1.6 mi/1.0 hr
off the Generals Highway in the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park
Crescent Meadow is more than 1.5 miles long and is surrounded by giant sequoias. John Muir called it "the gem of the Sierras." We don’t know how Muir would feel about the pavement that lines the trail around this precious meadow, but we hope he’d like this loop hike anyhow. Follow the pavement for 200 yards from the eastern side of the parking lot, and just like that, you’re at the southern edge of beautiful Crescent Meadow. Take the right fork and head for Log Meadow and Tharp’s Log. Log Meadow is as large and beautiful as Crescent Meadow, and Tharp’s Log was the homestead of Hale Tharp, the first white man to enter this forest. He grazed cattle and horses here, and built a modest home inside a fallen, fire-hollowed sequoia. You can look inside Tharp’s Log and see his bed, fireplace, dining room table, and the door and windows he fashioned into the log. (Children find this incredibly thrilling.) From Tharp’s Log, continue your loop back to Crescent Meadow and around its west side, where you return to the north edge of the parking lot.
User Groups: Hikers and wheelchairs (with assistance). No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes.
Permits: No permits are required. There is a $20 entrance fee per vehicle at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, good for seven days.
Maps: A Sequoia and Kings Canyon map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For topographic maps, go to the USGS website to download Giant Forest and Lodgepole.
Directions: From Fresno, drive east on Highway 180 for 55 miles to the Big Stump Entrance at Kings Canyon National Park. Continue 1.5 miles and turn right on the Generals Highway, heading for Sequoia National Park. Drive approximately 30 miles on the Generals Highway, past Lodgepole and Wolverton, to the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park. Just beyond the museum, turn left on Crescent Meadow Road and drive 3.5 miles to the Crescent Meadow parking area.
Contact: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Three Rivers, 559/565-3341 or 559/565-4307, www.nps.gov/seki.
0.6 mi/0.5 hr
off the Generals Highway in the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park
Just about everybody has heard of Moro Rock, the prominent, pointy granite dome with the top-of-the-world sunset vistas, and if you’re visiting the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park, well, you just have to hike to the top of it. When you climb those 380 stairs to the dome’s summit and check out the view, you realize that unlike many famous attractions, Moro Rock is not overrated. It’s as great as everybody says, and maybe even better. If you start your trip from the Moro Rock parking area, it’s only 0.3 mile to the top, climbing switchbacks, ramps, and granite stairs the whole way. Railings line the rock-blasted trail to keep you from dropping off the 6,725-foot granite dome. What’s the view like? Well, on a clear day, you can see all the way to the Coast Range, 100 miles away. In closer focus is the Middle Fork Kaweah River, the Great Western Divide, Castle Rocks (at 9,180 feet), Triple Divide Peak (at 12,634 feet), Mount Stewart (at 12,205 feet), and on and on. In a word, it’s awesome. And even better, you don’t get this view just from the top of Moro Rock—you get it all the way up, at every turn in the trail.
If you want the absolute best visibility, show up early in the morning, before the afternoon haze from the Central Valley obscures the view. On the other hand, that same haze creates amazingly colorful sunsets, so early evening is another fine time to be on top of Moro Rock.
User Groups: Hikers only. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. There is a $20 entrance fee per vehicle at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, good for seven days.
Maps: A Sequoia and Kings Canyon map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Giant Forest.
Directions: From Fresno, drive east on Highway 180 for 55 miles to the Big Stump Entrance at Kings Canyon National Park. Continue 1.5 miles and turn right on the Generals Highway, heading for Sequoia National Park. Drive approximately 30 miles on the Generals Highway, past Lodgepole and Wolverton, to the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park. Just beyond the museum, turn left on Crescent Meadow Road, drive 1.5 miles, and take the right fork to the Moro Rock parking area.
Contact: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Three Rivers, 559/565-3341 or 559/565-4307, www.nps.gov/seki.
2.0 mi/1.0 hr
off the Generals Highway in the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park
The trail to Sunset Rock is a first-rate easy hike, perfect at sunset or any time. It gets much less traffic than you might expect, considering its proximity to Giant Forest. Leave your car in the lot across from the Giant Forest museum (make sure you stop in before or after your trip), then pick up the trail on the west side of the lot. The level path leads through a mixed forest (with a handful of giant sequoias) and crosses Little Deer Creek on its way to Sunset Rock. The rock is a gargantuan, flat piece of granite—about the size of a football field—set at 6,412 feet in elevation. Standing on it, you get a terrific overlook of Little Baldy to your right and a sea of conifers below, in the Marble Fork Kaweah River Canyon.
User Groups: Hikers only. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. There is a $20 entrance fee per vehicle at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, good for seven days.
Maps: A Sequoia and Kings Canyon map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Giant Forest.
Directions: From Fresno, drive east on Highway 180 for 55 miles to the Big Stump Entrance at Kings Canyon National Park. Continue 1.5 miles and turn right on the Generals Highway, heading for Sequoia National Park. Drive approximately 30 miles on the Generals Highway, past Lodgepole and Wolverton, to the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park. Park in the lot across from the Giant Forest museum, then pick up the signed trail on the west side of the lot.
Contact: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Three Rivers, 559/565-3341 or 559/565-4307, www.nps.gov/seki.
1.2 mi/0.75 hr
off Highway 198 in the Foothills region of Sequoia National Park
From Buckeye Flat Campground, Paradise Creek Trail meanders through oaks and buckeyes, and crosses a long, picturesque footbridge over the Middle Fork Kaweah River. An inviting, Olympic-sized pool is on the right side of the bridge, where campers often go swimming on summer afternoons. Save the pool for after your hike; for now, take the signed Paradise Creek Trail, at the far side of the bridge. You’ll briefly visit the creek and then leave it, climbing into oak and grassland terrain. There are some high views of Moro Rock and Hanging Rock, but most of the beauty is right at your feet, in the springtime flowers that grow in the grasses and in the leafy blue oaks that shade them. The maintained trail ends when it reaches Paradise Creek again, although a faint route continues along its banks.
User Groups: Hikers only. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. There is a $20 entrance fee per vehicle at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, good for seven days.
Maps: A Sequoia and Kings Canyon map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Giant Forest.
Directions: From Visalia, drive east on Highway 198 for 47 miles to the turnoff, on the right, for Buckeye Flat Campground, across from Hospital Rock. Turn right and drive 0.6 mile to the campground. Park in any of the dirt pullouts outside of the camp entrance; no day-use parking is allowed in the camp. You can also park at Hospital Rock and walk to the campground. The trailhead is near campsite No. 28.
Contact: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Three Rivers, 559/565-3341 or 559/565-3135, www.nps.gov/seki.
6.0 mi/3.0 hr
off Highway 198 in the Foothills region of Sequoia National Park
You want to be alone? You don’t want to see anybody else on the trail? Just sign up for this trip any time between June and September, when the foothills have warmed up to their summer extremes. Don’t be fooled by this path’s name: The Middle Fork Trail is no streamside meander. Rather, it’s a shadeless, exposed trail that leads high along the canyon of the Middle Fork Kaweah River—always at least 250 feet above it. In summer, it’s hot as Hades, but this trail is perfect in winter and spring. Whereas most other trails in Sequoia and Kings Canyon are still snowed under, you can take an early-season day hike or backpacking trip along Middle Fork Trail. The main destination is Panther Creek (at three miles), where the trail leads across the brink of Panther Creek’s 100-foot dive into the Kaweah River. But you can hike farther if you wish. Although Middle Fork Trail is set in grasslands and chaparral, it offers some stunning views of the area’s geology, including Moro Rock, Castle Rocks, and the Great Western Divide. We hiked this trail in August, and despite the fact that we were wilting from the heat, the expansive views kept our spirits up.
User Groups: Hikers only. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. There is a $20 entrance fee per vehicle at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, good for seven days.
Maps: A Sequoia and Kings Canyon map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Giant Forest.
Directions: From Visalia, drive east on Highway 198 for 47 miles to the turnoff, on the right, for Buckeye Flat Campground, across from Hospital Rock. Turn right and drive 0.5 mile to a left fork just before the campground. Bear left on the dirt road and drive 1.3 miles to the trailhead and parking area. In the winter, you must park at Hospital Rock and walk in to the trailhead, adding 3.6 miles to your round-trip.
Contact: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Three Rivers, 559/565-3341 or 559/565-3135, www.nps.gov/seki.
5.0 mi/2.5 hr
off Highway 198 in the Foothills region of Sequoia National Park
First, some advice: Don’t hike this trail on a hot day. If it’s summertime and you want to see the Monache Indian historical sites at Potwisha and Hospital Rock, drive to each of them and see them separately. In winter or spring, however, it’s far more fun to take this five-mile hike through chaparral and oak woodlands, especially in March, when the wildflowers bloom. In the first 100 yards from the trailhead, you’ll see Native American grinding holes and pictographs that look roughly like people and animals. You’ll also pass many tempting pools in the Middle Fork Kaweah, which are frequented by swimmers and bathers in the summer. The trail climbs a gradual 2.5 miles from Potwisha to Hospital Rock, crossing the highway after the first mile. When you reach Hospital Rock, which is just a few feet off the road to Buckeye Flat Campground, you see a huge display of pictographs on its side. Across the campground road are more grinding holes in the boulders, and near them, a short paved path leads to deep pools and sandy beaches on the Middle Fork. Another path leads from the camp road to the underside of Hospital Rock, where there’s a large, cavelike shelter. This is where a Native American medicine man healed the sick and injured, resulting in a white man naming this place Hospital Rock.
User Groups: Hikers only. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. There is a $20 entrance fee per vehicle at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, good for seven days.
Maps: A Sequoia and Kings Canyon map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Giant Forest.
Directions: From Visalia, drive east on Highway 198 for 44 miles to the turnoff, on the left, for Potwisha Campground, 3.8 miles east of the Ash Mountain entrance station to Sequoia National Park. Don’t turn left into Potwisha campground; instead, turn right on the paved road opposite the campground. Drive past the RV dumping station to the signed trailhead and parking area.
Contact: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Three Rivers, 559/565-3341 or 559/565-3135, www.nps.gov/seki.
7.0 mi/4.0 hr
off Highway 198 in the Foothills region of Sequoia National Park
This is the waterfall to see in Sequoia National Park in late winter and spring. March and April are particularly good months to visit because of high flows in the Marble Fork Kaweah River and blooming wildflowers in the grasslands and chaparral that line the trail. From its rather banal start as a dirt road, this trail just keeps getting better as it follows the Marble Fork Kaweah River. There are no trail junctions to worry about; at 3.5 miles, the path simply dead-ends near the lower cascades of Marble Falls. Although much of the falls are hidden in the narrow, rocky river gorge, tucked out of sight, what is visible is an impressive billowing cascade of whitewater. Be very careful on the slippery granite near the river’s edges; the current and the cold water are even more dangerous than they look. Aside from the waterfalls and the wildflowers, the other highlights on this trail are the colorful outcroppings of marble, particularly in the last mile as you near the falls. Remember, though, that in summer this area of the park can bake like an oven. If you make the trip to the falls from late May to September, get an early morning start.
User Groups: Hikers only. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. There is a $20 entrance fee per vehicle at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, good for seven days.
Maps: A Sequoia and Kings Canyon map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Giant Forest.
Directions: From Visalia, drive east on Highway 198 for 44 miles to the turnoff, on the left, for Potwisha Campground, 3.8 miles east of the Ash Mountain entrance station to Sequoia National Park. The trail begins across from campsite No. 15 in Potwisha Campground; park in the trailhead parking area in the camp.
Contact: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Three Rivers, 559/565-3341 or 559/565-3135, www.nps.gov/seki.
3.2 mi/1.5 hr
off Highway 198 in the Mineral King region of Sequoia National Park
OK, you’ve just driven the 20 twisting miles into Mineral King from Three Rivers. You’re tired, dusty, and itching to get out of the car and move your legs. What’s the first trail you can reach in Mineral King? The Paradise Ridge Trail, and it climbs right away, getting you huffing and puffing and clearing out the road dust from your lungs. After the initial steepness of the trail, the grade becomes easier as it moves into switchbacks ascending the hill. Although much of this forest has been burned in recent years, the giant sequoia trees are thriving, some in clusters as large as 10 or more. At your feet are tons of ferns. As you climb, the views just keep improving—you see the East Fork Kaweah River Canyon below you, and far off, the Great Western Divide. You can hike all the way to the top of the ridge at three miles, but the views aren’t any better there than they are on the way up. Most people just cruise uphill a way, and turn around when they’ve had enough. Besides the big trees and the big views, our favorite thing about this trail was that we saw more bears than people.
User Groups: Hikers and horses. No dogs or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. There is a $20 entrance fee per vehicle at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, good for seven days.
Maps: A Mineral King map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Silver City.
Directions: From Visalia, drive east on Highway 198 for 38 miles to Mineral King Road, 2.5 miles east of Three Rivers. If you reach the Ash Mountain entrance station, you’ve gone too far. Turn right on Mineral King Road and drive 20 miles to the Hockett Trail parking area, on the right, 0.25 mile past Atwell Mill Camp. Park there and walk back west on Mineral King Road about 0.3 mile to the trailhead for Paradise Ridge, on the north side of the road.
Contact: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Three Rivers, 559/565-3341 or 559/565-3135, www.nps.gov/seki.
4.0 mi/2.0 hr
off Highway 198 in the Mineral King region of Sequoia National Park
The Hockett Trail makes a fine day-hiking path in Mineral King. It’s suitable for all kinds of hikers. Families with small children can just walk a mile downhill to the footbridge over the East Fork Kaweah River, where there is a small waterfall and many sculptured granite pools, and then turn around and head back. People looking for a longer trip can continue another mile to the East Fork Grove of sequoias and Deer Creek. Although some of this forest has been burned in recent years, most of the big conifers were spared, and the area is still quite beautiful. The trail starts in an area of sequoia stumps, near where the Atwell Mill cut lumber in the 1880s. Live sequoias still flourish farther down the path, near the river’s edge; apparently they were spared because of their distance from the mill. The trail is well graded, and even the uphill return is only a moderate climb.
