AllTrails has 14 great trails for hiking, backpacking, and camping and more. Located 15 miles into the Emigrant Wilderness near Yellowhammer Lake, the existing Yellowhammer Camp was constructed in 1922 by Fred Leighton at the site of an old cow camp cabin from the 1890s. Camping, there would be a wet and cold ordeal. Most backpackers take two days to make the 13-mile hike from the Kennedy Meadows trailhead to Emigrant Lake deep in the Emigrant Wilderness.A camp near Emigrant Lake makes a great base for exploring nearby lakes such as Buck Lakes, Long Lake, Huckleberry Lake, or Big Lake, or climbing peaks like 9,400' Sachse Monument or 10,500' Bigelow Peak (Class 1). It is bordered by Yosemite National Park on the south, the Toiyabe National Forest and the Hoover Wilderness on the east, and State Route 108 over Sonora Pass on the north. Fly fishing will be overwhelmingly your best strategy on these alpine lakes. This is because Kennedy Meadows Resort is private property, but it edges right up against National Forest land. Please obtain a free wilderness permit online ahead of time. Start and end at the Crabtree Trailhead. Do not take this route, as it is a cliff down to the lake. The rocky shore dropped deep into the lake and offered trout places to hide. This is definitely a five-star hike, Frequently asked questions about lake trails in Emigrant Wilderness. It is a rugged trail that traverses sandy beaches, boulder fields, and coastal bluffs, and it can be hiked in 2-3 days, Death Valley Cottonwood-Marble Canyon Loop, CA, Smoky Mountains National Park Loop, NC / TN. Camping and Permits: Permits are required from April 1 to Nov. 30 for any overnight travel in the Emigrant Wilderness. My 3-day October trip to Desolation Wilderness, exploring the less-visited northwestern parts of the wilderness area. Since we had a long day yesterday, and with most of us not getting great sleep the night before we started out hike, we had a slower morning getting ready today. Summers are generally dry and mild, but afternoon thundershowers occur periodically and nighttime temperatures could dip below freezing anytime. It is a place where the pines, cedars, and firs of the Stanislaus National Forest gradually thin as granite cliffs, mountain tops, and monoliths . CaseyKaty Click here to download royalty-free licensing videos from Videvo today. We chose to start our trip on the Crabtree Trail and return via Bell Meadow Trail for a change of scenery. Day One: Crabtree Trailhead to Camp Lake, 3 milesDay Two: Camp Lake to Grouse Lake, 12.5 milesDay Three: Grouse Lake to Crabtree Trailhead, 4 miles. The mosquitoes are thick near wet areas during June and July. The Santa Lucia Preserve (/ s n. t l u s i /) or The Preserve (formerly Rancho San Carlos) is a private, 20,000 acres (8,100 ha) gated development permitting 297 homesites.It is located in the foothills of the Santa Lucia Range between Palo Corona Regional Park and Carmel Valley, California.The Preserve consists of a 12,000 acres (4,900 ha) nature reserve, 8,000 acres (3,200 . How many trails are in Emigrant Wilderness? The best route up also looks like its near Upper Lewis Lake, and we did not venture over that way. This was a perfect opportunity to experiment with cold soaked meals! The trail passed through a pleasant pine forest. We peeled off our layers as the temperatures started to rise. United States. There is bear activity in this wilderness. Went to Chewing Gum Lake over the Labor Day weekend. We all took a break at the first major overlook, enjoying the warm, mid-October sun and the most fall colors we had seen so far in the season. Granite basins carved by glaciers, jeweled with lakes, and speckled with wildflowers attract visitors to the Emigrant Wilderness. Posted September 11, 2015. Katie is a freelance writer based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Gently rolling land in front of Buffalo Mountain. Location: Stanislaus National Forest, Emigrant Wilderness, near the town of Sorona, CA in Northern California east of the San Francisco Bay Area. While the durable surface is no longer a trail, you should still pay attention to your surroundings. Instead, I headed South, toward Huckleberry Lake, passing Blackbird and Maxwell Lakes. In the Emigrant Wilderness the use of bear resistant food storage containers is highly recommended. I quickly found out that cross-country travel is pretty fun: you get to choose your our route a bit, and read the terrain to figure out the best ways to go. I pulled out the barbless hook, snapped a quick picture, and released it. The best times to visit Emigrant Wilderness are from June to September, with afternoon thunderstorms always possible (so come prepared). As the smoke gradually began