I decided to sleep under the stars without the tarp. Waste MUST be packed out from November to May. In fact, I hadnt seen a single fresh human track on the trail since Emigrant Lake. Kibbie Ridge, Kennedy Meadows, Crabtree and Bell Meadow are the most frequented. There are 14 trails in Emigrant Wilderness. My 3-day October trip to Desolation Wilderness, exploring the less-visited northwestern parts of the wilderness area. What is the longest trail in Emigrant Wilderness? Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock Emigrant Wilderness ~ 6 - 10 August 2007. Daytime temperatures were in the low 60s and nighttime lows int the 20s. #1 We spent Labor Day weekend hiking cross-country to Hyatt Lake in the Emigrant Wilderness--an adventure we're glad we did, but not one that we would recommend without reservation. No holding of stock within mile of the following lakes: Bear, Camp, Deer, Grouse, Powell, Waterhouse and Wood. I was getting to the limit of how far I could walk on my foot. Easy access with over 1/4 mile frontage on the County maintained graded gravel . 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. 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. 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?). 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. My favorite part of any drive into the Sierra Nevada is the transition between oak woodland to incense cedar and pine. Luckily we found our original route and headed over to Rosasco Lake, only to find a large group of campers with some aggressively barking dogs at the only viable site. Explore the most popular lake trails in Emigrant Wilderness with hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos from hikers, campers and nature lovers like you. Chewing Gum Lake is no exception. Start and end at the Crabtree Trailhead. " Lee Watts OpenMapTiles OSM 4.3 Miles Point to Point 9,748' High 8,476' Low 464' Up 1,378' I hiked from Crabtree Campground past Rosasco Lake, and that was pretty easy. Immediately I noticed that something wasnt right. The smoky skies made for an amazing sunset and sunrise the next morning. The Fishing Advice 2021. Its alpine lakes are warm enough to swim in during summer months, and they're also great fishing spots. A boat is really handy here to reach many of the best fishing spots. Bank anglers will find places to get to . And finally, we had never been on a backpacking trip north of Mammoth Lakes, so the new location was appealing . 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. We hustled downhill, except for a surprisingly steep uphill right before the trail junction, again stopping for another snack/ lunch and water filtering break at Grouse Creek. 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. 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. Gently rolling land in front of Buffalo Mountain. This trail is 8.5 mi long with an elevation gain of 1,555 ft. This was a quick 2-mile jaunt to the peak's volcanic summit, where we enjoyed great views. Subscribe Today & Support Regional Efforts Dismiss, Join our growing community and receive the latest Adventure and outdoor news and updatesrom around the Sierra Nevada. We sat up at the top for a while, amazed by the amphitheater of sloping granite and patchy trees. I ate dinner, watching the sunset reflect off the calm lake. Since it was now late in the day, the light was perfect. My first trip to the Sierras this year was on July 4th for an overnight stay in Emigrant Wilderness. I would certainly do it again and bring friends. (209) 532-3671 But, like most things in life, LNT is not black and white. I walked down the trail a little bit more, studying the route we should take up the ridge. It looked like the trail didnt get much traffic. Avoid wet grasses, meadows, and especially cryptobiotic soil. We thought we would try to summit Granite Dome on this day, but most of us were too tired, and when studying the maps, the route up looks much better from Upper Lewis Lake than Iceland Lake. The Emigrant is most easily accessible from Hwy 108, with many visitors entering from near Pinecrest Lake or Kennedy Meadows. If you plan to conduct a hike along the PCT that begins on the Mokelumne and extends for more than 500 miles north, or past Tuolumne Meadows to the south, you will either need to obtain a permit from the Pacific Crest Trail Association or obtain permits covering all the National Park and National Forest Units you plan to travel through. Large boulders, epic rock formations, pine trees as far as the eyes can see, and plentiful lakes make this loop a serene escape from California's busy cities. There are many opportunities to extend the loop or go slightly off-trail to different lakes, so we were grateful for our easy itinerary. I could feel the group getting tired, so we decided to keep continuing after a nice break. Inflammations should take longer than that to develop, I thought. The trail is dotted with lakes and streams, offering frequent water sources and campsites. I returned to do this loop again in 2020, and it felt just as special even after hundreds of backpacking miles under my belt. FAX (209) 965-3372 Want to find the best trails in Emigrant Wilderness for an adventurous hike or a family trip? (Why?). The last miles of the trail passed through an old burn area. Only bushwhacked hiking around the lake for fun. This trail is 13.7 km long with an elevation gain of 474 m. It takes an average of 4 h 4 min to hike. ) or https:// means you've safely Kibbie Ridge, Kennedy Meadows, Crabtree and Bell Meadow are the most frequented. Congress. Route finding is required, but this is gentle country. 