User Groups: Hikers and horses. No dogs or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. There is a $20 entrance fee per vehicle at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, good for seven days.
Maps: A Mineral King map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Mineral King.
Directions: From Visalia, drive east on Highway 198 for 38 miles to Mineral King Road, 2.5 miles east of Three Rivers. If you reach the Ash Mountain entrance station, you’ve gone too far. Turn right on Mineral King Road and drive 20 miles to the Hockett Trail parking area, on the right, 0.25 mile past Atwell Mill Camp. Park there and walk into the campground to campsite No. 16, where the trail begins.
Contact: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Three Rivers, 559/565-3341 or 559/565-3135, www.nps.gov/seki.
2.0 mi/1.0 hr
off Highway 198 in the Mineral King region of Sequoia National Park
You may not expect much from a campground nature trail, but Cold Springs Nature Trail is guaranteed to exceed your expectations. Not only is it lined with wildflowers along the East Fork Kaweah River and informative signposts that teach you to identify junipers, red and white firs, cottonwoods, and aspens, but the views of the Sawtooth Ridge are glorious. The loop is less than 0.5 mile, but from the far end of it, the trail continues along the East Fork Kaweah River, heading another mile into Mineral King Valley. Walk to the loop’s far end, and then continue at least another 0.25 mile along the trail. It just gets prettier as it goes. You’re in for a real treat if you take this walk right before sunset, when the valley’s surrounding mountain peaks turn every imaginable shade of pink, orange, and coral, reflecting the sun setting in the west. The vistas are so beautiful that they can practically make you weep.
User Groups: Hikers and horses. No dogs or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. There is a $20 entrance fee per vehicle at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, good for seven days.
Maps: A Mineral King map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Mineral King.
Directions: From Visalia, drive east on Highway 198 for 38 miles to Mineral King Road, 2.5 miles east of Three Rivers. If you reach the Ash Mountain entrance station, you’ve gone too far. Turn right on Mineral King Road and drive 23.5 miles to Cold Springs Campground on the right. The trail begins near site six. If you aren’t staying in the camp, you can park by the Mineral King Ranger Station and walk into the campground.
Contact: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Three Rivers, 559/565-3341 or 559/565-3135, www.nps.gov/seki.
2.0 mi/1.0 hr
off Highway 198 in the Mineral King region of Sequoia National Park
If ever there was a perfect family hike, this would have to be it. Actually, if ever there was a perfect hike for every two-legged person on the planet, this would have to be it. The glacial-cut Mineral King Valley—a peaceful paradise of meadows, streams, and 100-year-old cabins—has to be one of the most scenic places in the West, and possibly in the world. An easy stroll along the canyon floor leads you past waterfalls and along the headwaters of the East Fork Kaweah River, in the awesome shelter of thousand-foot cliffs. After walking to the trailhead near the horse corral, you follow Farewell Gap Trail (an old dirt road) for a mile, then cross Crystal Creek and take the right fork off the main trail. This brings you closer to the river, where you follow a narrow use trail to Aspen Flat (a lovely grove of trees), or to Soda Springs, situated right along the river’s edge. There you can see mineral springs bubbling up from the ground, turning the earth around them a bright orange color. Bring a fishing rod on this trail if you like, but be absolutely certain to bring your camera.
User Groups: Hikers and horses. No dogs or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. There is a $20 entrance fee per vehicle at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, good for seven days.
Maps: A Mineral King map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Mineral King.
Directions: From Visalia, drive east on Highway 198 for 38 miles to Mineral King Road, 2.5 miles east of Three Rivers. If you reach the Ash Mountain entrance station, you’ve gone too far. Turn right on Mineral King Road and drive 25 miles to the end of the road and the Eagle/Mosquito trailhead. Take the right fork at the end of the road to reach the parking area. Walk back out of the parking lot and follow the road to the horse corral; the Farewell Gap Trail begins just beyond it.
Contact: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Three Rivers, 559/565-3341 or 559/565-3135, www.nps.gov/seki.
8.0 mi/4.0 hr or 2 days
off Highway 198 in the Mineral King region of Sequoia National Park
Ah, paradise. You know you’re in it as soon as you park your car at the end of Mineral King Road. The Eagle/Mosquito trailhead is at 7,830 feet, and you set out from the parking lot near one of Mineral King’s adorable cabins, left from the early 20th century and privately owned. Feel jealous? Keep walking; you’ll get over it. In minutes you cross a footbridge over Spring Creek’s cascade, called Tufa Falls because of the calcium carbonate in Spring Creek’s water. Don’t expect to see much of a waterfall—most of it is hidden by brush. At one mile, you reach the junction for Eagle Lake, the Mosquito Lakes, and White Chief Trails. Take the right fork, climbing steadily. At two miles, you reach the Mosquito Lakes junction and go right, leaving Eagle Lake Trail for another day. Climb up and then down the other side of Miner’s Ridge, at 9,300 feet. The final descent covers 0.5 mile; you reach Mosquito Lake number one at 9,040 feet and 3.6 miles. It’s considered to be the easiest lake to reach in Mineral King, with a mostly shaded trail and only a 1,500-foot gain on the way in, plus a 250-foot gain on the way out. Still, if you’ve visited any of the other spectacular Mineral King lakes, this lake will look a little disappointing. It’s small, shallow, and greenish. But fear not: This is the first of several Mosquito Lakes, all of which are linked by Mosquito Creek. Hikers with excess energy can follow the stream uphill to four more lakes. There is no maintained trail to the upper lakes, but if you follow the use trail near the stream, the going is easier. The use trail begins on the west side of the stream at the first lake, navigates around the rocky slope behind the lake, and then crosses the stream above it. The climb from lake number one to lake number two is steep, with a 600-foot elevation gain in 0.5 mile, but it’s worth it. Lake number two is the usual destination for day hikers; it’s a blue, deep, granite-bound beauty and makes for an eight-mile round-trip. Backpackers will find the first campsites at Mosquito Lake number two (no camping is allowed at the first lake). Mosquito Lake number five is five miles from the Eagle/Mosquito trailhead.
User Groups: Hikers and horses. No dogs or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: There is a $20 entrance fee per vehicle at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, good for seven days. Wilderness permits are required for overnight stays. They are available on a first-come, first-served basis at the Mineral King Ranger Station. For advanced wilderness permits or information on trail conditions, go to www.nps.gov/seki. Trailhead quotas are in effect from May to September.
Maps: A Mineral King map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Mineral King.
Directions: From Visalia, drive east on Highway 198 for 38 miles to Mineral King Road, 2.5 miles east of Three Rivers. If you reach the Ash Mountain entrance station, you’ve gone too far. Turn right on Mineral King Road and drive 25 miles to the end of the road and the Eagle/Mosquito trailhead. Take the right fork at the end of the road to reach the parking area. The trail begins at the far end of the parking lot.
Contact: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Three Rivers, 559/565-3341 or 559/565-3135, www.nps.gov/seki.
6.8 mi/4.0 hr
off Highway 198 in the Mineral King region of Sequoia National Park
Eagle Lake has always been the glamour destination in Mineral King; the trail to hike if you can hike only one trail in the area. Why? The blue-green lake is drop-dead gorgeous, that’s why, and the trail to reach it is challenging but manageable for most day hikers, with a 2,200-foot elevation gain spread out over 3.4 miles. The Eagle Lake Trail follows the same route as the Mosquito Lakes Trail (see listing in this chapter) until the two-mile point, near the Eagle Sink Holes. These geological oddities are small craters in the ground where Eagle Creek suddenly disappears underground. At the trail junction by the sink holes, go left for Eagle Lake. Enjoy the brief flat stretch here, because shortly, you’ll gain another 1,000 feet over 1.4 miles. Much of the climb is in an exposed, rocky area—a large boulder field that gets baked by the sun on warm days. Well-graded switchbacks and beautiful scenery make it easier. Soon you arrive at Eagle Lake’s dam, at 10,000 feet. The big lake is surrounded by glacially carved rock and has a few rocky islands. Brook trout swim in its clear waters. The trail continues along the lake’s west side to many good picnicking spots and photo opportunities. Campsites are found near the lake; no camping is allowed between the trail and the lake.
User Groups: Hikers and horses. No dogs or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: There is a $20 entrance fee per vehicle at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, good for seven days. Wilderness permits are required for overnight stays. They are available on a first-come, first-served basis at the Mineral King Ranger Station. For advanced wilderness permits or information on trail conditions, go to www.nps.gov/seki. Trailhead quotas are in effect from May to September.
Maps: A Mineral King map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Mineral King.
Directions: From Visalia, drive east on Highway 198 for 38 miles to Mineral King Road, 2.5 miles east of Three Rivers. If you reach the Ash Mountain entrance station, you’ve gone too far. Turn right on Mineral King Road and drive 25 miles to the end of the road and the Eagle/Mosquito trailhead. Take the right fork at the end of the road to reach the parking area. The trail begins at the far end of the parking lot.
Contact: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Three Rivers, 559/565-3341 or 559/565-3135, www.nps.gov/seki.
10.8 mi/6.0 hr or 2 days
off Highway 198 in the Mineral King region of Sequoia National Park
Maybe the best thing about hiking to Franklin Lakes is the waterfalls you get to pass along the way—especially our favorite cascades, on Franklin Creek. Or maybe it’s the prolific wildflowers along the trail, or the spectacular views over Mineral King Valley that you gain as you climb. Maybe it’s the big lake itself, set below Tulare and Florence Peaks, or the fact that the trail to reach it is so well graded, with a 2,500-foot elevation gain spread out over 5.4 miles. What the heck—this trail is about as close to hiking perfection as you get.
The first two miles are nearly flat; the route winds along the bottom of Mineral King’s canyon, following Farewell Gap Trail alongside the East Fork Kaweah River. You’ll pass Tufa Falls, across the canyon, at 0.25 mile and Crystal Creek’s cascades, on your side of the canyon, at one mile. The trail leaves the valley floor and starts to climb moderately, reaching the bottom of Franklin Creek’s cascades at 1.7 miles. After crossing Franklin Creek, you continue south along Farewell Canyon, negotiating some switchbacks as you gain elevation. The views get better and better. One mile farther, Franklin Lakes Trail forks left off Farewell Gap Trail and starts climbing in earnest up the Franklin Creek Valley. At nearly 10,000 feet, the trail crosses Franklin Creek again, then parallels the creek for another mile to the largest Franklin Lake. Note that when you see the lake’s dam straight ahead and an obvious campsite about 150 yards below it to the right of the trail, you should cut off the main trail. Walk to the camp and follow its use trail to the dam and the lake. The main trail switchbacks up and above the lake but doesn’t go directly to its shoreline. Franklin Lake is a dramatic sight, surrounded by steep, snow-covered slopes and a few pines and junipers. Rainbow Mountain is on its northeast side; Tulare Peak is to the southwest.
User Groups: Hikers and horses. No dogs or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: There is a $20 entrance fee per vehicle at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, good for seven days. Wilderness permits are required for overnight stays. They are available on a first-come, first-served basis at the Mineral King Ranger Station. For advanced wilderness permits or information on trail conditions, go to www.nps.gov/seki. Trailhead quotas are in effect from May to September.
Maps: A Mineral King map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Mineral King.
Directions: From Visalia, drive east on Highway 198 for 38 miles to Mineral King Road, 2.5 miles east of Three Rivers. If you reach the Ash Mountain entrance station, you’ve gone too far. Turn right on Mineral King Road and drive 25 miles to the end of the road and the Eagle/Mosquito trailhead. Take the right fork at the end of the road to reach the parking area. Walk back out of the parking lot, and follow the road to the horse corral; Farewell Gap Trail begins just beyond it.
Contact: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Three Rivers, 559/565-3341 or 559/565-3135, www.nps.gov/seki.
5.8 mi/3.0 hr
off Highway 198 in the Mineral King region of Sequoia National Park
If you’re one of those liberated hikers who doesn’t need to have an alpine lake in your itinerary to be happy, the trail to White Chief Bowl is a scenic route with much to offer, including an exploration of the White Chief Mine tunnel. Until the Park Service purchased it in 1998, the mine was private property within the national park and off-limits to hikers.
The first mile of the trail is the same as the route to Eagle and Mosquito Lakes, but you’ll leave most everyone behind when you continue straight at the one-mile junction, while they bear right for Eagle Lake and the Mosquito Lakes. The White Chief Trail continues with a hefty grade—this second mile is the toughest part of the whole trip—until it tops out at the edge of a gorgeous meadow. Just after you cross a seasonal stream (often a dry ravine by late summer), look for the ruins of Crabtree Cabin, to the right of the trail. The cabin ruins are what is left of the oldest remaining structure in Mineral King. It was built by the discoverer of the White Chief Mine in the 1870s. Next comes White Chief Meadows, surrounded by high granite walls and filled with dozens of downed trees, evidence of harsh winter avalanches.
Beyond the meadow, the trail ascends slightly until it nears a waterfall on White Chief Creek. Shortly before the falls, the trail crosses the creek and heads uphill. Look for the opening to White Chief Mine in a layer of white rock just above the trail. Scramble off the trail a few yards to reach it. The mine tunnel is tall enough to walk into and dead-ends in about 150 feet. Beyond the mine the trail continues to Upper White Chief Bowl, passing dozens of limestone caverns along the way. Although tempting, these caverns should only be explored by those who are experienced and well equipped.
User Groups: Hikers and horses. No dogs or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. There is a $20 entrance fee per vehicle at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, good for seven days.