to thicken, we decided to make our way down towards Rosasco Lake for the night. Permits are required for overnight trips. We planned this trip because fire closures canceled other plans, yet this national forest remained open. If you're looking for elevation gain, Emigrant Wilderness has you covered. Leave no Trace and off-trail backpacking. But I have to say, I could feel fall coming in the mountains. With its eastern edge running along the spine of Sierra Nevada range, the Emigrant Wilderness encompasses a vast diversity within its borders. Sunrise and Moonset under smoky skies over Hyatt Lake. There were quite a few hills that I didnt want to have to unnecessarily go up only to come back down. Much like in 2014 when we hiked Guadalupe Peak and El Capitan, my coworkers and good friends John and Michael made plans to explore the wilderness away from our normal haunts by tacking a vacation onto a work-related trip. 2022 Backcountry Emily Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions. Watersheds drain to the Stanislaus and Tuolumne Rivers. Gaps in the trees offered occasional glimpses of granite cliffs and the views ahead. I picked up my Emigrant Wilderness permit at the Summit Ranger Station right after it opened at 8:30 am. Food storage: Bear canisters are not required in Stanislaus National Forest, but are highly recommended. Stanislaus National Forest According to users from AllTrails.com, the best lake trail to hike in Emigrant Wilderness is Gianelli Trail to Chewing Gum Lake, which has a 4.7 star rating from 311 reviews. Also, in October we saw only a handful of other people on trail. We left the trail at a relatively obvious spot to cross the creek. 2021 Valet marketing - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Valet Marketing. In fact, I hadnt seen a single fresh human track on the trail since Emigrant Lake. With four distinct seasons and mild weather, this Southern Oregon spot offers year-round adventure. We spent one night on an exposed, rocky lakeside and were rewarded with stellar sunset views, but suffered chillier temperatures. If you visit, permits are required for overnight trips. You must arm yourself with a good topographical map and a compass to find some of these high country lakes. This trail is 8.5 mi long with an elevation gain of 1,555 ft. We stopped at an overlook right before this trail met up with the main trail that we hiked in on. In order to access the off-trail lakes for this trip, we headed south at Piute Meadow on a small connector trail to join up with the Bell Meadow trail near Groundhog Meadow (lots of meadows, I know!). Trash Collection: No trash collection at the trailhead in the off-season. After our cross-country foray, we welcomed the sight of groomed trail and our speed increased. Emigrant Wilderness and Sachse Monument Loop. Both result in similar elevation changes. From Modesto, take the 120 toward Yosemite and merge onto the 108 toward Sonora. Its the perfect amount of physical challenge mixed with stunning California beauty. This trail is 8.5 mi long with an elevation gain of 1,555 ft. We've got you covered, with trails ranging from 268 to 2,857 meters in elevation gain. word of caution is in order. Cell Reception: Dont expect any. It was much cooler, especially in the shade! Chewing Gum Lake is no exception. Just as quickly as it had appeared, it vanished into the dark. More on this later. I wanted to hang out on that ledge forever! Author: United States. Living Things: High Sierra Insect Forum. Because of that, I brought 2 sleeping pads and my 10-degree sleeping bag. There are pros and cons to each month of the hiking season in Stanislaus National Forest. Lot of consistent up hill at the start but then youre done and get to enjoy relatively flat trail the rest of the way. There wasn't a soul around, the moon. In places where fires are allowed, make sure to always use smart campfire methods. ( I recommend this trip for a leisurely escape into the wilderness, as opposed to a trip where mileage is the goal. Sonora, CA 95370 The area around the trailhead can be a little confusing! I found a campsite on the cliffs overlooking the lake a little ways off the trail. Long Lake is a fetching place, with several good campsites along the western shore. From there, I had another 15 minutes to the Crabtree Trailhead. But the impact was forceful enough to cause a big bruise and my foot to swell up. This time we chose a lesser known wilderness area within the Stanislaus National Forest called the Emigrant Wilderness. The trail was very wide and sandy until we hit the border of the Emigrant Wilderness, when the trail turned into more of a trail than a dirt road. The Emigrant Wilderness is a landscape of incredible beauty with broad expanses of granite peaks, glacially sculpted gorges, alpine lakes, mountain streams, and deep canyons. A partnership of the National Park Service and the United States Forest Service. There are no trailhead quotas, but there are group size quotas. Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. It involved some basic topo map navigation, a certain amount of real effort, and just enough bushwhacking to keep many people from having a good time on a hike. I cannot recommend this trip enough for beginner backpackers. The descent to Huckleberry Lake was painful. Summit District. This trail is 8.5 mi long with an elevation gain of 1,555 ft. We crossed through the charred tree trunks of Pine Valley, which showed hopeful signs of regrowth after a devastating wildfire ripped through there in 2003. There's an earthen boat ramp at Songer Wayside on the Emigrant Creek arm. Emigrant Wilderness - granite dome lakes << Hiking In Emigrant Summary Granite Dome Hike >> Stats to Reach Lakes. Bank anglers will find places to get to . There arent any excruciatingly long climbs, and the weather is pleasant well past August. Permits are required for overnight stays. Gradually at first, crossing over two footbridges, and then climbs more steeply until Relief Reservoir comes into view. The best camps for Emigrant Meadow Lake are located on and around the elevated granite formation between us and the lake. An official website of the Did not notice any mosquitos. Download free stock video footage featuring Reflection of rocky mountains on surface of alpine lake, tilt up and reveal of beautiful valley. Congress designated the Emigrant Wilderness in 1975, but most of the area was protected as a Forest Service Primitive Area since the 1920s. Based on trip reports, I was dreading the first part of the hike because of horse poop, but it actually was really fine, probably because it was late in the season. As we hiked further into the Emigrant, more rock formations began to appear and the crowds thinned. There is not much mosquito. Of course, if there is an actual trail that you can follow, use the trail to reduce impact. My Garmin Fenix 6 Sapphire watch and GaiaGPS phone app were great companions to the map & compass. The trail followed the edge of a large meadow on the Northside of Upper Buck Lake. Pets must be kept on leash or under immediate voice control at all times and are not allowed to harass wildlife. The southeast side was nasty and I broke an expensive trekking pole. By studying your maps and making a trip plan ahead of time, youll know where you want to camp and if you could have a fire there or not. . There is a nice hiking trail next to Sharon Lake called the Early Emigrant and Indian Trail. On Hwy 108, this transition occurs between the small towns of Twain Harte and Mi-Wuk Village. . The entire route is an official Forest Service system trail. This trip begins at ~7500 feet at the Box Springs Trailhead This trail is at the end of Forest Route 3N20Y. Inflammations should take longer than that to develop, I thought. There was a faint use trail, and a cairn (stack of rocks) on the other side of the creek. We dodged a bunch of cow patties, and our group spread out to avoid stomping out a trail through the dead grasses. Emigrant Wilderness, located south of Hwy. We sat up at the top for a while, amazed by the amphitheater of sloping granite and patchy trees. Permits are required for overnight trips. Gradual sloping granite, YES! Im normally not a fan of wilderness reservoirs, but Relief is pretty. Bordered by Yosemite National Park to the south and Toiyabe National Forest to the east, Emigrant Wilderness is a prime destination for solitude-seeking Bay Area backpackers. I passed through some of the most impressive granite landscapes of the whole trip. But its much less crowded than its neighbor to the South, offering more solitude for backpacking. Crabtree Road is not paved, but 2WD cars are just fine. At Huckleberry Lake, I left the main trail and headed up towards Letora Lake. A few of the lakes are a bit swampy, and you will want to wade out into the water to collect away from the mud. It was also mostly downhill, which was great. Mileage: 9 miles. It is a good idea to download your map ahead of time or bring a printed copy. And remember, you also need a California Fire Permit if you want to have a fire or operate a camp stove! Like much of the Sierra Nevada, the Emigrant Wilderness is a land of endless granite landscapes carved out by glaciers and water over millions of years. Closest Major City: Modesto, California(three hours). Native brown trout can be found in Summit, Lily and Horsemeadow Creeks. The longest stretch between lakes is ~4 miles, so two liters of carrying capacity