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. 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. 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. The best times to visit Emigrant Wilderness are from June to September, with afternoon thunderstorms always possible (so come prepared). AllTrails has 14 great trails for hiking, backpacking, and camping and more. I pulled out the barbless hook, snapped a quick picture, and released it. There arent any excruciatingly long climbs, and the weather is pleasant well past August. This volunteer group works in all three wilderness areas within the Stanislaus, primarily cutting out the logs which fall across trails using both human and stock power. Check here to see if you can apply for an online permit. Around the lake, you'll find gentle hiking trails, swimming . We visited in July 28 from San Jos and it was the best experience at Bears lake we ever had.The water level was perfect it was super quiet and it was . Posted September 11, 2015. Edit Stranislaus Wilderness Volunteers is a group of citizens who formed in 1991 with a shared love of wilderness and are dedicated to protecting it. it is this direction which I believe provides the best experience. #8 - Granite Dome Loop via Kennedy Meadows. It was also mostly downhill, which was great. The evening was chilly, but I stayed warm by my campfire. I planned to camp at Wood Lake. Suddenly, I saw a big trout come up for a bite. Many are not on marked trails and some rock scrambling may be necessary. I passed through some of the most impressive granite landscapes of the whole trip. It is mostly granite, but there are pockets of dirt if you need to stake out your tent. This required some steep climbing in the heat of the day, but proved to be a fun adventure. This website uses cookies. Location: Stanislaus National Forest, Emigrant Wilderness, near the town of Sorona, CA in Northern California east of the San Francisco Bay Area. 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. Beautiful views. The Department of Fish and Game estimates that 42 lakes in this basin have rainbows, 28 have brookies, 6 have goldens, 2 have rainbows and brookies and 1 has rainbows and brown trout. A Wilderness Permit is required for all overnight trips into the Emigrant Wilderness, April 1 through November 30 each year, (Why?) The temperature had gone from freezing to summer in the hour I had been on the trail. 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 While at the lake of High Relief Valley, I realized that the abundant scat on the tops of granite boulders was caused by marmots. 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. 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!). Its possible to hike this trail in the winter with traction, but be sure to check the national forest road conditions and be prepared for winter conditions. Some was perched on top of difficult to get to places. Be aware that there are no camping signs on the creek side of the trail, so be sure to camp on the other side of the trail. Everyone seemed more keen to get to camp and then explore more, so we did not visit Sardella or Upper Lewis Lakes, but took a quick rest at Ridge Lake before continuing to Iceland Lake. Just walking a few miles can make you feel as if you've left the wilderness behind for another one. The area around the trailhead can be a little confusing! The Emigrant Wilderness is a hiker's paradise, home to striking unspoiled nature: pristine alpine lakes, staggering granite peaks, towering sequoias, and rugged, mountainous landscape. Centipede at Grizzly Lake, Emigrant Wilderness, insect, Stanislaus National Forest. Thorston Tichenor There we were, sitting under a tree by a pristine creek in the Sierra wilderness. We enjoyed the spot, and we had it all to ourselves! Spread out to reduce the likelihood of creating a use trail in a delicate environment. The Emigrant Wilderness is 113,00 acres, more than twice the size of Vermont. Cell Reception: Dont expect any. 