Scroll Down to Emigrant. to All of these routes are covered on the following topo backpacking map: Sonora Pass Area: TYT & PCT An unmaintained trail breaks to the Right, to the North out of the scope of the picture above to climb over the rocky ridge into Horse Meadow, which lay on the other side of the ridge. Dropping down to Emigrant Lake from Mosquito Pass. From short overnight fast-packing getaways to a week-long trek with a loaded pack, the 113,000-acre Emigrant Wilderness may not be as popular as Yosemite, but it is definitely worth the trip. sierrawild.gov; Wilderness Areas; Resources; Bears; About Us; A partnership of the National Park Service and the United States Forest Service. Hiking down to Maxwell Lake from Bluebird Lake. The Rileys Backpacking Emigrant Wilderness. The segments of trail depicted below have not been incorporated into formal trail guide pages. If we backpack North on the Pacific Crest Trail from the top of Jack Main Canyon we shortly exit the Northwest corner of Yosemite into the Toiyabe National Forest. The channels of water reaching into Summit Meadow are the upper fingers of the East fork of Cherry Creek branching out as they rise higer up the Western Sierra Crest. East Cherry Creek runs through Horse Meadow. to You need to be in good physical condition to handle the daily rigors of cross-country hiking. Scroll Down to Emigrant. The area is dominated by glaciated landscape, granite and lava capped mountains, as well as many lakes and meadows. It’s part of the Stanislaus National Forest and spans about 15 miles in width and 25 miles in length. to We can hike Northwest from Grizzly Peak along the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail back down to Kennedy Meadows Pack Station. 15 Minute Backpacking Maps Trail Guide INDEX: Sonora Pass TYT-PCT TRAILHEADS: Emigrant Wilderness Trail Maps INDEX: Emigrant Wilderness Trail Miles INDEX . Since there are no trailhead quotas limiting the number of people who may enter each trailhead in the Emigrant Wilderness (except Kibbie Ridge/Lake), you do not need to reserve your permit ahead of time unless you are picking it up after hours. Favorite dayhike: Bagging 11,570-foot Leavitt Peak in the Emigrant Trails Index, Highway 108 Your Guide: Alex Wierbinski Aside from Yosemite Valley this has … Emigrant Lake. Climbing up to Mosquito Pass opens great views to the North of Relief Peak, which tops the Northern, the volcanic side of the valley we've hiked up since passing South of Relief Reservoir. Can't miss the trail up to Mosquito Pass. Looking up Horse Meadow towards the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail running along the Sierra Crest. This is the bottom of the Tungsten Road brancing off from the trail junction on the North end of Summit Meadow down to the Cherry Creek Mine. A permit is required for overnight trips in Emigrant Wilderness between April 1 and November 30, but they are free and there are no quotas in place. I had heard a bit about Emigrant Wilderness before, but never been. Highway 120 My calming strategy appeared to work, as the hummingbirds all came out and began socializing again, little disturbed by my happy presence. This page approaches Mosquito Pass and the line of lakes and ridges to the Southeast from Kennedy Meadows Pack Station. to First stop was at the Summit USFS station at Pinecrest, to get our wilderness permit and the low-down on current camping conditions. Since there are no trailhead quotas limiting the number of people who may enter each trailhead in the Emigrant Wilderness (except Kibbie Ridge/Lake), you do not need to reserve your permit ahead of time unless you are picking it up after hours. Unique granite coloration-decoration here. She said it in a nice way, though. Clearing the upper section of the trail Call ahead. Summit Meadow is delightful to the eye during Spring, though the densitiy of mosquitoes and flowers is roughly equal... We're looking roughly North, over at where the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail comes South from Grizzly Peak. From the bottom of Horse Meadow we have three potential routes to Summit Meadow along the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail. North Fork Cherry Creek feeds N shore of Emi Lake. Relief Peak in the distance marks the location of the TYT hiking up from Kennedy Meadows, and where we came East through Mosquito