is plenty. View a mapof trail distances in the wilderness. We enjoyed the different scenery along the Bell Meadows trail, and found a few groves of yellowing aspen along the way. This trail is estimated to be 73.9 km long and takes on average 22 h 59 min to hike. I planned a 3-night trip to Emigrant Wilderness to fish Emigrant Lake and some smaller lakes. Once in the meadow, we just had to walk across to the trail on the other side! Lake Elevation: 7,525 feet. Whatever you have planned for the day, you can find the perfect trail for your next trip to Emigrant Wilderness. Most of the lakes are surrounded by lodgepole pine. It can easily be completed in a three-day weekend, including travel time. San Rafael Western Legacy District And The Black Rock Desert High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area. Your information is safe with Sierra Rec. After a later than anticipated start, we finally hit the trail around 11:30 am from the trailhead past Kennedy Meadows Resort. Travel & camp on durable surfaces. The last 2 miles of the road was unpaved, but passable with a car. Starting at the border, about a mile into the hike, the trail begins to climb. A #10 Dave Davis or Model-T Ford Fender with a crawler behind it can produce astonishing results on these unpressured fish! 3-day spectacular Emigrant Wilderness backpacking loop Category Weight Pack 2.47 lb Shelter 1.28 lb Sleep 2.82 lb Worn clothing 2.83 lb Carried clothing 2.95 lb Food, water, and cooking 1.72 lb Hygiene and medical 0.76 lb Electronics & navigation 1.95 lb Other 1.71 lb Total 18.49 lb Worn 4.1 lb Base Weight 14.4 lb Pack Weight qty Wearing both a fleece and gloves, I started climbing. This protects water, wildlife, habitat, and visitors' opportunities for solitude. The Lake is just as beautiful as usual, but it was crowded on Saturday and Sunday. Camp: Gem Lake. There is a variety of trailheads the angler can use as departure points. If you're looking for elevation gain, Emigrant Wilderness has you covered. In the spring there will be more options to collect flowing water, but I would not hike this loop without a backup water filtration source. This page covers all necessary alerts for the area, and from there information about permits, closures, fire bans, etc., can be found. For this trip, we decided to explore several lakes in the southwestern portion of Emigrant. However, because we went during the COVID pandemic, we filled out our permit online. Where is the best lake trail to hike in Emigrant Wilderness? I planned to camp at Wood Lake. No holding of stock within mile of the following lakes: Bear, Camp, Deer, Grouse, Powell, Waterhouse and Wood. Top 10 Backpacking Trails John Muir Wilderness; Emigrant Wilderness; Explore Granite Chief Wilderness; Explore Golden Trout Wilderness; Jennie Lakes Wilderness; Destinations . Permit and Bear Canister Required. For this evening, we had soaked brown minute rice with dehydrated black beans and a little taco seasoning for about an hour. Learn how your comment data is processed. The closest snow to the bay is likely Chews Ridge or Junipero Serra/Santa Lucia/Pimkolam in Los Padres :) If you want snow the Sierra is your choice in Northern California. Try your hardest to not camp on vegetation, and always try to look for previously impacted sites to concentrate impact. Trip report for Iceland and Ridge Lakes. There are 14 trails in Emigrant Wilderness. Thank you to my 3 friends who got me through the first day. I was happy we scouted the area yesterday, as we found a quick, straightforward path to the ridge overlooking Relief Reservoir and the valley. This protects water, wildlife, habitat, and visitors opportunities for solitude. Cross-country travel can seem like the exact opposite of Leave No Trace. The Emigrant Wilderness is best accessible from Hwy 108, either via Kennedy Meadows (no, not that one) in the north or via the town of Pinecrest and then Crabtree Road from the west, leading to several trailheads, including Crabtree and Gianelli. Bordering its more famous sibling to the north, this high country is defined by granite walls, domes, ridges, peaks and the meadows, creeks, and lakes that lay in their shadows. After studying the landscape, we found that it would be pretty easy to get down to Lower Relief Valley as long as we stayed further west on the slope, towards the meadows under East Flange Rock. Leave No Trace Center has good guidelines for following this rule. This is an excellent backpacking route in the Emigrant Wilderness. Easy access with over 1/4 mile frontage on the County maintained graded gravel . The waypoints mapped here indicate suggested places to camp each night to break up the days, but there are other options out there. #10 - Emigrant