Maps: A Mineral King map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Mineral King.
Directions: From Visalia, drive east on Highway 198 for 38 miles to Mineral King Road, 2.5 miles east of Three Rivers. If you reach the Ash Mountain entrance station, you’ve gone too far. Turn right on Mineral King Road and drive 25 miles to the end of the road and the Eagle/Mosquito trailhead. Take the right fork at the end of the road to reach the parking area. The trail begins from the far end of the parking lot.
Contact: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Three Rivers, 559/565-3341 or 559/565-3135, www.nps.gov/seki.
4.0 mi/2.0 hr
off Highway 198 in the Mineral King region of Sequoia National Park
On this short but steep trail, you’ll stand witness to the mining history of Mineral King. The trail climbs abruptly from the Sawtooth trailhead on an old mining path along Monarch Creek, and forks in 0.25 mile. Take the left fork for Timber Gap, which climbs through a dense fir forest and then opens out to switchbacks in a wide and treeless slope—the result of continual winter avalanches. The exposed slope is home to many mountain wildflowers. The climb ends in two miles at Timber Gap, elevation 9,450 feet, a forested pass. The stumps you see among the red firs remain from early miners who cut down the trees to fuel their fires and support their mining tunnels. A faint path heads east from the pass and leads to the remains of the Empire Mine and its buildings in just over one mile.
User Groups: Hikers and horses. No dogs or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. There is a $20 entrance fee per vehicle at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, good for seven days.
Maps: A Mineral King map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Mineral King.
Directions: From Visalia, drive east on Highway 198 for 38 miles to Mineral King Road, 2.5 miles east of Three Rivers. If you reach the Ash Mountain entrance station, you’ve gone too far. Turn right on Mineral King Road and drive 24.5 miles to the Sawtooth parking area, 0.5 mile before the end of the road.
Contact: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Three Rivers, 559/565-3341 or 559/565-3135, www.nps.gov/seki.
8.4 mi/5.0 hr or 2 days
off Highway 198 in the Mineral King region of Sequoia National Park
The Monarch Lakes Trail leads from the Sawtooth trailhead at 8,000 feet in elevation and climbs 2,500 feet to the rocky, gemlike Monarch Lakes. The first lake is good, but the second lake is simply awesome, and the scenery along the trail is unforgettable. Walk 0.25 mile from the trailhead and take the right fork for Monarch and Crystal Lakes. After one steep mile, you’ll reach Groundhog Meadow, named for the adorable yellow-bellied marmots that inhabit the area. (We like their blond coats and shrill whistles.) Beyond the meadow, the trail starts seriously switchbacking in and out of red fir forest, making a gut-thumping climb to the Crystal Lake trail junction. The trail forks sharply right for Crystal Lake, but you head left for one more mile—a relatively smooth mile, with the easiest grade of the whole route—to Lower Monarch Lake. (This section crosses an incredible talus slope.) Snow can often be found near the lake even in late summer, and the vista is dramatic, with Sawtooth Peak dominating the skyline. If you have a wilderness permit, you can find a campsite near the lake.
Monarch Lakes
While the main trail continues north to Sawtooth Pass, a use trail leads southeast from the lower lake for 0.5 mile to Upper Monarch Lake. Basically you head directly up the cliff that forms the back wall of the lower lake. It’s worth the climb. The upper lake is wide, deep blue, and dramatic, set at the base of barren, pointy Monarch Peak. The view from the upper lake’s basin, looking back down at the lower lake and various Mineral King peaks, is breathtaking. A big surprise is that the upper lake has been dammed, like many of the high lakes in Mineral King, and is operated by Southern California Edison. Note: If you’re backpacking and want to take a first-rate side trip, the trail to Sawtooth Pass is a 1.3-mile, 1,200-foot climb that’s not easy, but Sawtooth Pass offers one of the best views in the Southern Sierra.
User Groups: Hikers and horses. No dogs or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: There is a $20 entrance fee per vehicle at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, good for seven days. Wilderness permits are required for overnight stays. They are available on a first-come, first-served basis at the Mineral King Ranger Station. For advanced wilderness permits or information on trail conditions, go to www.nps.gov/seki. Trailhead quotas are in effect from May to September.
Maps: A Mineral King map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Mineral King.
Directions: From Visalia, drive east on Highway 198 for 38 miles to Mineral King Road, 2.5 miles east of Three Rivers. If you reach the Ash Mountain entrance station, you’ve gone too far. Turn right on Mineral King Road and drive 24.5 miles to the Sawtooth parking area, 0.5 mile before the end of the road.
Contact: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Three Rivers, 559/565-3341 or 559/565-3135, www.nps.gov/seki.
9.8 mi/6.0 hr or 2 days
off Highway 198 in the Mineral King region of Sequoia National Park
The long and arduous path to Crystal Lake follows the same route as the trail to Monarch Lakes (see listing in this chapter) for the first 3.2 miles. In Chihuahua Bowl, a sharp right-hand turn puts you on the trail to Crystal Lake. In 0.5 mile, the trail leads past the ruins of the Chihuahua Mine (on the right), one of Mineral King’s last hopes for silver riches. Like the other mines in the area, it never produced ore to equal the miners’ dreams. The trail climbs abruptly over a rocky slope to a ridge of reddish foxtail pines, where your vista opens wide. Far off you can see the Farewell Gap peaks, and down below you see the Cobalt Lakes and Crystal Creek, pouring down to the Mineral King Valley and the East Fork Kaweah River. The trail continues, following more switchbacks, to upper Crystal Creek and Crystal Lake, which has been dammed. Off to the left (north), Mineral Peak stands out at 11,500 feet, and to the right (south), Rainbow Mountain shows off its colorful rock. Views are spectacular in every direction. If you scramble 0.25 mile off-trail toward Mineral Peak, you will reach Little Crystal Lake, where you have a near guarantee of solitude and a vista you won’t forget.
User Groups: Hikers and horses. No dogs or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: There is a $20 entrance fee per vehicle at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, good for seven days. Wilderness permits are required for overnight stays. They are available on a first-come, first-served basis at the Mineral King Ranger Station. For advanced wilderness permits or information on trail conditions, go to www.nps.gov/seki. Trailhead quotas are in effect from May to September.
Maps: A Mineral King map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Mineral King.
Directions: From Visalia, drive east on Highway 198 for 38 miles to Mineral King Road, 2.5 miles east of Three Rivers. If you reach the Ash Mountain entrance station, you’ve gone too far. Turn right on Mineral King Road and drive 24.5 miles to the Sawtooth parking area, 0.5 mile before the end of the road.
Contact: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Three Rivers, 559/565-3341 or 559/565-3135, www.nps.gov/seki.
0.5 mi/0.5 hr
off Highway 198 in the Mineral King region of Sequoia National Park
This hike is really just a stroll, and the destination is readily apparent from the Sawtooth trailhead: Black Wolf Falls, tumbling down the canyon wall in Mineral King Valley. But aside from the chance to get close to a pretty waterfall, the hike is interesting because of its historical significance. Black Wolf’s name is actually an alteration of its original moniker, which was Black Wall Falls, named for the Black Wall copper mine that was located at the waterfall’s base. Back in the 1870s, when miners believed that Mineral King was rich in more than just scenery, they mined the base of Monarch Creek with a modicum of success. Today you can walk right up to the falls and see the mine tunnel on its right side (it looks like a cave, but don’t go inside; it’s unstable). In summer, rangers lead group hikes to the waterfall and talk about Mineral King’s mining history. Although the route to Black Wolf Falls isn’t an official trail, the path is well used and clearly visible. If you can find its beginning across the road from the No Parking Any Time sign, the rest of the hike is easy.
User Groups: Hikers only. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. There is a $20 entrance fee per vehicle at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, good for seven days.
Maps: A Mineral King map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Mineral King.
Directions: From Visalia, drive east on Highway 198 for 38 miles to Mineral King Road, 2.5 miles east of Three Rivers. If you reach the Ash Mountain entrance station, you’ve gone too far. Turn right on Mineral King Road and drive 24.5 miles to the Sawtooth parking area, 0.5 mile before the end of the road. Walk up the road toward Black Wolf Falls, then look for a use trail across the road from the No Parking Any Time sign, just beyond where Monarch Creek flows under the road.
Contact: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Three Rivers, 559/565-3341 or 559/565-3135, www.nps.gov/seki.
3.8 mi/2.0 hr
off Highway 198 in the South Fork region of Sequoia National Park
The South Fork area is the forgotten region of Sequoia National Park. Accessible only by a 13-mile dead-end road out of Three Rivers, South Fork is the place to go when you just want to get away from it all. Solitude in a national park? You can find it here (mostly because it takes about 40 minutes just to drive from Highway 198 in Three Rivers to the trailhead). The elevation is low (only 3,600 feet), so the area is accessible year-round, and there may be no finer winter walk than a hike on Ladybug Trail out of South Fork. The trail leaves the far end of South Fork Campground and heads through an oak and bay forest along the South Fork Kaweah River. At 1.7 miles, you reach Ladybug Camp, a primitive camping area along the river’s edge, in the shade of pines and firs. A short scramble downstream of the camp gives you a look at Ladybug Falls, a 25-foot waterfall set in a rocky grotto. If you continue upstream, the trail leads another few hundred yards and then switchbacks uphill, heading for Whiskey Log Camp. A use trail leaves the main trail and continues a short distance upriver, where there are many beautiful rocky pools. And in case you haven’t guessed, the trail, camp, and falls are named for the millions of ladybugs that winter near the river, then take flight in the spring to head back to the Central Valley to feed.
User Groups: Hikers and horses. No dogs or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. There is a $20 entrance fee per vehicle at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, good for seven days.
Maps: A Sequoia and Kings Canyon map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Dennison Peak.
Directions: From Visalia, drive east on Highway 198 for 35 miles to one mile west of Three Rivers. Turn right on South Fork Drive and drive 12.8 miles to South Fork Campground. (Nine miles out, the road turns to dirt.) Park at the Ladybug trailhead parking area.
Contact: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Three Rivers, 559/565-3341 or 559/565-3135, www.nps.gov/seki.
5.8 mi/3.0 hr
off Highway 198 in the South Fork region of Sequoia National Park
The trip to the magnificent Garfield Grove is only 2.9 miles from South Fork Campground, and if you don’t mind a steep climb and possibly sharing the trail with horse packers, you should be sure to take this hike. The trail climbs immediately and keeps climbing, but fortunately, it is shaded by oaks most of the way. The ascent rewards you with a continual view of distant Homer’s Nose, a granite landmark that, although prominent, looks little like anybody’s nose. In just under three miles of nonstop climbing, you reach the first of many sequoias in the Garfield Grove, reported to be one of the largest groves in the national parks. By the time you reach it, you’ve gained 2,000 feet in elevation, so pick a big tree to lean against, pull out a snack, and take a breather.
User Groups: Hikers and horses. No dogs or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. There is a $20 entrance fee per vehicle at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, good for seven days.
Maps: A Sequoia and Kings Canyon map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For topographic maps, go to the USGS website to download Dennison Peak.
Directions: From Visalia, drive east on Highway 198 for 35 miles to one mile west of Three Rivers. Turn right on South Fork Drive and drive 12.8 miles to South Fork Campground. (Nine miles out, the road turns to dirt.) Park at the trailhead at the far end of the campground loop, just before the parking lot for the Ladybug Trailhead.
Contact: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Three Rivers, 559/565-3341 or 559/565-3135, www.nps.gov/seki.
1.0 mi/0.5 hr
in Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest off Highway 190 near Springville
Balch Park is the small county-run park within the borders of Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest, and its easy, one-mile nature trail is a great place to take your kids for the afternoon. The trail begins next to the main entrance to Balch Park Camp, across from the kiosk, and your first stop is a visit to the Hollow Log, which was used as a dwelling by various pioneers, Indians, and prospectors. You also get to see the Lady Alice Tree, which was incorrectly billed in the early 20th century as the largest tree in the world. Nonetheless, it’s no slacker in the size department. Continuing along the route, you’ll see and learn all about the trees and plants that thrive here, plus interesting stuff about forestry management practices. When you’re finished hiking the nature trail, you can cross the road and throw a line into one of Balch Park’s two small fishing ponds. (Note that the ponds have not been stocked in 2014 and 2015 because of the drought, but may be stocked again in the future.)
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Balch Park charges a $1 per person day-use fee.
Maps: A free brochure and map of Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest, which includes Balch Park, are available from state forest headquarters. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Camp Wishon.
Directions: From Porterville, drive east on Highway 190 for 18 miles to Springville. At Springville, turn left (north) on Balch Park Road/Road 239, drive 3.5 miles, and turn right on Bear Creek Road/Road 220. Drive 14 miles to Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest Headquarters, pick up a free forest map, and then continue 1.5 miles farther to the entrance to Balch Park.
Contact: Balch Park, 559/539-3896; Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest, Springville, 559/539-2321 (summer) or 559/539-2855 (winter).
2.0 mi/1.0 hr
in Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest off Highway 190 near Springville
On the Adam and Eve Loop Trail you can see the Adam Tree standing tall and proud, but its companion, the Eve Tree, is no longer thriving. It (she?) was axed during the infamous sequoia logging years, but the tree kept up the good fight until 2001, when a forest fire ended its life. The burnt snag remains. This trail is best accessed at the public corrals, one-quarter mile north of the pack station on Summit Road. Park at the corrals and begin your trip by taking the left side of the loop, heading uphill to the Adam Tree, the second-largest tree in this state forest, at 240 feet tall and 27 feet in diameter. You’ll see the Eve Tree snag shortly thereafter. The big draw on the trail is visiting the "Indian bathtubs" at Tub Flat, halfway around the loop; these are basins, formed in solid granite, that were probably used by Native Americans. No one is sure whether they are natural or handmade. The basins are much larger than the traditional Indian grinding holes that are found elsewhere in the Sierra. True to their name, they are large enough to bathe in.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A free brochure and map of Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest are available from forest headquarters. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Camp Wishon.