Pass. Chewing Gum Lake is a beautiful little camping spot not far inside the Emigrant Wilderness. We will be hiking most days with full packs over rough terrain. Over there is where the trail down to Horse Meadow is located. We will arrive in the afternoon to explore Pinecrest, pick up our permit and do a short warm-up hike. Approaching Snow Lake from Summit Meadow on the Tungsten Road. Park at the trailhead parking lot a quarter mile before you reach Kennedy Meadows. The Gem Lake Loop is located in Emigrant Wilderness, which borders Stanislaus National Forest and Yosemite National Park, and offers incredible views, smaller crowds, and diverse terrain. Which one we take is likely a reflection of the character of our trip. Alternative to the crowds of Yosemite. permit from the Bridgeport Ranger Station Highway 395 (south of Bridgeport), (760) 932-7070, summer hours Relief Reservoir to Brown Bear Pass 15 min Map, Valley down South side descent from Mosq Pass. Permit allows an individual or group (max. They seem quite social. Permits Backpacking permit required ($5 plus $2/person/night; no quota). Note that my maps focus on the Tahoe to Yosemite and Pacific Crest Trail routes across (and around) the high elevation areas of Emigrant Wilderness. Tungsten Road History, Terrain, and as a Modern Route, Summit Meadow So I finally decided to make the trip. Kerrick Canyon, Miles Sierra. Map Index List The Pacific Crest Trail pretty much goes around the East edge of Emigrant Wilderness. Contact (209) 965-3434; fs.usda.gov/stanislaus, Grizzly Peak in Emigrant Wilderness under Tropical Thunderstorm September 2013. 8am to 4:30pm, (209) 586-3234 or From here we can hike Northeast over the low rise of Emigrant Pass down towards Leavitt Meadow via the West West Walker River. The trail junction South over Mosquito Pass from the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail above Lunch Meadow. We've come up the canyon above Horse Meadow along the old Tungsten Road to where it links up with the branch of the Tungsten Road South to Snow Lake and North towards Leavitt Lake and Highway 108. Chewing Gum Lake is best done late in the summer when the snow has melted and the … Bond Pass, Sonora Pass Region: TYT, Kennedy Canyon Emigrant Wilderness / Stanislaus National Forest ... Free dispersed camping without permits, you just have to be at least 1 mile from any paved road; Great weather in the winter and spring when most other backpacking destinations in California are snowed out; Cons. Snow Lake's designation carved into a huge boulder on the North Shore of Snow Lake. Region Backpacking Map This map covers the TYT above and to the North of the series of lakes we pass from Mosquito Pass to Snow Lake. This line of trail is a bit lower down the Western flank of the Sierra below and parallel with the route of the TYT. Standing at the Summit Meadow trail junction between the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail and the trail to Snow Lake we have a number of route options. Depicting The Trail South over Mosquito Pass from Summit Creek off TYT to Snow Lake and Summit Meadow An … You can reserve a Rae Lakes Loop permit ahead of time or if you want to risk it you can obtain one at the Roads End Station. The terrain is about a 60/40 mix of trail and cross-country. Bigelow and Black Bear Lake are wedged in flats in the forest between us and Huckleberry. (Loads very slowly - 4th Article from top of page). The United States Congress designated the Emigrant Wilderness in 1975. Brown Bear Pass to Bond Pass 15 min Map. This page gives us basic information about the route South from Mosquito Pass to the bottom of Horse Meadow, where we have two choices to intercept the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail. Like Yosemite, it has towering granite mountains and spectacular alpine lakes. to Years on location: 22 More of a pond than a lake as we continue Southeast over a low gap to the descent to Maxwell Lake. Our trails offer possibilities for hiking, photography, peak bagging, fishing, or simply enjoying the pristine beauty of the High Sierra. Brown Bear Pass to to Supplemental Trail Notes. Maps Relief Reservoir to Brown Bear Pass 15 min Map. Lakes. If you choose not to reserve a permit ahead of time make sure to arrive EXTREMELY early to obtain a permit day of. The Emigrant Wilderness is mostly accessed from CA Highway 108 and known