Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Park

Photo Essay: Hiking the Andes with Mountain Lodges of Peru

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From October through May, get permits for trailheads on the North, South, and Middle forks of the Kaweah River at the Foothills Visitor Center.

Foothills

Permits Issued at Foothills Visitor Center

Middle Fork
Trailhead: Buckeye Campground
Destination: Bearpaw Meadow
Elevation gain: 3800-7800'
First Campsite: Panther Creek
Distance to First Campground: 3.5 miles
General Description: Slight grade along Middle Fork of Kaweah River then steeper. Oak to pines, river, vistas. Early & late season access. Ticks, poison oak, rattlesnakes.
Daily Quota: 25

Southwest Corner

Permits Issued at South Fork Campground

Lady Bug
Trailhead: South Fork
Destination: South Fork Grove
Elevation gain: 3600-5200'
First Campsite: Lady Bug Camp
Distance to First Campground: 1.7 miles
General Description: Short & steep; dead end. South-facing trail. Ticks, poison oak, rattlesnakes.
Daily Quota: 15

Garfield Grove
Trailhead: South Fork
Destination: Hockett Meadow
Elevation gain: 3600-8500'
First Campsite: Garfield Grove
Distance to First Campground: 4 miles
General Description: Steady climb. Good early-season trail. Sequoias at Garfield. Ticks, poison oak, rattlesnakes. Popular horse-party trail.
Daily Quota: 15

Mineral King

Permits Issued at Mineral King Ranger Station

Atwell-Hockett
Trailhead: Atwell Mill
Destination: Hockett Meadow
Elevation gain: 6600-8500'
First Campsite: Clover Creek
Distance to First Campground: 6 miles
General Description: Easy to moderate. Sequoia grove, meadows. 12 miles to Hockett. Popular horse trail.
Daily Quota: 25

Tar Gap
Trailhead: Cold Springs
Destination: Hockett Meadow
Elevation gain: 6300-8500'
First Campsite: Deer Creek
Distance to First Campground: 6 miles
General Description: Moderate. Lakes, forests, alpine vistas. 12 miles to Hockett, Popular horse trail.
Daily Quota: 25

Mosquito/Mineral
Trailhead: Eagle/Mosquito
Destination: Mosquito Lakes
Elevation gain: 7800-9040'
First Campsite: Mosquito Lake #2
Distance to First Campground: 4 miles
General Description: Moderately strenuous. Lakes, spectacular vistas. No campfires. Cross-country to upper lakes.
Daily Quota: 25

Eagle Lake
Trailhead: Eagle/Mosquito
Destination: Eagle Lake
Elevation gain: 7800-10,000'
First Campsite: Eagle Lake
Distance to First Campground: 3.4 miles
General Description: Steady, moderately steep. Lake, alpine vistas. No campfires.
Daily Quota: 20

White Chief
Trailhead: Eagle/Mosquito
Destination: White Chief Bowl
Elevation gain: 7800-9200'
First Campsite: White Chief Bowl
Distance to First Campground: 4 miles
General Description: Moderately strenuous. Spectacular mountain basin. No campfires.
Daily Quota: 25

Farewell Gap
Trailhead: Franklin Pass
Destination: Sequoia Nat. Forest
Elevation gain: 7800-10,600'
First Campsite: Franklin/Farewell Jct.
Distance to First Campground: 4 miles
General Description: Steep & strenuous. Lakes, vistas, access to Sequoia NF. No campfires.

Franklin Pass
Trailhead: Franklin Pass
Destination: Franklin Lakes
Elevation gain: 7800-11,800'
First Campsite: Franklin/Farewell jct.
Distance to First Campground: 4 miles
General Description: Moderately strenuous. Lakes, alpine vistas. No campfires. Popular horse trail.
Daily Quota: 30

Sawtooth
Trailhead: Sawtooth
Destination: Sawtooth
Elevation gain: 7800-11,600'
First Campsite: Groundhog Meadow
Distance to First Campground: 1 mile
General Description: Steep, strenuous. Rough, unmaintained trail beyond Monarch. Lakes, vistas, access to Kern Canyon. No campfires.
Daily Quota: 20

Timber Gap
Trailhead: Sawtooth
Destination: Cliff Creek
Elevation gain: 7800-9400'
First Campsite: Timber Gap
Distance to First Campground: 2.2 miles; no water
General Description: Moderately steep. Forest. No campfires. Popular horse trail.
Daily Quota: 25