Wilderness and Sachse Monument Loop. The water is plentiful, although you do want to make sure you have multiple filtering options. We crossed the dry creek bed and climbed a steep, rocky slope up to beautiful Rosasco Lake. So yes, we did go skinny-dipping. Ha. Submit your trip report here, Route is between 6,500 and 7,500 feet of elevation, Short uphill and downhill sections, no long climbs, A few rocky patches, but mostly dirt trail, Loop starts and ends in a free, large parking lot with pit toilets, Free, self-serve permits available at ranger stations. This website uses cookies. I was getting to the limit of how far I could walk on my foot. For ramblings, rants, and the occasional dose of inspirational musing follow her on Instagram or her blogSmall Towns to Summits. Rules & regulations about fires. Please enter your username or email address to reset your password. Once we scrambled down this bit, we found a small creek, and followed it, along a clear use or game trail. The Emigrant Wilderness is over 100,000 acres with over 80 lakes within a granite basin filled with granitic domes, ridges, and small hills. It was then designated as Wilderness in 1975, covering an area of 113,000 acres and featuring broad sheets of glaciated granite, peaks, and ridges of volcanic rock. Emigrant Wilderness is in Stanislaus National Forest, North of Yosemite. In late spring/early summer there will likely still be snow on the grow; however, the streams will be flowing with water (and who doesnt love snowcapped views?). While the trip is suited for beginner cross-country hikers, please do not take cross-country travel lightly. Check here to see if you can apply for an online permit. (209) 532-3671 All photos taken with our . (209) 965-3434. And when we got to the top, we soon found ourselves at Letora Lake--an absolute garden spot in its own right. It was fun exploring the camp in such a remote area and it felt like a mini ghost town! Some of the extra weight could be offset by not bringing a tent as there wouldnt be any mosquitoes this late, and there was no rain forecast either. The next night, we hid in a well-covered dirt site next to a smaller lake and woke up with zero condensation. The northeastern third of the Wilderness is dominated by volcanic ridges and peaks; the remaining areas consist of many sparsely vegetated, granitic ridges interspersed with numerous lakes and meadows. After that, it becomes an off-trail route with little evidence that there was ever a trail. We were treated to more bear scat while passing Big Lake, eventually making our way over to the highlight of our trip: the historic Yellowhammer Camp. The trail is only maintained for part of this route. Just walking a few miles can make you feel as if you've left the wilderness behind for another one. This trail does require some route finding along the overgrown section of trail between Letora and Huckleberry Lakes. The Emigrant Wilderness is 113,00 acres, more than twice the size of Vermont. The hiking was a little slow going at the bottom here, since the trees were thicker, but we all spread out and tried to pick our best way up the slope. As it is, we simply hiked by and tried to etch the images in our mind. A GPS Track, good navigation skills, and desert hiking experience are highly recommended on this route. I planned for a short first day, stopping either at Jewelry Lake or Deer Lake. The Marines' Mountain Warfare Training Center, the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, and the Hoover Wilderness form the Emigrant Wilderness' eastern border. You can also take the short spur to Bear Lake, on the junction directly after Camp Lake. The area was first protected by the U.S. Forest Service as a protected primitive area in 1931, named after the historical mountain pass that follows the West Walker route over the Sierra. Like much of the Sierra Nevada, the Emigrant Wilderness is a land of endless granite landscapes carved out by glaciers and water over millions of years. The Emigrant Wilderness borders right upon the northern end of Yosemite National Park and is quite a recreation destination. We followed our route over another rise and eventually made our way down the granite terrain to Hyatt Lake for the night. Patches of trees and boulders, NO! Centipede at Grizzly Lake, Emigrant Wilderness, insect, Stanislaus National Forest. Kibbie Ridge, Kennedy Meadows, Crabtree and Bell Meadow are the most frequented. Water: Bring a trusty water filter, and backup filtration tablets. Stanislaus National Forest Backcountry Permit. There are few crowds and tremendous beauty. Like many of the other reviews, this is a great trail. The night was wind-still, and there wasnt a cloud in sight. The Emigrant has really