Top Trails Yosemite 2e

OPTION: Return via Loop Trail

A second, lesser-used trail accesses Kibbie Lake via a more easterly route. From Kibbie Lake to your car, this route is 7.8 miles in length and includes 1,680 feet of ascent and 2,260 feet of descent (or 5.85 miles and 680 feet of ascent and 2,260 feet of descent if you can convince one energetic hiker in your group to hike from the lower to upper trailheads to fetch the car). From the south end of the lake, where Kibbie Lake visitors leave the trail, the trail does a near U-turn, climbing briefly on a sand and slab slope to a broad trough bedecked with pine-mat manzanita and huckleberry oak. Climbing more steeply, you cross a saddle (1.35 miles) and descend equally steeply to the west bank of a Kibbie Creek tributary (2.35 miles). The descent makes for interesting forest walking and lessons in fire ecology because parts were burned and others untouched by the 2013 Rim Fire, creating a mosaic of young trees, tall unburned trees, and, of course, scorched patches. Once along the creek, there are a few camping options, but unfortunately, most of the real estate is far from flat.

Completing the descent, you cross the creek (3.1 miles) and proceed across sandy flats, colorful in good wildflower years, before making a steep descent to Kibbie Creek (4.3 miles). This crossing is a delightful location because the creek, robust in spring and early summer, disperses across broad granite slabs, decorated at the edges with the large-leafed Indian rhubarb and dogwoods. At the highest of flows, you’ll have to take care at this crossing. Beyond you enter more severely burned landscape—even some large boulders have fractured from the heat—and must pay more attention to the trail’s route; traverse right (southwest) with only moderate elevation loss. Before long you reach a T-junction (5.7 miles), where you turn right, and soon reach the Kibbie Ridge road (5.85 miles). At this point only the car fetcher must continue up the hill.

That person will walk along the road 0.15 mile until she notes a pullout to the right (east). The old Kibbie Ridge Trail begins at the back of this pullout, heading upward approximately parallel to the road. It is all uphill but a quite pleasant walk, with long stretches of intact conifer forest and only brief stretches of brush. It leads up to Shingle Spring and, just beyond, your car (7.8 miles).

Starting April 15 (usually), you can drive an additional 5.7 miles in distance, making a 1,200-foot ascent to a newer trailhead. To reach it, drive across Cherry Valley Dam, then continue 0.9 mile (measured from the west end of the dam) to a T-junction with FS 1N45Y, which leads right to Lake Eleanor. Staying on the main road, trend left (north), and continue 2.5 miles (still measured from the dam) to pass a trailhead leading to Lake Eleanor, shortly followed by one to the old Kibbie Ridge Trail. Onward, the road climbs alongside Kibbie Ridge, just a short distance below the old trail. Three switchbacks eventually lead up to the trail at a dead end at 5,880 feet. You’ll notice a dirt road descending behind the trailhead; just about a minute’s walk down this old road is Shingle Spring, with beautiful dogwoods and, most important, water and some large flat areas perfect for camping the night before you begin your hike. There are not, however, any toilets at this trailhead. There is also no potable water, so fill your water bottles at the ranger station when you pick up your permit.

MILESTONES
▶1	0.0	Start at Kibbie Ridge Trailhead
▶2	1.2	Right at Kibbie Lake–Kibbie Ridge junction
▶3	3.0	Saddle
▶4	3.7	Kibbie Creek crossing
▶5	4.1	Kibbie Lake
▶6	8.2	Return to Kibbie Ridge Trailhead