Paradise Ridge
Trailhead: Atwell Mill
Destination: Atwell Grove
Elevation gain: 6500-8400'
First Campsite: Paradise Ridge
Distance to First Campground: 3 miles; no water
General Description: Steep, hot, dry. Sequoia vistas. 9 miles to Redwood Meadow.
Daily Quota: 15

Giant Forest

Permits Issued at Wuksachi Visitor Center

Twin Lakes
Trailhead: Lodgepole Campground
Destination: Twin Lakes/Silliman
Elevation gain: 6700-10,160'
First Campsite: Cahoon Meadow
Distance to First Campground: 3 miles
General Description: Moderately steep. Forests, meadows, lakes. No campfires at Twin Lakes. 7 miles to Twin Lakes, 8 miles to Silliman Pass, 10 to Ranger Lakes.
Daily Quota: 30

Pear Lake
Trailhead: Wolverton
Destination: Lake basins
Elevation gain: 7200-9500'
First Campsite: Emerald Lake
Distance to First Campground: 5 miles
General Description: Moderate. No campfires here or in Tablelands beyond. Camp only at numbered sites at Emerald & Pear lakes. 6.1 miles to Pear Lake.
Daily Quota: 25

Wolverton/Alta
Trailhead: Wolverton
Destination: Alta Peak
Elevation gain: 7200-11,200'
First Campsite: Panther Gap
Distance to First Campground: 3 miles; no water
General Description: Steady climb to Alta Peak. Fires OK only at Panther Gap & Mehrten Meadow. Spur connects with High Sierra Trail.
Daily Quota: 25

High Sierra Trail
Trailhead: Crescent Meadow
Destination: Mount Whitney
Elevation gain: 6700-14,494'
First Campsite: Panther Creek
Distance to First Campground: 3 miles
General Description: 11 miles to Bearpaw Meadow; steady climb to passes and lakes beyond. Canyons, vistas. 70+ miles to Mt. Whitney from trailhead.
Daily Quota: 30

Grant Grove

Permits Issued at Grant Grove Visitor Center

Redwood Canyon
Trailhead: Redwood Saddle
Destination: Redwood Canyon
Elevation gain: 6200-7000'
First Campsite: Redwood Creek
Distance to First Campground: 1 mile
General Description: Mostly easy, two 6-mile loops through sequoia groves. No campfires. 2-night limit. Maximum group size is 10.
Daily Quota: 15

J.0. Pass
Trailhead: Sunset Meadow
Destination: Twin -Lakes
Elevation gain: 7800-9400'
First Campsite: Rowell Meadow
Distance to First Campground: 2 miles
General Description: Moderate; first 2 miles the hardest. Forests, lakes. 5.5 miles to Jenny Lake; 9 miles to Twin Lakes.
Daily Quota: 15

Belle Canyon
Trailhead: Sunset Meadow
Destination: Seville Lake
Elevation gain: 7800-9200'
First Campsite: Rowell Meadow
Distance to First Campground: 2 miles
General Description: Moderate; first 2 miles hardest. Forest, lakes, vistas. 6 miles to Seville Lake; 8 miles to Lost Lake.
Daily Quota: 25

Sugarloaf
Trailhead: Sunset Meadow
Destination: Sugarloaf/Roaring R.
Elevation gain: 7800-9400'
First Campsite: Rowell Meadow
Distance to First Campground: 2 miles
General Description: Moderate hike. Spectacular glaciated canyons.
Daily Quota: 25

Cedar Grove

Permits Issued at Cedar Grove: Road's End or Visitor Center

Bubbs Creek
Trailhead: Road's End
Destination: Rae Lakes Loop
Elevation gain: 5000-12,000' (counter-clockwise)
First Campsite: Sphinx Creek
Distance to First Campground: Sphinx Creek
General Description: Steep then steady grade. Access to John Muir/Pacific Crest trails (JMT/PCT). Limit 1 night per camp area on JMT from Woods Creek to Glen Pass & in some neighboring areas. No campfires above 10,000'. See Woods Creek below.
Daily Quota: 25

Woods Creek
Trailhead: Woods Creek
Destination: Rae Lakes Loop
Elevation gain: 5000-10,700') (clockwise)
First Campsite: Paradise Valley
Distance to First Campground: 6.5 miles
General Description: Steady, moderate. Very busy trail.. Vistas, rivers, high lakes. 45-mile loop. See Bubbs Creek above. Bubbs & Woods creeks are popular horse trails.
Daily Quota: 25