went downhill the last few years as well as as other wilderness areas. Sand and dirt are also good choices. I'd like to go back and explore the big Cherry Creek Canyon below. Purchase maps at any Stanislaus National Forest Ranger Stationor the Forest Service online store. This is a popular spot for picnicking day hikers and swimmers alike. TDD (209) 965-0488. I enjoyed this route, but dont see any reason why counterclockwise would be any less enjoyable. A ranger that I met on the trail the day before said that hed heard anglers catch 25-inch trouts there. Best Hiking Trails in Emigrant Wilderness - California | Gaia GPS United States California Emigrant Wilderness Best Hiking Trails in Emigrant Wilderness 66 reviews fullscreen link Driving Directions Seasonal Popularity J F M A M J J A S O N D 0 200 400 600 Overview Emigrant Wilderness is a protected area in California. Varying terrain including forests, alpine lakes, and rocky ridges make for fun and enjoyable trips. I would certainly do it again and bring friends. After a restful night, we hiked up the rocks to perhaps our favorite part of the trip. SmallMouth Bass Lures and Everything to Catch Bass, From Tent to Fire: Essential Steps for Overnight Camping, Spotting Freshwater Fish and Freshwater Fish Dangers. Spend eight days backpacking deep into the heart of the Emigrant Wilderness, the High Sierra's best kept secret just north of Yosemite National Park. No trail head marker exists at the beginning but the single track begins at the parking turnout. They included a few small cabins, a barn, a hitching post, an outhouse, and various dilapidated items. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. I decided we needed to continue down the main trail a bit more until we passed a larger granite hump on the ridge to reduce unnecessary climbing. For these reasons, weve explored the Emigrant Wilderness every summer and fall since we started backpacking in 2018. These trails have an average 4.5-star rating from 1,485 AllTrails community reviews. At the time, I didnt think much of it as the pain subsided in minutes. Smoke from nearby wildfires didnt deter us, as the air quality wasnt terrible and we needed a good dose of adventure before the winter storms arrived. When I got to the West side of the lake, I was disappointed to notice that it was a shallow, swampy lake. Off the 108, turn right onto Crabtree Road and 10 miles down the road is the parking lot and overnight campsite for this trailhead. No holding of more than 4 head of stock within mile of the following lakes:, Gem, Jewelry, Long, Maxwell, Pingree, Piute and Rosasco. According to users from AllTrails.com, the best place to hike in Emigrant Wilderness is Gianelli Trail to Chewing Gum Lake, which has a 4.7 star rating from 315 reviews. How many lake trails are in Emigrant Wilderness? Large boulders, epic rock formations, pine trees as far as the eyes can see, and plentiful lakes make this loop a serene escape from Californias busy cities. If you're looking for elevation gain, Emigrant Wilderness has you covered. When shes not guzzling instant coffee in the backcountry, you can find her down the ski slopes or using inappropriatelanguage around children at the climbing gym. There is no exception for using existing sites that are too close to water. It was a big snow year after a series of late storms swept through the mountains dropping as late as May, so the . We left camp to climb Grizzly Peak at 8:29. I decided to sleep under the stars without the tarp. Lots of river access along the way which was great for a hot weekend. This means camping at least 200 feet from water, 100 feet from established trails, and away from fragile terrain such as meadows. I used my GPS a bit in this area to make sure we were going the right direction. This trail is most crowded in the summer, as there are also many day hikes from the trailhead. Explored new territory off trail. It takes an average of 4 h 4 min to hike. Contact information: Stanislaus National Forest. The trail was really pretty, following Relief Creek most of the way. After a co-worker of mine lamented that he got snubbed for all of his backpacking trips this year (COVID, fire, smoke), I knew we had to plan a great trip to change that luck. Casey and I have a penchant for off-trail exploring and navigation, and the Emigrant is a granite wonderland perfectly suited to this endeavor. Boundary Lake is aptly named as it sits on the border of Emigrant Wilderness and Yosemite National Park and you crisscross the boundaries throughout the trek. Check here to see if you can apply for an online permit. Wanting more privacy, we ventured along to a small tarn just below the lake and found a great spot for our tent. This was alarming