for a $5 reservation fee per person.
Maps: A Sierra National Forest or Ansel Adams Wilderness map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Timber Knob.
Directions: From the town of North Fork south of Bass Lake, drive southeast on Road 225 to Minarets Road. Turn left (north) on Minarets Road/Road 81 and follow it for approximately 50 winding miles to the Clover Meadow Ranger Station/Granite Creek turnoff, on the right. Drive 4.5 miles to the Isberg trailhead, just beyond Granite Creek Campground.
Contact: Sierra National Forest, Bass Lake Ranger Station, North Fork, 559/877-2218, www.fs.usda.gov/sierra.
7.2 mi / 4.0 hr or 2 days
in the Ansel Adams Wilderness southeast of Yosemite National Park
Campers in the Clover Meadow and Upper Chiquito campground areas have this pleasant day hike to enjoy. The trailhead is an easy reach (right off of Beasore Road), and in about two hours of hiking, you can be cooling your toes in the crystal-blue waters of Lower Jackass Lake. The trail climbs immediately from the road, then enters the Ansel Adams Wilderness boundary in one mile. This first mile can be hot and steep, but it’s over with quickly. At the boundary, the grade mellows out, and you reach a junction just before the lakes, at 3.4 miles. The right fork goes to Lower Jackass Lake (the largest of three choices) in 0.2 mile, and the left fork goes to the tiny upper lake. A third lake lies in the basin above the upper lake. Many people just bear right at the junction and visit Lower Jackass Lake, which at 8,600 feet is backed by granite cliffs and offers good swimming and fishing prospects. No, this isn’t the most beautiful lake in the Sierra, but if you just want to visit a pretty spot without a whole lot of effort, this trip fits the bill.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A free wilderness permit is required for overnight stays and is available from the Bass Lake Ranger Station. Quotas are in effect year-round; permits can be reserved in advance for a $5 reservation fee per person.
Maps: A Sierra National Forest or Ansel Adams Wilderness map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Timber Knob.
Directions: From Oakhurst, drive north on Highway 41 for four miles, then turn right on Road 222 toward Bass Lake. In four miles, bear left on Road 274. Drive two miles and turn left on Beasore Road (gravel). Drive 29 miles to a turnoff for the Norris Trailhead. Bear left and drive two miles to the trailhead parking area.
Contact: Sierra National Forest, Bass Lake Ranger Station, North Fork, 559/877-2218, www.fs.usda.gov/sierra.
15.0 mi / 2 days
in the John Muir Wilderness south of Mammoth Lakes
Framed by a back wall of bare granite peaks, Convict Lake is a mountain shrine, and the trail that leads from here into the backcountry wilderness makes hikers feel as if they’re ascending into heaven. But this is no easy trip. Not only is there a 2,700-foot climb, but a tricky and sometimes dangerous stream crossing is involved. To complicate matters, much of the trail into Convict Canyon has been washed out by frequent landslides, and the Forest Service has given up on trail maintenance. Still, this canyon is worth seeing—just be prepared for a serious hike.
Begin your trek at Convict Lake (7,621 feet). A trail circles the lake, and it doesn’t matter whether you follow the north shore trail or the south shore trail. Either way you’ll have plenty of company until you reach the far (west) side of the lake, where the Convict Canyon Trail takes off. You’ll start to climb right away, and this section can be steep and hot, but it’s fairly easy to follow except for a few washed-out sections. Occasional stands of aspen provide welcome shade. At about three miles, you must ford Convict Creek, which can be dangerous in the early summer because of high snowmelt. (By autumn, it may be a simple rock-hop.) Several attempts to bridge this crossing have failed, as the bridge always gets washed out by high flows in early summer.