Directions: From Porterville, drive east on Highway 190 for 18 miles to Springville. At Springville, turn left (north) on Balch Park Road/Road 239 and drive 3.5 miles; then turn right on Bear Creek Road/Road 220. Drive 14 miles to Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest Headquarters, pick up a free forest map, and then continue one mile farther, turning right at the sign for Hidden Falls Recreation Area. Drive 3.5 miles to the public corrals, which are located one-quarter mile north of the pack station (before Shake Camp Campground). Park at the corrals.
Contact: Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest, Springville, 559/539-2321 (summer) or 559/539-2855 (winter).
4.0 mi/2.0 hr
in Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest off Highway 190 near Springville
An excellent easy hike for campers and day visitors at Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest is on Long Meadow Trail, from Shake Camp Campground to Redwood Crossing, on the Tule River. The trail starts by the public corral (elevation 6,800 feet) and leads through logged sequoia stumps to a thick mixed forest on the slopes high above the Wishon Fork Tule River. When the trail reaches clearings in the trees, the views of the Great Western Divide are excellent. At two miles out, you reach Redwood Crossing, a boulder-lined stretch of the river. Those willing to ford can cross to the other side and head into the Golden Trout Wilderness, but day hikers should pull out a picnic at the river’s edge and make an afternoon of it. Backpackers heading for the wilderness need to secure a wilderness permit from the Western Divide Ranger District office.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A free brochure and map of Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest are available from forest headquarters. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Camp Wishon.
Directions: From Porterville, drive east on Highway 190 for 18 miles to Springville. At Springville, turn left (north) on Balch Park Road/Road 239, drive 3.5 miles, and turn right on Bear Creek Road/Road 220. Drive 14 miles to Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest Headquarters, pick up a free forest map, and then continue one mile farther. Turn right at the sign for Hidden Falls Recreation Area. Drive 3.5 miles to Shake Camp Campground. The Long Meadow trailhead is located by the public corral.
Contact: Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest, Springville, 559/539-2321 (summer) or 559/539-2855 (winter); Western Divide Ranger District, Springville, 559/539-2607, www.fs.usda.gov/sequoia.
4.0 mi/2.0 hr
in Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest off Highway 190 near Springville
For a less-crowded alternative to the popular Redwood Crossing (see listing in this chapter), you can take the other trail from the public corral at Shake Camp Campground and wind your way through stands of beautiful virgin sequoias to the Wishon Fork Tule River at Moses Gulch Campground. The Moses Gulch Trail crosses forest roads twice—the only downer—but it’s an easy walk for families, and it’s peaceful besides. Once you reach the river (at two miles), you have the option of hiking alongside it to the north or south, adding some distance to your trip. The northern stretch leads to Hidden Falls Campground (the home of many small falls and pools), and the southern stretch crosses pretty Galena and Silver Creeks, leading past a mining cabin and an old copper mine.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A free brochure and map of Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest are available from forest headquarters. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Camp Wishon.
Directions: From Porterville, drive east on Highway 190 for 18 miles to Springville. At Springville, turn left (north) on Balch Park Road/Road 239, drive 3.5 miles, and then turn right on Bear Creek Road/Road 220. Drive 14 miles to Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest Headquarters and pick up a free forest map, then continue one mile farther and turn right at the sign for Hidden Falls Recreation Area. Drive 3.5 miles to Shake Camp Campground. The Moses Gulch trailhead is behind (south of) the public corral.
Contact: Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest, Springville, 559/539-2321 (summer) or 559/539-2855 (winter).
6.0 mi/3.0 hr
in Giant Sequoia National Monument near Springville
The Doyle Trail is a great alternative to the heat of the San Joaquin Valley. It’s in the transition zone between foothills and conifers, with plenty of shade from tall manzanita, oaks, madrones, and pines. Squirrels and lizards are your primary companions on the trail, which laterals along the slopes above the Wishon fork of the Tule River. From the gated trailhead, hike up the paved road and bear left to bypass Doyle Springs, a community of private cabins. Follow the trail that is signed Trail to Upstream Fishing. The route climbs gently through the forest for 2.5 miles and then suddenly descends to the same level as the river, where there are some primitive campsites available. Then the trail rises again, climbing for another 0.5 mile to a clearing on the right, where there is an outcrop of jagged green rock alongside the river. Leave the trail and cross over the rock, where you’ll find a few picture-perfect swimming holes and small waterfalls.
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 Springville or Kernville Ranger Stations at the addresses below. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A Sequoia National Forest map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Camp Wishon.
Directions: From Porterville, drive east on Highway 190 for 18 miles to Springville. From Springville, continue east on Highway 190 for 7.5 miles to Wishon Drive/Road 208, a left fork. Turn left and drive four miles on Wishon Drive, then take the left fork, which is signed for day-use parking (above the campground). Drive 0.25 mile and park off the road, near the gate.
Contact: Giant Sequoia National Monument/Sequoia National Forest, Western Divide Ranger District, Springville, 559/539-2607, www.fs.usda.gov/sequoia.
1.8 mi/1.0 hr
in Giant Sequoia National Monument near Quaking Aspen
You’ll see some logging activity out here by Jordan Peak, but if you can put up with it, you can climb a mere 600 feet over less than a mile to reach the summit of this 9,100-foot mountain. Few summits are so easily attained (it’s a well-graded and well-maintained trail), and this one is not lacking in dramatic vistas. You can see the Wishon Fork Canyon of the Tule River, Camp Nelson, the Sequoia Crest, Slate Mountain, Maggie Mountain, and Moses Mountain close up, and the Tehachapis and the Coast Range far, far away. The peak is covered with microwave equipment, but it doesn’t mar the stupendous view. Head west from the trailhead on Jordan Lookout Trail, switchbacking up until you reach the catwalked stairs to the lookout, which was built in 1934. All the materials to construct the lookout were hauled in by mules.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, horses, and mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A Sequoia National Forest map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Sentinel Peak.
Directions: From Porterville, drive 45 miles east on Highway 190 to Forest Service Road 21S50, near Quaking Aspen Campground. Turn left on Road 21S50 and drive five miles. Bear left and continue on Road 21S50 for 2.8 miles, bearing left on Road 20S71, signed for Jordan Peak Lookout, and following it one mile to its end, at the trailhead.
Contact: Giant Sequoia National Monument/Sequoia National Forest, Western Divide Ranger District, Springville, 559/539-2607, www.fs.usda.gov/sequoia.
14.0 mi/2 days
in the Golden Trout Wilderness near Quaking Aspen
If you like peace and quiet on your backpacking trips, Clicks Creek Trail, in the Golden Trout Wilderness, may suit you just fine. The trail leads northeast from Log Cabin Meadow (elevation 7,800 feet), heading steadily downhill along Clicks Creek to the Little Kern River. The route crosses the creek several times. Shade lovers will thrill at the conifer forests that line the route, interspersed by large and grassy meadows, and anglers can bring along their gear to try their luck with the golden trout in the river. There are many possible campsites along the Little Kern, where the elevation is 6,200 feet.
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 Springville or Kernville Ranger Stations at the addresses below. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A Golden Trout Wilderness map is available from the U.S. Forest Service or Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Sentinel Peak.
Directions: From Porterville, drive 45 miles east on Highway 190 to Forest Service Road 21S50 near Quaking Aspen Campground. Turn left on Road 21S50 and drive five miles; bear left and continue on Road 21S50 for 1.5 miles to the Clicks Creek trailhead, at Log Cabin Meadow.
Contact: Sequoia National Forest, Western Divide Ranger District, Springville, 559/539-2607, www.fs.usda.gov/sequoia; Sequoia National Forest, Kern River Ranger District, Kernville, 760/376-3781, www.fs.usda.gov/sequoia.
5.0-6.0 mi/2.5-3.0 hr
in Giant Sequoia National Monument near Quaking Aspen
Your route on the John Jordan Trail begins with a crossing of McIntyre Creek, then traverses a level mile to an old fence, gate, and McIntyre Rock—a huge pile of granite boulders with an excellent view. Climb on top of the rock’s well-graded, cracking-granite back side and peer over its startlingly steep front side. Surprise! It’s straight down, about 600 feet. The trail heads downhill through a red fir forest to Nelson Creek, the site of some logging work. Although you can walk another 0.5 mile to the trail’s end (at Hossack Meadow), most people turn around at the sight of logged trees, making for a five-mile round-trip with a 1,000-foot elevation gain on the return. So who was John Jordan, anyway? He was a trailblazer in the 1870s who unfortunately was most famous for drowning in the Kern River on his way back to the Central Valley to tell everybody he had completed this trail, a proposed toll road.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, horses, and mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A Sequoia National Forest map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Sentinel Peak.
Directions: From Porterville, drive 45 miles east on Highway 190 to Forest Service Road 21S50, near Quaking Aspen Campground. Turn left on Road 21S50 and drive 6.6 miles, then bear left on Road 20S81. Follow Road 20S81 for 1.4 miles to the signed trailhead.
Contact: Giant Sequoia National Monument/Sequoia National Forest, Western Divide Ranger District, Springville, 559/539-2607, www.fs.usda.gov/sequoia.
4.0 mi/2.0 hr
in Giant Sequoia National Monument near Quaking Aspen
The easternmost grove of sequoias in the world is your destination on Freeman Creek Trail. Compared to most sequoia groves in the Sierra, the trees of the 1,700-acre Freeman Creek Grove are mere adolescents—probably not more than 1,000 years old. Among them is a tree named for former President George Bush Sr., who visited the grove in 1992. The trail is a pleasant downhill stroll along Freeman Creek, reaching the first sequoias in about one mile, after crossing the creek. In between the big trees are large meadow areas (many of which bloom with spring and summer wildflowers) and forests of red firs. Many campsites are found along the creek. The path finally ends at Lloyd Meadows, three miles from the trailhead, but most people don’t travel that far, since it requires too much climbing on the way back. Two miles out and back is just about perfect.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, horses, and mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A Sequoia National Forest map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For topographic maps, go to the USGS website to download Sentinel Peak.
Directions: From Porterville, drive 45 miles east on Highway 190 to Forest Service Road 21S50, near Quaking Aspen Campground. Turn left on Road 21S50 and drive 0.5 mile, then turn right at the sign for the Freeman Creek Grove.
Contact: Giant Sequoia National Monument/Sequoia National Forest, Western Divide Ranger District, Springville, 559/539-2607, www.fs.usda.gov/sequoia.
8.0 mi/4.0 hr
in Giant Sequoia National Monument near Quaking Aspen
If you’re staying at Quaking Aspen Campground, you can set out on Summit National Recreation Trail from outside your tent door, but if you’re not, drive to the trailhead just south of the camp off Road 21S78. Few people hike all 12 miles of the trail, but many take this four-mile jaunt to the summit of 9,302-foot Slate Mountain, the highest peak in the area. The first two miles of trail are easy, climbing gently through meadows and forest (some logging activity can be seen); then the route climbs more steeply, ascending first the east side and then the north side of Slate Mountain. Views of the granite spires of The Needles and Olancha Peak can be seen. At 3.8 miles you reach a junction with Bear Creek Trail, and from there, it’s a short scramble to your left to the top of Slate Mountain, which is a big pile of rocks with a tremendous 360-degree view. There’s no trail, but a couple well-worn routes are visible.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, horses, and mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A Sequoia National Forest map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Sentinel Peak.
Directions: From Porterville, drive 46 miles east on Highway 190 to Forest Service Road 21S78, which is 0.5 mile south of Quaking Aspen Campground. Turn right on Road 21S78 and drive 0.5 mile to the Summit trailhead.
Contact: Giant Sequoia National Monument/Sequoia National Forest, Western Divide Ranger District, Springville, 559/539-2607, www.fs.usda.gov/sequoia.
5.0 mi/2.5 hr
in Giant Sequoia National Monument near Quaking Aspen
Yes, it’s sad but true—the historic Needles Fire Lookout burned down in 2011 after an ember escaped from its chimney, but you can still take this wonderful easy day-hike in Giant Sequoia National Monument and enjoy almost nonstop views of the Sequoia backcountry. Plans are in the works to rebuild the lookout tower by 2016, providing that enough funds are raised (check with the Western Divide Ranger District for an update; 559/539-2607). At the trail’s start is a placard with an old black-and-white photo that shows what the Needles fire lookout looked like early in the 20th century. Five minutes down the trail, you leave the forest and come out to two wooden benches. This is a great spot to stare out at the magnificent view of the Kern River Basin before you. Look ahead and you’ll see The Needles’ tall granite spires; the highest spire is at elevation 8,245 feet. The trail goes up, then down, then up again, through firs, ponderosas, sugar pines, granite, and sand. The only steep section is the final set of switchbacks up The Needles. The fire lookout tower no longer sits on top of the high spire known as The Magician by local rock climbers, but hopefully it will be there again one day soon. If not, you can just scramble on top of any boulder to admire the view of Lloyd Meadow, the Kern River drainage, Mount Whitney, Olancha Peak, Farewell Gap, and Dome Rock. This is one of the most inspiring views in the southern Sierra.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, horses, and mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A Sequoia National Forest map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For topographic maps, go to the USGS website to download Sentinel Peak and Durrwood Creek.
Directions: From Porterville, drive 46 miles east on Highway 190 to Forest Service Road 21S05, which is 0.5 mile south of Quaking Aspen Campground. Turn left (east) on Road 21S05 and drive 2.8 miles to the trailhead.
Contact: Giant Sequoia National Monument/Sequoia National Forest, Western Divide Ranger District, Springville, 559/539-2607, www.fs.usda.gov/sequoia.