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). https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/stanislaus/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=15107&actid=51, TRAIL HEADS: GETTING INTO THE EMIGRANT WILDERNESS, Stanislaus National Forest Presents: Birds of the Stanislaus. It might sound counterintuitive, but most grasses and flowers can withstand being stood on for a brief moment of time, but will be destroyed if continually stomped on. Ha. I planned for a short first day, stopping either at Jewelry Lake or Deer Lake. According to AllTrails.com, the longest trail in Emigrant Wilderness is. United States. I had to abandon my plan to keep hiking up North Fork Cherry Creek toward the upper Emigrant Lakes. We left the trail at a relatively obvious spot to cross the creek. For more info on how to protect your food (and Sierra Bears) check out the bear section. 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. This millipede. Terrain varies from rolling hills to ridges and granite domes, with many lakes surrounded by stands of lodgepole pine. While the grade was steeper since we didnt have nicely graded switchbacks to follow, we actually made ok time up to the top of the ridge. Explore the most popular lake trails in Emigrant Wilderness with hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos from hikers, campers and nature lovers like you. The elevation gain was not particularly kind to me. As it is, we simply hiked by and tried to etch the images in our mind. Explored new territory off trail. Steep incline hike in the Emigrant Wilderness starting at Sonora Pass (108) and ending at Blue canyon lake, a glacial tarn sitting bellow a series of beautiful peaks. You cant get down this way. We took a cross-country shortcut to Emigrant Meadow Lake along Cherry Creek, where we stopped for the night at 17:18. This page covers all necessary alerts for the area, and from there information about permits, closures, fire bans, etc., can be found. A partnership of the National Park Service and the United States Forest Service. Property has over 1/2 mile frontage on a huge wilderness area.Private & secluded. Also, in October we saw only a handful of other people on trail. At Huckleberry Lake, I left the main trail and headed up towards Letora Lake. I gave it a few quick jigs and boomthe trout slammed the fly. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. We spent one night on an exposed, rocky lakeside and were rewarded with stellar sunset views, but suffered chillier temperatures. The last climb up to the trailhead offered a new landscape of volcanic rock and bright-yellow aspen. There are wonderful campsites at nearly every lake on this loop. Nat Geo Map 307 (Yosemite NW/Hetch Hetchy Reservoir) is best. Second, the lakes of the Emigrant Wilderness are known to have some large fish. We encountered thunderstorms on Monday afternoon. The park's runner-up is Granite Dome Loop via Kennedy Meadows, which will get you 5,587 ft of elevation gain. Thank you to my 3 friends who got me through the first day. Their knowledge of traditional non-motorized skills and stock use are invaluable in moving heavy logs and rocks, especially in wilderness where motorized equipment is generally prohibited. Be the first to know about new adventures. It was way too big for me to eat, especially right after breakfast. We enjoyed some flat/ downhill trail as we walked above the reservoir, which was a nice break from the constant up. So yes, we did go skinny-dipping. Which it did! There is bear activity in this wilderness. Pingree, Black Hawk, Shallow Hyatt, Rosasco, Lost, Cow Meadow, Yellow Hammer, Big and Deer Lakes are just a few of the more productive waters. The DF&G does a kill survey every year off the main hwy during the entire opening weekend. 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. I cannot recommend this trip enough for beginner backpackers. Emigrant Wilderness Gianelli Trailhead. in On Adventures The trip to Iceland lake (in the area generally called "Granite Dome's Golden Trout Lakes" by the Emigrant Wilderness Guidebook) was our first ever backpacking Stanislaus National Forest. There were quite a few hills that I didnt want to have to unnecessarily go up only to come back down. Emigrant Wilderness is great because it is super easy to get a permit, and permits are free! This 2-night backpacking trip in Emigrant Wilderness lets you soak in nature in solitude. The Bell Meadow Trail parallels the Crabtree Trail, and can create a variety of nice loops to explore. Trail engineers had carved stairs into the granite in a few sections, and we marveled at the high cliffs along the way. The granite ridges are smaller in scale compared to Yosemite, but the area offers a true wilderness experience with very few tourists venturing into the more remote areas of the region. Wearing both a fleece and gloves, I started climbing. After that, it becomes an off-trail route with little evidence that there was ever a trail. FAX (209) 533-1890 We can also see this formation in the second image above. 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