Beyond the crossing, the trail gets sketchier, and the drop-offs get steeper. You’ll climb high above the creek, becoming more intimate with the magnificent, colorful walls of Convict Canyon. This place is a geologist’s dream. Finally you’ll climb high enough to enter the high country above tree line at 10,000 feet. Only scattered stands of whitebark pines grow on the edge of Mildred Lake (4.9 miles out), a great place for day hikers to call it a day. A sketchy use trail switchbacks from the back side of Mildred up to Lake Dorothy at 6.2 miles (10,275 feet), Lake Genevieve at 7.2 miles (10,000 feet), and beyond them, Bighorn, Edith, and Cloverleaf Lakes. Backpackers can take their pick. Lake Dorothy is by far the largest of the lot and is well known for its white sand beaches. You can spend days exploring this high-mountain paradise—but it comes with a price.
Note: The crossing of Convict Creek is considered to be one of the most treacherous in the Sierra Nevada. This trail should only be hiked late in the season, when the stream flow has dropped. Check with the Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center for current conditions before planning a trip.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A free wilderness permit is required for overnight stays and is available from the Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center. Quotas are in effect from May 1 to November 1; for this period, permits are available in advance for a $5 reservation fee per person.
Maps: A Mammoth High Country map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. An Inyo National Forest or John Muir Wilderness map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Bloody Mountain.
Directions: From U.S. 395 at the Mammoth Lakes junction, drive south for six miles to Convict Lake Road. Turn west and drive 1.8 miles to a spur road on the right as you near the lake. Turn right and drive 0.25 mile to the parking area for the trailhead.
Contact: Inyo National Forest, Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center, Mammoth Lakes, 760/924-5500, www.fs.usda.gov/inyo.
11.4 mi / 6.0 hr or 2 days
in the John Muir Wilderness
Unlike many trails leading into the John Muir Wilderness, the McGee Creek Trail has the benefit of starting out with a fairly gentle grade. It follows the remains of an old mining road (now just a narrow trail), and it gives your legs and lungs the opportunity to warm up before climbing more seriously. Get an early start, though, because in the first two miles, you pass through sun-baked plains of sage and rabbit brush. There is very little shade, but you are heading toward a colorful and dramatic mountain backdrop: Mount Baldwin on the right, Mount Crocker on the left, and Red and White Mountain straight ahead—all at over 12,000 feet in elevation. To your left, along McGee Creek, grows a lush garden of aspens and cottonwoods. You’ll pass Horsetail Falls on the right at two miles out, and soon the trail enters a lodgepole pine forest. The climb steepens, and at 4.5 miles, you reach a junction with Steelhead Lake Trail heading left (east). Switchbacks carry you to a short spur to tiny Grass Lake, then to much larger Steelhead Lake (10,350 feet). The total climb is 2,300 feet over 5.7 miles, but most of the work is in the last 1.2 miles.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A free wilderness permit is required for overnight stays and is available from the Bishop/White Mountain Ranger Station. Quotas are in effect from May 1 to November 1; for this period, permits are available in advance for a $5 reservation fee per person.
Maps: A Mammoth High Country map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. An Inyo National Forest or John Muir Wilderness map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Convict Lake.
Directions: From U.S. 395 at the Mammoth Lakes junction, drive south eight miles to the McGee Creek Road turnoff on the right (30 miles north of Bishop). Drive three miles southwest on McGee Creek Road (past the pack station) to the trailhead.
Contact: Inyo National Forest, White Mountain Ranger District, Bishop, 760/873-2500, www.fs.usda.gov/inyo.
7.4 mi / 4.0 hr
in the John Muir Wilderness
Since wilderness permits are hard to come by for this trail, your best bet is a day hike up to scenic, austere Mono Pass, where William Brewer and his party crossed the Sierra in 1864. Trailhead elevation is 10,300 feet, and the pass is at 12,600 feet, so get ready to climb in thin air (gasp). Also, expect it to be cold and windy at the pass, no matter how warm it is at the trailhead. Start your trip by following the trail alongside Rock Creek, with a wall of mammoth mountain peaks surrounding you. A half-mile in, leave most of the crowds behind as you bear right for Mono Pass, switchbacking uphill. As you climb, you gain a view of Little Lakes Valley below, as well as continual eyefuls of classic Sierra scenery—clear blue sky, jagged mountain backdrops, and plenty of rock. Pass the side trail to Ruby Lake at two miles out (save this 0.25-mile spur for your return trip). Continue on the rocky, treeless trail until at last you reach the summit, where you get a full panoramic view, which is probably hardly different from when Brewer saw it more than a century ago. That peak just to the east of you is Mount Starr, elevation 12,835 feet. To the south, the 13,000-foot-plus peaks reign: Mount Abbot and Mount Mills. Mono Rock and the Mono Recesses lie to the west, and the blue lakes of the Pioneer Basin are to the north.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required for day-use. A free wilderness permit is required for overnight stays and is available from the Bishop/White Mountain Ranger Station. Quotas are in effect from May 1 to November 1; permits are available in advance for a $5 reservation fee per person. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A Mono Divide High Country map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. A John Muir Wilderness map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For topographic maps, go to the USGS website to download Mount Morgan and Mount Abbot.