Copper Creek
Trailhead: Road's End
Destination: Granite Basin & Pass
Elevation gain: 5000-10,700'
First Campsite: Lower Tent Meadow
Distance to First Campground: 4 miles
General Description: Hot, steep; leave early in day. Forests, vistas, alpine lakes. Access to Middle Fork of Kings River. No campfires in Granite Basin or above 10,000'. Popular horse trail.
Daily Quota: 20

Lewis Creek
Trailhead: Lewis Creek
Destination: Frypan Meadow
Elevation gain: 4000-10,000'
First Campsite: Frypan Meadow
Distance to First Campground: 5.5 miles
General Description: Hot, steep, dusty. Forest, lakes, vistas. No campfires above 10,000'.
Daily Quota: 25

Forest Service Lands

Permits Issued at Sequoia NF

Long Meadow
Trailhead: Mountain Home
Destination: Summit Lake
Elevation gain: 8400-9000'
First Campsite: Summit Lake
Distance to First Campground: 7.6 miles
General Description: Moderate climb.

Fish Creek
Trailhead: Jerkey Meadow
Destination: Kern Ranger Station
Elevation gain: 6000-6456'
First Campsite: Grey Meadow
Distance to First Campground: 5 miles
General Description: Easy to moderate.

Permits Issued at Sierra NF
Pineridge RD

Florence Lake
Trailhead: Florence Lake
Destination: John Muir Trail
Elevation gain: 9416-11,423'
First Campsite: Blaney Meadow
Distance to First Campground: 10 miles
General Description: Moderate
Daily Quota: 72

Tehipite
Trailhead: Wishon Reservoir
Destination: Tehipite Valley
Elevation gain: 7000-4155'
First Campsite: Cow Meadow
Distance to First Campground: 4 miles
General Description: Moderate; very strenuous in/out of Tehipite.

Permits Issued at Inyo NF
White Mountain RD

Piute Pass
Trailhead: North Lake
Destination: John Muir Trail
Elevation gain: 9,160-11,423'
First Campsite: Loch Leven
Distance to First Campground: 3.5 miles
General Description: Moderate to strenuous.
Daily Quota: 32

Bishop Pass
Trailhead: South Lake
Destination: Dusy Basin
Elevation gain: 9755-11,972'
First Campsite: Long Lake
Distance to First Campground: 3 miles
General Description: Moderate to strenuous.
Daily Quota: 36

Permits Issued at Inyo NF
Mt. Whitney RD

Kearsage Pass
Trailhead: Onion Valley
Destination: Charlotte Lake
Elevation gain: 9200-11,823'
First Campsite: Flower Lake
Distance to First Campground: 3.5 miles
General Description: Moderate.
Daily Quota: 60

Mt. Whitney
Trailhead: Whitney Portal
Destination: John Muir Trail
Elevation gain: 8367-14,494'
First Campsite: Outpost Camp
Distance to First Campground: 5 miles
General Description: Strenuous, especially to those not acclimated. 150 day hikers/day.
Daily Quota: 50

Onion Valley to Mt. Whitney Portal
Trailhead: Whitney Portal or Onion Valley
Elevation gain and loss: 11,580, -11,020'
Description: The Onion Valley to Mt. Whitney Portal Trail is an great one week backpack that traverses a portion of the John Muir/Pacific Crest Trail through some of the most magnificent mountain terrain in the nation. The far-ranging views from the sixteenth-highest mountain the United States (there are 15 higher summits in Alaska) are only so of many tremendous views hikers will obtain along this route.

Cottonwood Lakes
Trailhead: Horseshoe Meadow
Destination: New Army Pass
Elevation gain: 9600-12,300'
First Campsite: Cottonwood Lake #1
Distance to First Campground: 4.5 miles
General Description: Moderately to lakes (11,008'); strenuous over New Army Pass.
Daily Quota: 60

Cottonwood Pass
Trailhead: Horseshoe Meadow
Destination: Siberian Pass
Elevation gain: 9800-11,180'
First Campsite: Chicken Spring Lake
Distance to First Campground: 5.5 miles
General Description: Moderate (Siberian Pass = 10,950').
Daily Quota: 40