for its many sparkling alpine lakes, vast granite basins, and craggy volcanic formations. I had time for … The Spot: Kennedy Meadows, Emigrant Wilderness, CA USGS 15 min Map, Summit Meadow Bensen Lake, Relief Reservoir Index. The gap over to Bigelow, Black Bear and eventually, Huckleberry Lake. Snow Lake is located in trees to the Right of low valley. We can turn back towards Kennedy Meadows Pack Station through any of these junctions, or continue to expand the length of our hike down to the next junction before turning back. Granite Dome. The dog is keeping a close eye on what's going on in the marshy terrain around us... A trail junction tee break off the trail up to Middle and Emigrant Meadow Lake. Snow Lake. The information provided on this website is done so without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. This backpack trip will travel through Emigrant Wilderness and just north of the Yosemite National Park boundary. Sierra North is the leading backpacking resource for backpacking in the northern From here we can continue Northeast to exit on the Eastern Flank of the Sierra through the Leavitt Meadow Trailhead. We've got a good collection of resources below. Brown Bear Pass to Bond Pass Campfires are prohibited in the Emigrant Wilderness above 9,000 feet and within ½ mile of Emigrant Lake. At the top of the meadow the trail climbs hard to a trail tee: The trail Left hikes up to an unmarked trail junction just West of Grizzly Peak while the trail Right terminates on the North end of Summit Meadow. On a day hike above Upper Twin Lake in Yosemite: Looking across Upper Twin Lake to where we day hiked, … Looking across West shore of Snow Lake at Gap over to Bigelow and Black Bear Lakes sitting to the Left of the Horn of Rock. Emigrant Wilderness is an area located North of Yosemite. We can hike North Past Horse Meadow to Emigrant Lake on our way over Mosquito Pass to the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail just above Lunch Meadow. Viewing The Horn looking Southeast across Snow Lake. Permits are required from April 1 through November 30. Each party is limited to a maximum size of 15 people. Livestock-grazing was in practice at this time and thus was grandfathered into the wilderness management plan. Kennedy Meadows Pack Station knows every mile of the trails through the Emigrant Wilderness. Length 19.5 miElevation gain 3172 ftRoute type Loop Backcountry Horsemen of California. To the North we can follow the PCT all the way up to the Sonora Pass Trailhead. It's not a fishing lake, but it can have spectacular sunsets and offers good swimming. View Northwest across Summit Meadow. Standing in the gap dividing Snow Lake from Bigelow and Black Bear Lakes, looking Northeast across Snow Lake below. to Backpacking Emigrant Wilderness Supplemental Trail Notes . Go for a cold dip in the water. There's no quota for this area, so no need for reservations in advance. Elevations, Kennedy Meadows Whether you are seeking solitude, exceptional scenery, or sharing a wilderness adventure, there are many ways to create a memorable experience. For a walk-in permit to Grand Lake, head to the Wilderness Information Center at Olympic National Park Visitor Center. From the trail at the bottom of Horse Meadow we can either hike up to the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail through Horse Meadow or select one of two unmaintained trails over to Snow Lake via Bigelow and Black Bear Lakes. Dogs are also able to use this trail. Tuolumne Meadows, More Trail –JAMES LUCAS View North from Mosq Pass approach Mosquito Pass trail junction on the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail. Looking Southeast down valley off the South side of Mosquito Pass. You will need a Wilderness Permits for the hike which can be picked up at the Summit Ranger Station near Pinecrest or the Bridgeport Ranger Station in Bridgeport. Bigelow and Black Bear Lakes are hidden by tree and terrain on the Left side of slope below us. https://rootsrated.com/stories/where-to-go-for-last-minute- Includes details of wilderness areas, latest sierra wilderness news, resources for planning your trip, and notes from professionals in the field. There are several ranger stations where permits may be picked up and they can leave your permit out if you are arriving after hours. Whitney. 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