Directions: From U.S. 395 at the Mammoth Lakes junction, drive south 15 miles to Tom’s Place and the Rock Creek Road turnoff, on the right (24 miles north of Bishop). Follow Rock Creek Road southwest for 10.5 miles to its end, at the Mosquito Flat parking area.
Contact: Inyo National Forest, White Mountain Ranger District, Bishop, 760/873-2500, www.fs.usda.gov/inyo.
3.0-9.0 mi / 2.0-5.0 hr
in the John Muir Wilderness
If the mileage shown above reflects some indecision, that’s because the Little Lakes Valley makes it hard to decide which lake to visit or how far to hike. It’s best to decide as you go, depending on how busy the trail is and how your energy is holding up. The Little Lakes Valley is a spectacularly beautiful, glacially carved area that is littered with lakes both large and small, and is surrounded by 13,000-foot peaks. What makes it even more special is that its trailhead is at 10,300 feet, so your car does most of the climbing, instead of your feet. For this reason, the trail is extremely popular, especially with beginning backpackers, day hikers, and dog walkers.
The trail leads past Mack Lake and shallow Marsh Lake to Heart Lake, 1.5 miles in. Box Lake is 0.25 mile farther, and then another 0.25 mile farther is the still larger Long Lake, both popular destinations right along the trail. Those with more stamina can continue to Chickenfoot Lake, at 3.0 miles out, or the Gem Lakes, at 3.5 miles. Most people consider the Gem Lakes to be the most gorgeous of the lot, but frankly, it’s pretty hard to choose. Those who are willing and able continue upward through 11,100-foot Morgan Pass and descend a couple hundred feet to Upper and Lower Morgan Lakes, at 4 and 4.5 miles out, respectively. There are enough hiking options along this one trail to keep most lake-lovers busy for a week.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A free wilderness permit is required for overnight stays and is available from the Bishop/White Mountain Ranger Station. Quotas are in effect from May 1 to November 1; for this period, permits are available in advance for a $5 reservation fee per person.
Maps: A Mono Divide High Country map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. A John Muir Wilderness map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For topographic maps, go to the USGS website to download Mount Morgan and Mount Abbot.
Directions: From U.S. 395 at the Mammoth Lakes junction, drive south 15 miles to Tom’s Place and the Rock Creek Road turnoff, on the right (24 miles north of Bishop). Follow Rock Creek Road southwest for 10.5 miles to its end, at the Mosquito Flat parking area.
Contact: Inyo National Forest, White Mountain Ranger District, Bishop, 760/873-2500, www.fs.usda.gov/inyo.