0.5 mi/0.5 hr
in Giant Sequoia National Monument near Johnsondale
The Trail of 100 Giants is as good as many of the giant sequoia trails in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Trailhead elevation is 6,400 feet, and the trail is an easy and nearly flat loop that is paved and suitable for wheelchairs and baby strollers. Located within the Long Meadow Giant Sequoia Grove, the second-most southern grove where sequoias are found, the big trees on the Trail of 100 Giants are situated amid a mixed forest of cedars and pines. A dozen interpretive signs along the path unlock the secrets of this forest. As you walk in from the parking lot across the road, the first sequoia tree on your right is a doozy—probably the best one on the loop. Of all the sequoia groves we’ve seen and admired, the Trail of 100 Giants grove stands out because it has an unusual amount of twins—two sequoias growing tightly side by side in order to share resources. In fact, this grove even has one twin that rangers call a "sequedar," a sequoia and a cedar that have grown together. If you’re staying at Redwood Meadow Campground, you have your own entrance to this loop, so you don’t have to drive down the road to the main trailhead and parking lot.
User Groups: Hikers, wheelchairs, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes.
Permits: No permits are required. A $5 parking fee is charged per vehicle.
Maps: A Sequoia National Forest map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Johnsondale.
Directions: From Kernville on the north end of Isabella Lake, drive north on Sierra Way/Road 99 for 27 miles to Johnsondale R-Ranch. Continue west (the road becomes Road 50) for 5.5 miles, turn right on the Western Divide Highway, and drive 2.4 miles to the trailhead parking area, on the right, just before Redwood Meadow Campground. Cross the road to begin the trail.
Contact: Giant Sequoia National Monument/Sequoia National Forest, Western Divide Ranger District, Springville, 559/539-2607, www.fs.usda.gov/sequoia.
1.2 mi/1.0 hr
in Giant Sequoia National Monument near Johnsondale
While rock climbers come to Mule Peak to do their daring work, hikers can take a not-so-daring walk up the back side of Mule Peak; it’s attainable for all ages and levels of hikers. The area around the peak has been logged, but much of the forest has grown back. The trail follows a series of easy switchbacks up the hillside, gaining 600 feet to the summit of Mule Peak (elevation 8,142 feet). A lookout tower is positioned there, built in 1936 and still in operation by Sequoia National Forest. The summit view includes Onion Meadow Peak, Table Mountain, the Tule River Valley, and the Tule River Indian Reservation to the west.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, horses, and mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A Sequoia National Forest map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Sentinel Peak.
Directions: From Kernville on the north end of Isabella Lake, drive north on Sierra Way/Road 99 for 27 miles to Johnsondale R-Ranch. Continue west (the road becomes Road 50), then in 5.5 miles, turn right on the Western Divide Highway. Drive five miles to the left turnoff signed for Mule Peak/Road 22S03. Turn left and follow Road 22S03 for five miles to the Mule Peak trailhead.
Contact: Giant Sequoia National Monument/Sequoia National Forest, Western Divide Ranger District, Springville, 559/539-2607, www.fs.usda.gov/sequoia.
0.25 mi/0.5 hr
in Giant Sequoia National Monument near Quaking Aspen
Dome Rock wins the prize for "Granite Dome with the Most Pedestrian Name." But never mind. It also wins the prize for "Shortest Walk to an Incredible View." Trailhead elevation is 7,200 feet, and the trail is really just a route leading from the left side of the parking lot. Signs at the parking lot warn you not to drop or throw anything off the top of the dome, because there are rock climbers down below on the dome’s steep side. It’s a mere five-minute walk to the top of Dome Rock—a huge cap of bare granite—where the views are incredible of Slate Mountain, Isabella Lake, and The Needles. You’ll want to hang around here for a while to ooh and aah. If your scrambling skills are good, consider checking out another stunning destination just a few miles from here. Jump back in your car and drive back to the Western Divide Highway, then head south for four miles to an unmarked pullout on the east side of the road, 0.25 mile south of the Crawford Road turnoff. Start hiking on the dirt road that begins at the turnout; bear right where it forks. The path draws near to Nobe Young Creek, and soon you will hear a noisy waterfall. Take one of several spur trails on your left leading down to the base of the 125-foot fall, which drops over three granite ledges. The entire hike is only one mile round-trip, but because there is no formal trail, it’s not for novices. Wear good boots and use caution on the steep and slippery slope.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, horses, and mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A Sequoia National Forest map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For a topographic map go to the USGS website to download Sentinel Peak.
Directions: From Kernville on the north end of Isabella Lake, drive north on Sierra Way/Road 99 for 27 miles to Johnsondale R-Ranch. Continue west (the road becomes Road 50) for 5.5 miles, and turn right on the Western Divide Highway. Drive 12 miles to the Dome Rock/Road 21S69 turnoff, on the right, across from Peppermint Work Center. Turn right and follow the dirt road for a few hundred yards; where it forks, bear left and continue to the trailhead, 0.5 mile from the Western Divide Highway. If you’re traveling from the north, the turnoff is two miles south of Ponderosa Lodge.
Contact: Giant Sequoia National Monument/Sequoia National Forest, Western Divide Ranger District, Springville, 559/539-2607, www.fs.usda.gov/sequoia.
1.8 mi/1.0 hr
in Giant Sequoia National Monument near Johnsondale
The granite slabs and pools on Alder Creek have gotten so popular with hikers, swimmers, and picnickers that the Forest Service has installed No Parking Any Time signs all over the road near the trailhead. But as long as you park where you’re supposed to (off the road, in the day-use parking area), you can still pay a visit to the tons-of-fun pools and slides along Alder Creek. To reach them, walk up the gated dirt road (Road 22S83) and turn right on the single-track trail. The path descends to the confluence of Alder Creek and Dry Meadow Creek, where there is a long length of swimming holes and rocky slides that pour into them. Make sure you wear denim or some other heavy material on your backside so you can while away many happy hours pretending you are a river otter. It’s exhilarating, but please use caution as you slip and slide. Slick granite can be very unforgiving.
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 Sequoia National Forest map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Sentinel Peak.
Directions: From Kernville on the north end of Lake Isabella, drive north on Sierra Way/Road 99 for 27 miles to 0.5 mile north of Johnsondale R-Ranch. Turn right on Road 22S82 and drive 5.7 miles to the day-use parking area, on the right side of the road. Walk across Road 22S82 to the gated dirt road and the trailhead.
Contact: Giant Sequoia National Monument/Sequoia National Forest, Western Divide Ranger District, Springville, 559/539-2607, www.fs.usda.gov/sequoia.
10.0 mi/6.0 hr or 2 days
in the John Muir Wilderness in Inyo National Forest
The trailhead elevation for Kearsarge Pass Trail is 9,200 feet, and the elevation at Kearsarge Pass is 11,823 feet. Five miles and a good amount of climbing lie in between, but the route is well graded, and the scenery is spectacular. The trail, which was once an Indian trading route, leads to the backcountry of Kings Canyon National Park, but most day hikers just make the trip to the pass. Along the way, you are witness to several sparkling lakes and whitewater cascades, and a wealth of high-country wildflowers. Not surprisingly, this is a very popular trail. Remember to bring sunglasses, sunscreen, and a jacket for the summit, which is windy and exposed.
The trail climbs gradually from the trailhead, often nearing Independence Creek then veering away again as it winds through a multitude of switchbacks. You pass Little Pothole Lake at 1.5 miles, Gilbert Lake at 2.2 miles, and Flower Lake at 2.6 miles. Continue climbing high above tree line to Kearsarge Pass. You’ll get a long-distance view of Heart Lake and pass the left spur trail leading to Big Pothole Lake along the way. Finally, just when you think you can climb no farther, you reach the pass, at five miles. A sign announces your arrival in Kings Canyon Park, and extraordinary Sierra views surround you. You’ll gaze at Bullfrog and Kearsarge Lakes, University Peak, and Mount Gould.
Note that if you decide to turn this into an overnight trip, food storage regulations are in effect. Bear-resistant canisters are required for all backpackers, and no wood fires are permitted. Good camping and fishing is located 3.5 miles beyond the pass, at Charlotte Lake, but a one-night stay limit is in effect.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. Dogs are allowed to Kearsarge Pass, but not beyond it. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A free wilderness permit is required year-round for overnight stays and is available from the Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center, 1.5 miles south of Lone Pine. Quotas are in effect from May 1 to November 1; permits are available in advance for a $5 reservation fee per person.
Maps: A John Muir Wilderness map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. A Kearsarge Pass map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Kearsarge Peak.
Directions: From Lone Pine, drive 15 miles north on U.S. 395 to Independence. Turn west on Market Street, which becomes Onion Valley Road. Drive 14 miles to the end of the road and the trailhead parking area.
Contact: Inyo National Forest, Mount Whitney Ranger Station, Lone Pine, 760/876-6200, www.fs.usda.gov/inyo; Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center, 760/876-6222.
6.4 mi/3.5 hr
in the John Muir Wilderness in Inyo National Forest
If you don’t have the time or the energy for Kearsarge Pass (see listing in this chapter), the route to Flower Lake and Matlock Lake is a good second choice. Although it doesn’t offer the astounding views that the pass has, it is still a stellar trip into dramatic granite country. Both lakes are deep blue waterways that draw in all the color of the Sierra sky. The trail climbs gradually from the trailhead, switchbacking along Independence Creek. You pass Little Pothole Lake at 1.5 miles and Gilbert Lake at 2.2 miles, reaching a junction for Matlock Lake at 2.5 miles. Continue straight for 0.1 mile to Flower Lake, then retrace your steps to the junction and head south for 0.7 mile to larger Matlock Lake. Pull out your camera and a picnic, and while away some time before returning to the trailhead.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No day-hiking permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A John Muir Wilderness map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. A Kearsarge Pass map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Kearsarge Peak.
Directions: From Lone Pine, drive 15 miles north on U.S. 395 to Independence. Turn west on Market Street, which becomes Onion Valley Road. Drive 14 miles to the end of the road and the trailhead parking area.
Contact: Inyo National Forest, Mount Whitney Ranger Station, Lone Pine, 760/876-6200, www.fs.usda.gov/inyo; Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center, 760/876-6222.
3.0 mi/2.0 hr
in the John Muir Wilderness in Inyo National Forest
The Robinson Lake Trail is best described as relentlessly steep but mercifully short. The hike is challenging in places due to the grade, loose surface, and relative obscurity of the trail, but the destination is superlative. In addition to beautiful Robinson Lake (at 10,500 feet), you get a close and personal view of 11,744-foot Independence Peak and an excellent wildflower display along Robinson Creek. Start at the trailhead by campsite No. 7 in Onion Valley Campground. Watch out for the overgrown vegetation that can sometimes hide the trail. Just climb, catch your breath, and climb some more. After a fairly punishing ascent, you’ll reach the small, shallow lake in less than an hour. Campsites and picnicking sites are found in the sand on the lake’s east side, or in the pine forest on the northwest side. Equally as pretty as the lake are the views from its shores of the valley below. Plan your trip for July to September; the trail is usually free of snow by midsummer. But whenever you go, watch your footing carefully. This trail is not maintained very often.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No day-hiking permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A John Muir Wilderness map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. A Kearsarge Pass map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Kearsarge Peak.
Directions: From Lone Pine, drive 15 miles north on U.S. 395 to Independence. Turn west on Market Street, which becomes Onion Valley Road. Drive 14 miles to the end of the road and the hikers’ parking area. Walk into Onion Valley Campground to find the trailhead, by site No. 7.
Contact: Inyo National Forest, Mount Whitney Ranger Station, Lone Pine, 760/876-6200, www.fs.usda.gov/inyo; Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center, 760/876-6222.
22.0 mi/15.0 hr or 2-3 days
in the John Muir Wilderness
Mount Whitney, at 14,505 feet in elevation, is the highest peak in the contiguous United States and is also probably the most frequently climbed. It has become so well traveled that not only are quotas enforced for backpackers, but even day hikers must obtain a wilderness permit to hike the trail. And, yes, many people do hike the entire 22-mile round-trip trail in one single day, ascending and descending more than a vertical mile along the way (6,131 feet in all), but it means a predawn start and a grueling march. Many people who try this suffer from a variety of ailments, including dehydration, hypoglycemia, and even altitude sickness, and never make it to the top. Others make it but realize they would have had a lot more fun if they had divided the trip into two or even three days. So here’s the smart way to hike Mount Whitney: Get your wilderness permit way in advance (see the permit information below), and plan your trip for a weekday, not a weekend. If possible, wait to make the climb until September or early October, when the crowds have thinned considerably; August sees the highest trail usage. Spend a couple days at high elevation before you set out on the Mount Whitney Trail, and come prepared with sunglasses, sunscreen, good boots, and warm clothes for the summit. And since all solid human waste must be packed out (not buried, as is permitted in other areas of the Sierra), it’s a good idea to obtain a free "human waste pack-out kit" from the Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center before leaving on your trip. Consider this: In a typical summer, visitors to Mount Whitney pack out more than 7,000 pounds of human waste. For more information on the Mount Whitney Trail, see the trail notes for the Whitney Portal to Lake Thomas Edison (JMT/PCT) hike in this chapter.
User Groups: Hikers only. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes. (Dogs are allowed on the first 6.2 miles of trail, but not beyond.) No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A wilderness permit is required year-round for both day hikers and backpackers and is available from the Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center, 1.5 mile south of Lone Pine. Quotas are in effect from May 1 to November 1 for both day hikers and backpackers. Permit application forms are entered into a lottery during the month of February for all dates in the quota period (May 1 to November 1). Submit a permit application form online, or phone 760/873-2483 for more information. There is a $15 reservation fee per person. Bear canisters are required for overnight stays and no wood fires are permitted.