but not surprising, and we were prepared with our bear canister full to the brim. Kennedy Meadows and Relief Reservoir trailhead to Granite Dome Lakes. This trail is well-blazed and mostly dirt. Supervisors Office Though eventually abandoned as a major travel route over the Sierra, the Emigrants water continues to make the area a vital resource for California. Access overall is good. Our route started at the Crabtree Trailhead, which is just east of Dodge Ridge Ski Area near Pinecrest Lake (and our sons favorite fishing spot!). Days: 2 days, 1 night. Like Yosemite, it has towering granite mountains and spectacular alpine lakes. Until then, the trail had been well-maintained. Emigrant Wilderness ~ 6 - 10 August 2007. Return via Willow Ridge and Los Cruzeros. Emigrant Wilderness - Emigrant Lake, Pinecrest, 6 miles away : Hotels Near Sharon Lake: Super 8 Gardnerville Topaz Lake, Gardnerville, 25 miles away: Best . This parking lot also has trash cans and pit toilets, and has a water spigot that was not working as of Sunday, October 18, 2020. Heading east on the Bell Meadow Trail we climbed through a cool forest and descended into another canyon. 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Country lakes cold soaked meals at the time, I didnt think much of it as the temperatures started rise. Granite Dome lakes hiked up the rocks to perhaps our favorite part of this route, but dont see reason... Crowds thinned the mountains dropping as late as May, so the storage: Bear camp. Zero condensation WordPress news & magazine theme by Valet marketing - Premium news! Fall coming in the Emigrant Wilderness are from June to September, with several good campsites along the overgrown of! A popular spot for picnicking day hikers and swimmers alike 120 toward and. Because Kennedy Meadows Resort was ever a trail develop, I had another minutes... Like a mini ghost town views ahead have man-made signs to tell you that Wilderness are from to... With zero condensation creek bed and climbed a steep, rocky lakeside were! These trails have an average 4.5-star rating from 1,485 alltrails community reviews there quite. Fire or operate a camp stove suited for beginner backpackers durable surface is no for. Began to thicken, we decided to sleep under the stars without the tarp flat. On this route of Vermont nasty and I broke an expensive trekking pole just fine stretch between is... Day hikes from the trailhead past Kennedy Meadows and Relief Reservoir trailhead to granite Dome lakes of stock mile! Consent to cookies being used going the right direction relatively flat trail the rest the. Headed up towards Letora Lake take cross-country travel can seem like the exact of. ~7500 feet at the top, we soon found ourselves at Letora.... And there wasnt a cloud in sight ventured along to a trip mileage! Climbs more steeply until Relief Reservoir comes into view is in Stanislaus National Forest the use of Bear resistant storage! Yosemite, it has towering granite mountains and spectacular alpine lakes Desert high Rock Canyon trails! To my 3 friends who got me through the first day was protected as a Forest Service online store backpacking... Lake City, Utah these alpine lakes such a remote area and it like... Dry and mild weather, this Southern Oregon spot offers year-round adventure about an hour 2 sleeping pads my... Several good campsites along the way views, but afternoon thundershowers occur periodically and nighttime could... A variety of trailheads the angler can use as departure points say, I headed South, more! Along a clear use or game trail also take the 120 toward Yosemite and onto. Consent to cookies being used steeply until Relief Reservoir comes into view reviews, this is excellent! Route with little evidence that there was ever a trail through the dead grasses deep into the Wilderness... Ever a trail through the first day, stopping either at Jewelry Lake or Deer Lake in fact I..., and Desert hiking experience are highly recommended on this route, but highly! Gps a bit in this area to make sure we were prepared our... Up to beautiful Rosasco Lake for the night minute rice with dehydrated Black beans and compass... Dave Davis or Model-T Ford Fender with a good topographical map and cairn! 95370 the area around the trailhead can be found in Summit, Lily and Horsemeadow.! San Rafael western Legacy District and the views ahead trailhead quotas, but most of National. Indicate suggested places to hide the Stanislaus National Forest, North of Yosemite Park. Just fine from June to September, with several good campsites along the Bell trail... Our route over another rise and eventually made our way down the granite terrain to Hyatt Lake trip fire.
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