9.4 mi / 6.0 hr or 2 days
in the John Muir Wilderness
This fantastic Eastern Sierra hike offers a great deal of variety in terrain, a couple of gorgeous lakes with good fishing prospects, and the chance of seeing bighorn sheep. Perhaps best of all, this trail sees a lot less foot traffic than the other pathways in the popular Rock Creek area. The trailhead elevation at Rock Creek Lake is 9,700 feet, so the first stretch of this trail can be a bit breathtaking as you climb steadily for a mile on a brushy slope. Soon the trail levels out and follows an old dirt road for a while, which connects to a mountain-biking route in Sand Canyon. The terrain you are walking through is dry and sandy, with only a few pines to create some sparse shade, and it gives little indication of the dramatic high-country scenery that lies ahead. You’ll pass a turnoff for Francis Lake on the right (0.7 mile distant), and shortly thereafter, Kenneth Lake on the left (0.1 mile distant). Kenneth Lake is really just a muddy pond, which usually dries up by late summer, but its surrounding meadow is filled with blooming gentian in late summer. Stay on the path to Tamarack Lakes, and you’ll find that the climbing you will face will result in a dramatic change of landscape. The trail ascends over a series of glacial moraines, and you soon find yourself in a high-alpine area, where Bighorn sheep are sometimes seen grazing on the fragile grasses. You’ll pass the left turnoff for Dorothy Lake (there are good camping spots here, but fishing is usually poor), but stay right, and in another mile, you will begin to follow the outlet stream from the Tamarack Lakes. Now the real work begins, as you must gain 800 more feet to climb into the high basin to the Tamarack Lakes. The trail ends at a small tarn just before the largest Tamarack Lake. Just beyond the big Tamarack Lake is Buck Lake, which most people assume is just another of the Tamarack Lakes. The lakes are set in a steeply sloped rocky bowl and have that barren, austere look that is common to lakes above 11,000 feet. You won’t find much in the way of flat, soft spots to put your tent, but the scenery more than makes up for it. The largest Tamarack Lake has good fishing for golden trout. The total elevation gain on this hike is 2,000 feet, and it is worth every bit of it.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A free wilderness permit is required for overnight stays and is available from the Bishop/White Mountain Ranger Station. Quotas are in effect from May 1 to November 1; for this period, permits are available in advance for a $5 reservation fee per person.
Maps: A Mono Divide High Country map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. A John Muir Wilderness map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Mount Morgan.
Directions: From U.S. 395 at the Mammoth Lakes junction, drive south 15 miles to Tom’s Place and the Rock Creek Road turnoff, on the right (24 miles north of Bishop). Follow Rock Creek Road southwest for 8.5 miles to the left turnoff for Rock Creek Lakes campground. Turn left and drive 0.4 mile to the trailhead.
Contact: Inyo National Forest, White Mountain Ranger District, Bishop, 760/873-2500, www.fs.usda.gov/inyo.
4.5 mi / 2.5 hr
in the John Muir Wilderness
For both day hikers and backpackers, the Little Lakes Valley is the premier destination from the Rock Creek Canyon trailhead. The only problem is the crowds, especially on the weekends, which can turn a supposedly peaceful wilderness experience into a large group encounter. A visit to Ruby Lake is a possible solution, because it’s off the main trail that leads into the Little Lakes Valley, situated instead on the right fork that leads to Mono Pass. Since most trail users on this fork are backpackers heading to Mono Pass and the Pioneer Basin beyond, few take the time to stop at Ruby Lake, 0.25 mile off the main trail. From the trailhead, hike 0.5 mile, and bear right at the junction for Mono Pass. Grunt it out through the switchbacks as you enjoy a series of stunning vistas of the Little Lakes Valley. You’ll reach the Ruby Lake spur trail at two miles out, on the left. A 0.25-mile walk brings you to cliffbound Ruby Lake, which is much larger than you’d expect and perfectly ringed by granite. The fishing is not great, but the picnicking is highly recommended. The lake’s elevation is 11,121 feet.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required for day-use. A free wilderness permit is required for overnight stays and is available from the Bishop/White Mountain Ranger Station. Quotas are in effect from May 1 to November 1; permits are available in advance for a $5 reservation fee per person. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A Mono Divide High Country map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. A John Muir Wilderness map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For topographic maps, go to the USGS website to download Mount Abbot and Mount Morgan.
Directions: From U.S. 395 at the Mammoth Lakes junction, drive south 15 miles to Tom’s Place and the Rock Creek Road turnoff, on the right (24 miles north of Bishop). Follow Rock Creek Road southwest for 10.5 miles to its end, at the Mosquito Flat parking area.