Note: The reservation system for Mount Whitney hiking permits may change slightly from year to year. Please check the Inyo National Forest website for the most updated information, or contact the Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center (760/876-6222). The visitor center is located 1.5 miles south of Lone Pine at the junction of U.S. 396 and Hwy. 136.
Maps: A Mount Whitney Zone map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For topographic maps, go to the USGS website to download Mount Whitney and Mount Langley.
Directions: From Lone Pine on U.S. 395, drive west on Whitney Portal Road for 13 miles to the end of the road and the trailhead.
Contact: Inyo National Forest, Mount Whitney Ranger Station, Lone Pine, 760/876-6200, www.fs.usda.gov/inyo; Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center, 760/876-6222.
4.0 mi one-way/2.0 hr
in Inyo National Forest near Whitney Portal
Don’t confuse this trail with the Mount Whitney Trail, because except for their nearby trailheads, they have zero in common. Although if you try to hike the Whitney Portal National Recreation Trail in both directions, instead of as a one-way downhill hike, you may find it feels darn near as demanding as the Mount Whitney Trail, which climbs nearly 6,000 feet to the top of Mount Whitney. (Okay, maybe not quite that demanding.) The recreation trail begins at Whitney Portal (elevation 8,360 feet) and heads downhill through conifers and granite to Lone Pine Campground (elevation 5,640). The best thing about the route is that no matter how crowded it is at Whitney Portal, this trail gets surprisingly few hikers, especially after the first 0.5 mile, which skirts Whitney Portal Campground. You get to leave the multitudes behind as you walk downhill along Lone Pine Creek, among the good company of granite formations and big pines. Vistas are excellent along the way, including Mount Whitney to the west and the Alabama Hills and White Mountains to the east.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A Mount Whitney High Country map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Mount Langley.
Directions: From Lone Pine on U.S. 395, drive west on Whitney Portal Road for 13 miles to the end of the road and the trailhead, located across from the fishing pond. You will need to leave a shuttle car or arrange a pickup at Lone Pine Campground, four miles downhill on Whitney Portal Road.
Contact: Inyo National Forest, Mount Whitney Ranger Station, Lone Pine, 760/876-6200, www.fs.usda.gov/inyo; Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center, 760/876-6222.
11.0 mi/6.0 hr or 2 days
in the John Muir Wilderness near Mount Whitney
The Meysan Lake Trail is less popular than the neighboring trail to the top of Mount Whitney, but still, you should get your wilderness permit in advance or plan on day hiking. Better yet, plan your trip for late September and during the week. The trail to Meysan Lake is long, steep, hot, and dry—let’s just say it’s grueling—but it leads to a beautiful alpine lake basin and provides spectacular views of granite walls. It also gives climbers access to climbing routes on Mount Mallory and Lone Pine Peak. The trail is parallel to Meysan Creek and is not well maintained, which makes it even more demanding. You reach a left fork for Grass Lake at 4.5 miles, where the first water is available. The right fork continues to Camp Lake and its beautiful meadow (at five miles). The elevation here is 11,200 feet. The trail from Camp Lake to Meysan Lake is rather sketchy. Head to the right of Camp Lake, cross the inlet stream, and watch for rock cairns marking the way up the steep, rocky slope. Meysan Lake is often still frozen as late as June, even though the trail can be as hot as an oven. The trailhead elevation is 7,900 feet; Meysan Lake is at 11,460 feet.
User Groups: Hikers and dogs. No horses or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A free wilderness permit is required year-round for overnight stays and is available from the Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center, 1.5 miles south of Lone Pine. Quotas are in effect from May 1 to November 1; permits are available in advance for a $5 reservation fee per person.
Maps: A John Muir Wilderness map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. A Mount Whitney Zone map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For topographic maps, go to the USGS website to download Mount Whitney and Mount Langley.
Directions: From Lone Pine on U.S. 395, drive west on Whitney Portal Road for 12 miles to Whitney Portal Campground and the Meysan Lake trailhead. Park on the side of Whitney Portal Road by the camp and walk through the camp to reach the trailhead.
Contact: Inyo National Forest, Mount Whitney Ranger Station, Lone Pine, 760/876-6200, www.fs.usda.gov/inyo; Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center, 760/876-6222.
5.8 mi/3.0 hr
in the John Muir Wilderness near Whitney Portal
The route to the top of Mount Whitney is so popular and so overcrowded that it has permits and quotas and regulations up the wazoo, but guess what? Sweet little Lone Pine Lake is just outside of the regulated Mount Whitney Zone, so you can hike to it anytime without dealing with any bureaucracy. However, you will have to deal with extremely limited parking at the trailhead during the summer months, so plan your trip for September or later if at all possible. Hiking to Lone Pine Lake is a fun trip for people who have always daydreamed of climbing Mount Whitney, because it follows the first three miles of the summit trail. While other people are trudging along carrying heavy backpacks, you’re stepping lightly, with only a sandwich and a bottle of water in your day pack. The trail leads through Jeffrey pines and manzanita to the John Muir Wilderness border at one mile, then switchbacks uphill and opens up to views of the Alabama Hills far below. You’ll cross Lone Pine Creek at 2.8 miles, then bear left at a junction to leave the main Mount Whitney Trail and head a few hundred yards to Lone Pine Lake. It’s a sweet spot, and although privacy is rare, you have a greater chance of it after Labor Day and on a weekday. Who knows, you might just get so inspired that next time you’ll come back and hike all the way to the summit.
User Groups: Hikers and dogs. No horses or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No day-hiking permits are required. A Mount Whitney wilderness permit is required for overnight stays. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A John Muir Wilderness map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. A Mount Whitney Zone map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For topographic maps, go to the USGS website to download Mount Whitney and Mount Langley.
Directions: From Lone Pine on U.S. 395, drive west on Whitney Portal Road for 13 miles to the end of the road and the Mount Whitney trailhead.
Contact: Inyo National Forest, Mount Whitney Ranger Station, Lone Pine, 760/876-6200, www.fs.usda.gov/inyo; Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center, 760/876-6222.
112.0 mi one-way/11 days
from the trailhead parking area at Whitney Portal north to the trailhead parking area at Lake Thomas Edison
You can have a foothold in the sky with every step on the John Muir Trail (JMT). This part of the trail is shared with the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) and starts at practically the tip-top of North America—Mount Whitney—and takes you northward across a land of 12,000-foot passes and Ansel Adams-style panoramas.
From the trailhead at Whitney Portal, the hike climbs more than 6,100 feet over the course of 11 miles to reach Whitney’s summit at 14,505 feet. That includes an ascent more than 100 switchbacks, which are often snow covered even late in summer, to reach Trail Crest (13,560 feet). Here you turn right and take Summit Trail. In the final stretch to the top, the ridge is cut by huge notch windows in the rock; you look through, and the bottom drops out more than 10,000 feet to the town of Lone Pine below, at an elevation of 3,800 feet. Finally you make it to the top and notice how the surrounding giant blocks of rock look as if they were sculpted with a giant hammer and chisel. From here, the entire Western Divide is visible, and to the north, rows of mountain peaks are lined up for miles to the horizon. Be sure to sign your name in the register, kept in a lightning-proof metal box. You may feel a bit dizzy from the altitude, but you’ll know you’re someplace very special.
The journey farther north is just as captivating. The route drops into Sequoia National Park, then climbs above timberline for almost a day’s worth of hiking as it nears Forester Pass (13,180 feet). It’s not only the highest point on the PCT; it’s the most dangerous section of trail on the entire route as well. The trail is narrow and steep, cut into a high vertical slab of rock, and is typically icy, with an iced-over snowfield near the top that’s particularly treacherous. An ice ax is an absolute must. If you slip here, you could fall thousands of feet.
Once through Forester, the trail heads onward into the John Muir Wilderness along Bubbs Creek, with great wildflowers at nearby Vidette Meadow. Then it’s up and over Kearsarge Pass (10,710 feet), and after a short drop, you’re back climbing again, this time over Glen Pass (11,978 feet)—a spectacular, boulder-strewn ridge with great views to the north looking into Kings Canyon National Park. Just two miles from Glen Pass is Rae Lakes, a fantasy spot for camping (one-night limit), with pristine meadows, shoreline campsites, and lots of eager brook trout.
The JMT then heads through Kings Canyon National Park by following sparkling streams much of the way, finally climbing up and over Pinchot Pass (12,130 feet), then back down along the upper Kings River for a long, steady ascent over Mather Pass (12,100 feet). The wonders continue as you hike along Palisade Lakes, then down into LeConte Canyon, followed by an endless climb up to Muir Pass (11,965 feet). In early summer, snowfields are common here, and this can be difficult and trying, especially if your boots keep post-holing through the snow. The country near Muir Pass is extremely stark—nothing but sculpted granite, ice, and a few small turquoise lakes—crowned by the stone Muir Hut at the pass, where hikers can duck in and hide for safety from sudden afternoon thunderstorms and lightning bolts.
The views astound many visitors as the trail drops into Evolution Valley. It’s like a trip back to the beginning of time, where all is pure and primary, yet incredibly lush and beautiful. You finally leave Kings Canyon National Park, following the headwaters of the San Joaquin River into Sierra National Forest. After bottoming out at 7,890 feet, the trail rises steeply in switchback after switchback as it enters the John Muir Wilderness. Finally you top Selden Pass (10,900 feet), take in an incredible view (where the rows of surrounding mountaintops look like the Great Pyramids), then make the easy one-mile descent to Marie Lakes, a pretty campsite with excellent trout fishing near the lake’s outlet.
The final push on this section of the JMT is climbing up Bear Mountain, then down a terrible, toe-jamming stretch to Mono Creek. Here you make a left turn and continue for two more miles until you come to Edison Lake, an excellent place to have a food stash waiting. (To continue north on the JMT/PCT, see the Lake Thomas Edison to Agnew Meadows hike in this chapter.)
Note: Crossing Mono Creek at the North Fork can be dangerous during high-runoff conditions.
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 the Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center for more information.
Maps: A John Muir Trail Map Pack is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For topographic maps, go to the USGS website to download Mount Whitney, Mount Williamson, Kearsarge Peak, Mount Clarence King, Mount Pinchot, North Palisade, Mount Goddard, Mount Darwin, Mount Henry, Ward Mountain, Florence Lake, and Graveyard Peak.
Directions: To reach the Mount Whitney trailhead from Lone Pine and U.S. 395, head west on Whitney Portal Road for approximately 13 miles to Whitney Portal and the trailhead for the Mount Whitney Trail. To reach the Lake Thomas Edison trailhead from the town of Shaver Lake, drive north on Highway 168 for approximately 21 miles to the town of Lakeshore. Turn northeast onto Kaiser Pass Road/Forest Service 4S01. Kaiser Pass Road becomes Edison Lake Road at Mono Hot Springs. Drive another five miles north past town to the Vermillion Campground and parking area for backcountry hikers. The PCT begins near the east end of the lake.
Contact: Inyo National Forest, Mount Whitney Ranger Station, Lone Pine, 760/876-6200 or 760/873-2400, www.fs.usda.gov/inyo; Sierra National Forest, High Sierra Ranger District, Prather, 559/855-5360, www.fs.usda.gov/sequoia; Sequoia National Forest, Sequoia National Forest, Kern River Ranger District, Kernville, 760/376-3781, www.fs.usda.gov/sequoia; Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center, 760/876-6222.
10.0-12.5 mi/6.0 hr or 2 days
in the John Muir Wilderness south of Mount Whitney
The trailhead elevation is just over 10,000 feet here at Horseshoe Meadow, which makes this a wildly popular trailhead for climbing deeper into the backcountry. With the trailhead situated so high, you get a jump on the ascent; your four wheels do the work, instead of your two feet. An unusual feature of this hike is that it passes through two wilderness areas—first a small portion of the Golden Trout Wilderness and then the John Muir Wilderness. Cottonwood Creek accompanies you for much of the trip. The trail starts out in a sandy pine forest with a mellow grade. At 3.7 miles you reach a junction. Most hikers go left; the trail forms a loop around Cottonwood Lakes numbers one, two, and three. If you just want to see the closest lake and head back without making a loop, Cottonwood Lake number one is to the left, 1.5 miles from the junction. Your round-trip will be an even 10 miles. If you complete the whole loop, passing all three lakes, you’ll travel 11.5 miles. But the most beautiful lakes by far are numbers four and five, worth an extra 0.5 mile of hiking beyond the far end of the loop. Total elevation gain is only 1,000 feet. Once at the lakes, remember two points: 1) Because the Cottonwood Lakes are home to golden trout, special fishing regulations are in effect, so get updated on the latest rules. 2) No wood fires are allowed, so bring your backpacking stove.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A free wilderness permit is required year-round for overnight stays and is available from the Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center, 1.5 miles south of Lone Pine. Quotas are in effect from May 1 to November 1; permits are available in advance for a $5 reservation fee per person. Bear canisters are required.
Maps: A John Muir Wilderness map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. A Mount Whitney High Country map is available from Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Cirque Peak.
Directions: From Lone Pine on U.S. 395, drive west on Whitney Portal Road for 3.3 miles and turn left (south) on Horseshoe Meadow Road. Continue 19.5 miles and bear right for the Cottonwood Lakes trailhead parking area, near the end of Horseshoe Meadow Road.
Contact: Inyo National Forest, Mount Whitney Ranger Station, Lone Pine, 760/876-6200, www.fs.usda.gov/inyo; Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center, 760/876-6222.