Contact: Inyo National Forest, White Mountain Ranger District, Bishop, 760/873-2500, www.fs.usda.gov/inyo.
14.4 mi / 8.0 hr
in Inyo National Forest northeast of Bishop
White Mountain Peak is the third-tallest peak in California, only 259 feet lower than the highest, Mount Whitney (Mount Williamson is second in line), yet it is little known to hikers outside of the area. In contrast to Whitney, this 14,246-foot summit is not reached by a narrow foot trail, but instead via an old Navy-built road that climbs 2,600 feet in 7.2 miles. The trail starts at a locked gate at 11,630 feet in elevation and then leads past Mount Barcroft (13,040 feet) on a long grind. The road/trail is completely above tree line, so it’s exposed and often windswept. Sunscreen alone won’t suffice here; wear a hat to give yourself a break from the sun. If you aren’t acclimated, the high altitude will make the trip very difficult. The summit constitutes an impressive granite massif with grand views. To the east, you can see 200 miles into Nevada; to the west, the Owens Valley and Volcanic Tableland, plus a wide panorama of the Sierra Nevada. Some hikers choose to pack along their headlamps and do all or part of the trip by moonlight. The road/trail is simple to navigate, so this is easily accomplished. Forget turning this into a backpack trip: The area is so exposed that you won’t find a suitable place to camp. Also, if you are planning an early summer visit, call the White Mountain Ranger Station to be sure the dirt road to the trailhead is open. The road is frequently snowed in at the higher elevations until mid-June or later.
User Groups: Hikers only. Dogs, horses, and mountain bikes permitted, but not advised due to extremely high altitudes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: An Inyo National Forest map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download White Mountain Peak.
Directions: From U.S. 395 at Big Pine, take Highway 168 east for 13 miles to White Mountain Road. Turn left on White Mountain Road and drive north for 10.5 miles to Schulman Grove. Continue on White Mountain Road (it becomes unpaved just past the Schulman Grove turnoff) for 16 miles to the locked gate and trailhead, at the road’s end.
Contact: Inyo National Forest, White Mountain Ranger Station, Bishop, 760/873-2500, www.fs.usda.gov/inyo.
4.2 mi / 2.5 hr
in Inyo National Forest northeast of Bishop
The Methuselah Tree is the prize of the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest. Here for more than 4,000 years, it’s the oldest documented living tree in the world. But forest rangers won’t tell you which one it is, out of fear that some dimwit will cut it down. So you have to be satisfied just knowing you have walked among the ancients, rather than actually seeing the grandfather of all trees. No matter; each one of the thousands of trees here will impress you with its beautifully sculpted form. Amateur photographers have a field day along this trail. The path starts at the patio of the Schulman Grove Visitors Center (elevation 10,000 feet) and follows a meandering route through a forest of ancient and younger bristlecone pines, plus a few limber pines and pinyon pines. The first half of the loop drops 800 feet, which of course must be regained on your return, but the climb is nicely spread out. Still, if you’re not acclimated, the high elevation will leave you huffing and puffing. Plan on bringing a picnic with you (you’re a long way from the nearest convenience store), and make sure you spend some time at the excellent visitors center, which is open daily. If you want to hike a bit more, try the one-mile Discovery Trail loop (more bristlecone pines) or the one-mile Bristlecone Cabin Trail, which leads to an old Mexican mine site. If you’re accustomed to modern conveniences, it’s worth noting that cell phone service is limited in the area and water is not available at the trailhead or visitors center. Make sure your vehicle is well stocked for the trip.
User Groups: Hikers and leashed dogs. No horses or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. There is a $3 fee per adult with a maximum of $6 per vehicle.
Maps: Brochures and trail maps are available at the trailhead. An Inyo National Forest map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Westgard Pass.
Directions: From U.S. 395 at Big Pine, take Highway 168 east for 13 miles to White Mountain Road. Turn left on White Mountain Road and drive north for 10.5 miles to Schulman Grove, on the right.
Contact: Inyo National Forest, White Mountain Ranger Station, Bishop, 760/873-2500, www.fs.usda.gov/inyo.