8.0 mi/5.0 hr or 2 days
in the Golden Trout Wilderness
The Cottonwood Pass Trail provides access to the Pacific Crest Trail and the Kern Plateau, a land of stark, sub-alpine meadows. You’re entering the Golden Trout Wilderness, home of California’s state fish and located at the very south end of the Sierra Nevada. This is where the steep, nearly perpendicular mountains start to mellow out into more gentle terrain—mostly in the form of rolling high-country hills and meadows. Start from wide Horseshoe Meadow and climb gently through forest for the first two miles of trail. Shortly, the switchbacks begin and the ascent becomes serious. After a 1,100-foot climb, you reach the pass (at four miles), where you can gaze out at the Great Western Divide, Big Whitney Meadows, and the Inyo Mountains. Bring a jacket with you for the windy, 11,250-foot summit. Ambitious hikers can continue beyond the pass and take the right fork for Chicken Spring Lake, one mile away on the Pacific Crest Trail (no campfires allowed).
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A free wilderness permit is required year-round for overnight stays and is available from the Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center, 1.5 miles south of Lone Pine. Quotas are in effect from the last Friday in June to September 15; permits are available in advance for a $5 reservation fee per person.
Maps: A Golden Trout Wilderness map is available from the U.S. Forest Service or Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Cirque Peak.
Directions: From Lone Pine on U.S. 395, drive west on Whitney Portal Road for 3.3 miles and turn left (south) on Horseshoe Meadow Road. Continue 19.5 miles to the Horseshoe Meadow trailhead, on the left, at the end of Horseshoe Meadow Road.
Contact: Inyo National Forest, Mount Whitney Ranger Station, Lone Pine, 760/876-6200, www.fs.usda.gov/inyo; Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center, 760/876-6222.
5.0 mi/3.0 hr
in the Golden Trout Wilderness
Trail Pass may not be as spectacular as the other trails at Horseshoe Meadow, but it has two things going for it—far fewer people and an easier grade. It’s only five miles round-trip from the trailhead to the pass, with a mere 500-foot elevation gain, unheard of in these parts. The main folks using the trail are backpackers accessing the Pacific Crest Trail and Golden Trout Wilderness, so a lot of the time, you can have this gently rolling, high-country terrain all to yourself. Follow the trail from the parking area to a junction 0.25 mile in, and bear left. In another 0.5 mile, the trail forks, and you bear right for Trail Pass. You’ll hike past Horseshoe Meadow and Round Valley, where you’ll have the company of many packhorses. Views of Mount Langley and Cirque Peak are sure to inspire you. The pass is situated at 10,500 feet, just below Trail Peak (at 11,600 feet).
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No day-hiking permits are required. Parking and access are free. A free wilderness permit is required year-round for overnight stays and is available from the Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center, 1.5 miles south of Lone Pine.
Maps: A Golden Trout Wilderness map is available from the U.S. Forest Service or Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Cirque Peak.
Directions: From Lone Pine on U.S. 395, drive west on Whitney Portal Road for 3.3 miles and turn left (south) on Horseshoe Meadow Road. Continue 19.5 miles to the Horseshoe Meadow trailhead, on the right, at the end of Horseshoe Meadow Road.
Contact: Inyo National Forest, Mount Whitney Ranger Station, Lone Pine, 760/876-6200, www.fs.usda.gov/inyo; Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center, 760/876-6222.
4.0 mi/2.0 hr
in the Golden Trout Wilderness
The Blackrock Mountain trailhead, at 8,800 feet, is the jump-off point for a variety of backpacking trips into the Golden Trout Wilderness. But day hikers can also sample the delights of this large, waterway-filled land, the home of California’s state fish, the golden trout. From the end of Blackrock Road, walk for less than 0.25 mile to the wilderness boundary, then head gently downhill through a red fir forest to the western edge of Casa Vieja Meadow. There you’ll find a snow survey cabin and a wide expanse of grass and wildflowers. Hope your day pack is full of picnic supplies. At the far end of the meadow, you must ford Ninemile Creek to continue hiking farther, so make this your turnaround point. Some people try their luck fishing here. You’ll have a gradual 800-foot elevation gain on your return trip.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A Golden Trout Wilderness map is available from the U.S. Forest Service or Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Casa Vieja Meadows.
Directions: From Kernville on the north end of Isabella Lake, drive north on Sierra Way/Road 99 for 22 miles to the turnoff for Sherman Pass Road/22S05. Turn right and drive approximately 35 miles on Sherman Pass Road to the Blackrock Information Station; continue straight on Road 21S03/Blackrock Road. Follow Road 21S03 north for eight miles to the end of the road and the Blackrock Mountain trailhead.
Contact: Sequoia National Forest, Kern River Ranger District, Kernville, 760/376-3781, www.fs.usda.gov/sequoia; Inyo National Forest, Mount Whitney Ranger Station, Lone Pine, 760/876-6200, www.fs.usda.gov/inyo.
12.0 mi/7.0 hr or 2 days
in the Golden Trout Wilderness
You can do it in a day if you’re ambitious, or you can take a more leisurely two-day trip to Jordan Hot Springs. But however you do it, it’s critical to remember that almost all the work is on the way home. The trail is a descent (sometimes knee-jarring) to the grounds of an old hot springs resort, which was closed when this area became part of the Golden Trout Wilderness. The original buildings still stand, and the hot springs are still hot, which is the reason that this is one of the most popular trips in the wilderness. From the trailhead, take Blackrock Trail for two miles to Casa Vieja Meadow (see listing in this chapter), then cross Ninemile Creek and turn left (west) on Jordan Hot Springs Trail. Hike another three miles downhill along Ninemile Creek, crossing it a few more times. Once you reach the old resort, have a good soak and pull your energy together, because you’ve got a 2,600-foot gain on the return trip.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A free wilderness permit is required year-round for overnight stays and is available from the Kern River Ranger Station. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A Golden Trout Wilderness map is available from the U.S. Forest Service or Tom Harrison Maps. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Casa Vieja Meadows.
Directions: From Kernville on the north end of Isabella Lake, drive north on Sierra Way/Road 99 for 22 miles to the right turnoff for Sherman Pass Road/22S05. Turn right and drive approximately 35 miles on Sherman Pass Road to the Blackrock Information Station; continue straight on Road 21S03/Blackrock Road. Follow Road 21S03 north for eight miles to the end of the road and the Blackrock Mountain trailhead.
Contact: Sequoia National Forest, Kern River Ranger District, Kernville, 760/376-3781, www.fs.usda.gov/sequoia.
10.4 mi/5.0 hr or 2 days
in Sequoia National Forest north of Kernville
Sometimes you just want to walk alongside a beautiful river, and if that’s what you’re in the mood for, the Wild and Scenic North Fork Kern is a first-rate choice. From the giant parking lot, walk across the hikers’ bridge (separate from but next to the highway bridge) to reach the far side of the river, and then descend on stairs to reach the trail. The North Fork Kern River Trail winds along gently, heading deep into the dramatic Kern Canyon, sometimes under the shade of digger pines, live oaks, and incense cedars, and sometimes out in the bright sunshine. Spring wildflowers are stunning, especially in March and April. Spring river rafters are also entertaining to watch. Most people who walk this trail bring a fishing rod with them, and if you do, make sure you’re up-to-date on the special fishing regulations. They’re in effect for the first four miles of river, which is a wild trout area. Backpackers will find many campsites along the trail, including some that are under the cavelike canopy of big boulders. This easy, mellow trail offers something for everyone. Note that if you venture out here at the height of spring runoff, parts of the trail may be submerged.
User Groups: Hikers and dogs. No mountain bikes or horses. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A free campfire permit is required for overnight stays and is available from the Springville or Kernville Ranger Stations at the addresses below. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A Sequoia National Forest map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Fairview.
Directions: From Kernville on the north end of Lake Isabella, drive north on Sierra Way/Road 99 for 22 miles to the Johnsondale highway bridge over the Kern River. Turn right and park in the large paved parking lot by the signboard at the bridge.
Contact: Sequoia National Forest, Kern River Ranger District, Kernville, 760/376-3781, www.fs.usda.gov/sequoia; Western Divide Ranger District, Springville, 559/539-2607, www.fs.usda.gov/sequoia.
4.0 mi/2.0 hr
in Sequoia National Forest near Sherman Pass
From the Sherman Pass Vista along the highway, you can look to the north to Mount Whitney and the Great Western Divide. After crossing the highway and hiking Sherman Peak Trail to the top of Sherman Peak (at 9,909 feet), you can pivot around and have a panoramic look at an even bigger chunk of the world. The trail is mostly forested with red firs and pines, and is gradual enough for children to climb. If you read the interpretive display at the vista, you’ll be able to identify the myriad mountains you’re looking at from the peak, including Split Rock and Dome Rock. It’s only a 700-foot climb to the summit, mostly through a series of easy switchbacks. At one time, a fire lookout tower was positioned up here, but modern technology made it obsolete and it was taken down.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, horses, and mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A Sequoia National Forest map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For topographic maps, go to the USGS website to download Durrwood Creek and Sirretta Peak.
Directions: From Kernville on the north end of Lake Isabella, drive north on Sierra Way/Road 99 for 22 miles to the right turnoff for Sherman Pass Road/22S05. Turn right and drive approximately 15 miles on Sherman Pass Road to the Sherman Pass Vista. The trailhead is across the road.
Contact: Sequoia National Forest, Kern River Ranger District, Kernville, 760/376-3781, www.fs.usda.gov/sequoia.
0.25 mi/0.25 hr
in Sequoia National Forest on the north edge of the Dome Land Wilderness
This short hike to the summit of 9,430-foot Bald Mountain is the easiest possible introduction to the Dome Land Wilderness. It’s a brief stroll to the lookout, which is perched on the very northern edge of the wilderness. This region is famous for its many granite domes and monolithic rocks, the happy hunting ground of rock climbers from all over Southern California. Of the many big hunks of rock, Church Dome is perhaps the most outstanding, and it can be seen from here directly to the south. White Dome and Black Mountain are also visible (east of Church Dome), as well as a sweeping vista of the Kern Plateau, the Whitney Range, and the Great Western Divide. Bald Mountain Lookout has the distinction of being the highest fire lookout tower in the southern Sierra Nevada.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, horses, and mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A Sequoia National Forest or Dome Land Wilderness map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Crag Peak.
Directions: From Kernville on the north end of Lake Isabella, drive north on Sierra Way/Road 99 for 22 miles to the right turnoff for Sherman Pass Road/22S05. Turn right and drive approximately 25 miles on Sherman Pass Road to Forest Service Road 22S77, signed for Bald Mountain Lookout. Turn east (right) on Road 22S77 and follow it for one mile to its end.
Contact: Sequoia National Forest, Kern River Ranger District, Kernville, 760/376-3781, www.fs.usda.gov/sequoia.
5.0 mi/2.5 hr
in Sequoia National Forest near the South Sierra Wilderness
The Jackass Creek Trail is way out there on the Kern Plateau, at a trailhead elevation of 8,000 feet. The trail climbs 5.5 miles to Jackass Peak (elevation 9,245 feet) on the border of the South Sierra Wilderness. Most people don’t bother traveling that far; instead, they follow the trail along Jackass Creek for a couple of miles through red fir forest to the western edge of Jackass Meadow. In addition to the beautiful meadow, the trail offers a look at many handsome old-growth aspens. The trail is an old dirt road, wide enough for holding hands with your hiking partner. Unfortunately, it’s also wide enough for motorcycles, which are allowed here. Our recommendation? Hike this trail in late September or early October for the best show of autumn colors, and for the best chance at having the trail to yourself. If you drive all the way out here and see a parking lot full of motorcycle trailers, try hiking the nearby Hooker Meadow Trail instead (the trailhead is at the end of Road 21S29, just east of Fish Creek Campground). The machines aren’t allowed there, and this trail also leads to an outstanding grove of quaking aspens.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, horses, and mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A Sequoia National Forest map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Crag Peak.
Directions: From Kernville on the north end of Lake Isabella, drive north on Sierra Way/Road 99 for 22 miles to the right turnoff for Sherman Pass Road/22S05. Turn right and drive approximately 35 miles on Sherman Pass Road to the four-way intersection with Road 21S03, near Blackrock Information Station. Turn right to continue on Road 22S05, and drive five miles to Fish Creek Campground and Road 21S01, where the trail begins.
Contact: Sequoia National Forest, Kern River Ranger District, Kernville, 760/376-3781, www.fs.usda.gov/sequoia.
5.0 mi/2.5 hr
in Sequoia National Forest near Fairview
The Whiskey Flat Trail is a 14.5-mile trail that parallels the Kern River from Fairview Lodge all the way south to Burlando Road in Kernville. Primarily used by anglers working the Kern River, it’s also a good springtime stroll for river lovers. If you walk out and back for a few miles on the northern end of the trail by Fairview, you can end the day with a meal at Fairview Lodge’s restaurant, where you can brag about the fish you did or didn’t catch, like everybody else there. The Whiskey Flat Trail can be somewhat difficult to follow, especially in springtime, when the numerous creeks you must cross are running full. Early in the year, the creeks can sometimes be impassable. The path begins on a suspension bridge, which is reminiscent of Huck Finn and his friends. You can hike as far as you please; a good distance is 2.5 miles out, or about an hour’s walk each way. The terrain is grasslands and chaparral, with occasional digger pines, which means no shade but plenty of spring wildflowers. Although the route is basically level, there are numerous steep stretches where you climb in and out of stream drainages running into the Kern. The trailhead elevation is 2,800 feet.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, horses, and mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A Sequoia National Forest map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Fairview.
Directions: From Kernville on the north end of Lake Isabella, drive north on Sierra Way/Road 99 for 17 miles to Fairview and the Fairview Lodge, on the left side of the road. A large parking area and a trailhead for the Whiskey Flat Trail are to the right of the lodge.
Contact: Sequoia National Forest, Kern River Ranger District, Kernville, 760/376-3781, www.fs.usda.gov/sequoia.
4.6 mi/2.3 hr
in Sequoia National Forest near Fairview
Everybody enjoys the trip to Packsaddle Cave, even though the cave was long ago vandalized of its jewel-like stalactites and stalagmites. Nonetheless, the appeal of visiting the limestone cave keeps this trail well used and fairly well maintained. From the parking lot on Sierra Way, cross the highway and hike uphill on the path, huffing and puffing through some steep pitches. This is not a trail for summertime, because there is little shade among the manzanita, sagebrush, and deer brush, and the total climb is about 1,200 feet. At 1.8 miles, you cross Packsaddle Creek and see several campsites near it. Continue a short distance farther; the cave is off to the left, 0.25 mile before this trail’s junction with Rincon Trail. Don’t forget your flashlight so you can take a peek inside.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, horses, and mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A Sequoia National Forest map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Fairview.
Directions: From Kernville on the north end of Lake Isabella, drive north on Sierra Way/Road 99 for 18 miles to the Packsaddle Cave trailhead, on the right, 0.25 mile beyond Fairview Campground. The parking area is across the road.
Contact: Sequoia National Forest, Kern River Ranger District, Kernville, 760/376-3781, www.fs.usda.gov/sequoia.
4.0 mi/2.0 hr
in Sequoia National Forest near Fairview
Let’s say right away that this Rincon has absolutely nothing in common with the other Rincon, the classic surfing break on the Ventura coast. For one, there’s no water here, and two, there’s no cool ocean breeze. That means you should plan your hike for winter or spring, before the Kern Valley heats up. The trail leads first east and then steadily north along the Rincon Fault, heading for Forks of the Kern. It undulates, following the drainages of Salmon and other creeks. The destination on this trail is the long-distance view of Salmon Creek Falls, about two miles in, and the good fishing and camping prospects on the way along Salmon Creek. The trail crosses Salmon Creek on a bridge 1.7 miles in, but the waterfall view is about 0.25 mile farther. You might want to bring your binoculars to get a good look. If you wish to hike farther on Rincon Trail, it intersects the route to Packsaddle Cave in another two miles, then crosses Sherman Pass Road in another 2.5 miles, and keeps going straight north all the way to Forks of the Kern. The total one-way trail length is a whopping 19.5 miles. Be forewarned that the Rincon Trail is popular with motorcycle enthusiasts, so your peaceful nature experience may be shattered by their noise.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and mountain bikes. No horses. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A Sequoia National Forest map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Kernville.
Directions: From Kernville on the north end of Isabella Lake, drive north on Sierra Way/Road 99 for 13 miles to the Rincon trailhead, on the right, across from the Ant Canyon dispersed camping area.
Contact: Sequoia National Forest, Kern River Ranger District, Kernville, 760/376-3781, www.fs.usda.gov/sequoia.
3.4 mi/2.0 hr
in Sequoia National Forest near Wofford Heights
From the Sunday Peak trailhead, at 7,200 feet in the Greenhorn Mountains, it’s a 1,000-foot climb to the top of Sunday Peak, an excellent day hike for families. The grade is moderate and shaded by big conifers, and the destination is perfect on a day when the heat is sweltering down near Isabella Lake. From the top, you can look down at the Kern River Valley and feel sorry for all those people sweating it out down there. The peak’s fire lookout tower was abandoned and then destroyed by the Forest Service in the 1950s when it was determined that nearby Tobias Peak was a better spot to have a lookout. However, the wide-angle views of the Kern Valley, Kern Plateau, and far-off high Sierra peaks are still here for the taking. There are many good picnicking spots on the summit.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, horses, and mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A Sequoia National Forest map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Posey.
Directions: From Wofford Heights on the west side of Isabella Lake, turn west on Highway 155 and drive eight miles to Greenhorn Summit. Turn right on Road 24S15/Forest Highway 90, signed for Portuguese Pass, and drive 6.5 miles north to the parking area for Sunday Peak Trail, near the Girl Scout Camp.
Contact: Sequoia National Forest, Kern River Ranger District, Kernville, 760/376-3781, www.fs.usda.gov/sequoia.
3.0 mi/1.5 hr
in Sequoia National Forest near Wofford Heights
This is a first-rate trail for families or for anybody who wants a good leg-stretching walk or run around a beautiful mountain. The Unal Trail is a three-mile loop that climbs gently for two miles to Unal Peak, and then descends in one mile of switchbacks back to the trailhead. (After the first 100 yards, where the trail forks, be sure you take the left fork and hike the trail clockwise.) The trail passes a Native American cultural site on the return of the loop, the homestead of the Tubatulabal Indians. With only a 700-foot climb and an excellent grade, even mountain bikers can manage this trail, although few bother with it. You’ll likely see some deer on the hillsides, and the view from the top of Unal Peak makes the whole world seem peaceful and serene. Although most of the trail is lined with conifers, the top of the loop is a little exposed and catches a strong breeze.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, horses, and mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A Sequoia National Forest map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Posey.
Directions: From Wofford Heights on the west side of Lake Isabella, turn west on Highway 155 and drive eight miles to Greenhorn Summit. Turn left at the sign for Shirley Ski Meadows and drive 100 yards to the Greenhorn Fire Station and Unal trailhead, on the right side of the road.
Contact: Sequoia National Forest, Kern River Ranger District, Kernville, 760/376-3781, www.fs.usda.gov/sequoia.
24.0 mi/3 days
in Sequoia National Forest north of Kernville
The Cannell Meadow National Recreation Trail is the first trailhead you reach out of Kernville, and if it’s summertime, you should start at the other end of this 12-mile trail. That’s because the Kernville end is at 2,800 feet, set in rocky chaparral and digger pine country, and, baby, it’s hot out here. Still, if you can time your trip for late winter or spring, hiking this end of Cannell Trail is a great adventure, watching the terrain and environment change as the elevation rises. The shadeless trail climbs right away, through sage and occasional live oaks, affording views of the Kern River Valley. The trail gets more and more steep as you near conifer country at Pine Flat, but then you also get some blessed shade. It crosses Cannell Creek twice and reaches the Cannell Meadow Forest Service Cabin, a log cabin that was built in 1904. Cannell Meadow is a beautiful spot on the western edge of the Kern Plateau, edged by Jeffrey and lodgepole pines. Elevation is 7,500 feet, which means a total climb of 4,700 feet. Spread it out over a few days.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, horses, and mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A free campfire permit is required for overnight stays and is available from the Kernville Ranger Station. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A Sequoia National Forest map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Kernville.
Directions: From Kernville on the north end of Isabella Lake, drive north on Sierra Way/Road 99 for 1.4 miles to the Cannell Meadow trailhead, on the right. Parking is available near the horse corrals.
Contact: Sequoia National Forest, Kern River Ranger District, Kernville, 760/376-3781, www.fs.usda.gov/sequoia.
8.0 mi/4.0 hr or 2 days
in Sequoia National Forest near Big Meadow
The eight-mile round-trip to the brink of Salmon Creek Falls is a stellar walk through lodgepole pines and white fir, with a chance for fishing, skinny-dipping, and admiring a lot of beautiful scenery at 7,600 feet in elevation. Since there are campsites located along the trail, it’s easy enough to turn the trip into an overnight excursion, but the trail also makes a good long day hike. The trail is downhill all the way, dropping 600 feet over 0.5 mile, and follows granite-lined Salmon Creek. After skirting the edge of Horse Meadow, you simply follow the creek’s meander. Trails run on both sides of the stream for the first two miles, so you can walk either side, but then they join as one. The path comes to an end above Salmon Creek Falls, where you can swim, fish, and camp, but don’t expect to gaze out at the big waterfall. There’s no way to get a good look at it from here, since you’re perched on top of it.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, horses, and mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A free campfire permit is required for overnight stays and is available from the Springville or Kernville Ranger Stations at the addresses below. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A Sequoia National Forest map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For topographic maps, go to the USGS website to download Sirretta Peak and Fairview.
Directions: From Kernville on the north end of Isabella Lake, drive north on Sierra Way/Road 99 for 22 miles to the right turnoff for Sherman Pass Road/22S05. Turn right and drive 6.1 miles on Sherman Pass Road, then turn right on Road 22S12, signed for Horse Meadow Campground. Drive 6.3 miles on Road 22S12 until you reach a fork. Stay straight. At eight miles, bear left. At 9.3 miles, turn right at the Horse Meadow Campground sign (Road 23S10). You’ll reach the camp at 10.7 miles, but take the right turnoff just before the camp to reach the trailhead.
Contact: Sequoia National Forest, Kern River Ranger District, Kernville, 760/376-3781, www.fs.usda.gov/sequoia; Western Divide Ranger District, Springville, 559/539-2607, www.fs.usda.gov/sequoia.
8.0 mi/5.0 hr
near the Dome Land Wilderness
Hey, what’s that big meadow down there? It’s Big Meadow, of course, that huge expanse of green you see from the top of Sirretta Peak. From Sirretta’s summit, you get an eyeful of it, as well as long, lingering glances at the many granite domes of the Dome Land Wilderness Area, Sirretta and Deadwood Meadows, and the peaks of the High Sierra. The route to the peak starts at Big Meadow’s northern edge, then travels north on Cannell Trail for 0.5 mile. Bear right (northeast) at the fork with Sirretta Peak Trail and climb 2.5 miles to a spur trail that leads to the summit. There are many switchbacks and plenty of fine views along the way. Take the left spur (it’s obvious) for 0.5 mile to the rocky summit, and congratulate yourself on your fine mountaineering skills. The trail has an elevation gain of 1,200 feet, and if you decide to make the final summit climb, you’ll add on another 700 feet. Sirretta Peak is just shy of 10,000 feet in elevation.
User Groups: Hikers and dogs. No horses or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No day-hiking permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A Sequoia National Forest map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Sirretta Peak.
Directions: From Kernville on the north end of Isabella Lake, drive north on Sierra Way/Road 99 for 22 miles to the right turnoff for Sherman Pass Road/22S05. Turn right and drive 6.1 miles on Sherman Pass Road. Turn right on Road 22S12, signed for Horse Meadow Campground, and drive 6.3 miles on Road 22S12 until you reach a fork. Stay straight. At eight miles, bear left, staying on Road 22S12. Continue four more miles, passing the Horse Meadow Campground turnoff, to Road 23S07, at the northern edge of Big Meadow. Turn left on Road 23S07 and drive 0.5 mile to the Cannell trailhead.
Contact: Sequoia National Forest, Kern River Ranger District, Kernville, 760/376-3781, www.fs.usda.gov/sequoia.
10.0 mi/6.0 hr
in the Dome Land Wilderness
For people who love meadows, granite, and solitude, this loop trip is just about perfect. From the South Manter trailhead at 7,800 feet, the trail goes uphill for four miles to Manter Meadow, so bring your wildflower identification book and a map to identify surrounding peaks and domes. Along the way, several side trails branch off the main trail, leading to some of the granite domes of the Dome Land Wilderness, including spectacular Taylor Dome and Church Dome. A two-mile loop trail encircles the entire perimeter of the meadow, which you can add on to your trip if you wish. At the meadow’s western edge, South Manter Trail meets North Manter Trail, and you follow the latter back to Forest Service Road 23S07 (the road you drove in on). Then it’s a 1.5-mile walk on the dirt road back to your car. If you want to avoid the road, hike South Manter Trail both ways, and take the loop walk around the meadow. The mileage is about equal to the other trip.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A Sequoia National Forest or Dome Land Wilderness map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Sirretta Peak.
Directions: From Kernville on the north end of Isabella Lake, drive north on Sierra Way/Road 99 for 22 miles to the right turnoff for Sherman Pass Road/22S05. Turn right and drive 6.1 miles on Sherman Pass Road. Turn right on Road 22S12, signed for Horse Meadow Campground, and drive 6.3 miles on Road 22S12 until you reach a fork. Stay straight. At eight miles, bear left, staying on Road 22S12. Continue four more miles, passing the Horse Meadow Campground turnoff, to Road 23S07 at the northern edge of Big Meadow. Turn left on Road 23S07 and drive three miles to the southeast edge of Big Meadow and the South Manter trailhead.
Contact: Sequoia National Forest, Kern River Ranger District, Kernville, 760/376-3781, www.fs.usda.gov/sequoia.
8.6 mi/4.0 hr
on the eastern side of the Dome Land Wilderness
You’re driving along in no-man’s-land on Highway 178 between U.S. 395 and Lake Isabella, staring at thousands of those odd-looking piñon pines. This is the transition zone between the Mojave Desert to the east and the Sierra Nevada to the west, and it doesn’t look quite like either one of them. Want to see this strange land up close? This hike to Rockhouse Basin can take you there, and since it requires a long drive on dirt roads to reach the trailhead, you’re likely to be free of the Eastern Sierra’s hiking masses. The trail heads downhill through a burned area, losing about 1,500 feet in elevation on its way to the Kern River and Rockhouse Basin. A half mile from the trailhead, turn right and head north to Rockhouse Basin, where the noise of cicadas serenades you almost as loudly as the river. Explore the rocks and cool off in the river. It can be as hot as Hades out here, so plan your trip for early in the year, when you can hike along the Kern River in relative comfort.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A Sequoia National Forest or Dome Land Wilderness map is available from the U.S. Forest Service. For a topographic map, go to the USGS website to download Rockhouse Basin.
Directions: From the junction of Highway 14 and Highway 178 north of Mojave, drive west on Highway 178 for 18 miles to the right turnoff for Chimney Peak National Backcountry Byway, or Canebrake Road. Turn right and drive approximately nine miles. Turn left (west) on Long Valley Loop Road and drive 13 miles to the gate at the start of Rockhouse Basin Trail.
Contact: Bureau of Land Management, Ridgecrest Field Office, Ridgecrest, 760/384-5400, www.ca.blm.gov/ridgecrest; Sequoia National Forest, Kern River Ranger District, Kernville, 760/376-3781, www.fs.usda.gov/sequoia.