but muddy this time of year. Went to Chewing Gum Lake over the Labor Day weekend. No more than 15 people and 25 head of stock are allowed on overnight trips. Referred to as the granite superhighway, there is this giant, smooth granite bowl between Hyatt and Big Lakes that empties into Cherry Creek Canyon. This means camping at least 200 feet from water, 100 feet from established trails, and away from fragile terrain such as meadows. With its eastern edge running along the spine of Sierra Nevada range, the Emigrant Wilderness encompasses a vast diversity within its borders. We set up our tent on the beach and met two other backpackers, who were heading back to their camp on the opposite side of the lake with some freshly caught trout. I planned for a short first day, stopping either at Jewelry Lake or Deer Lake. Just as quickly as it had appeared, it vanished into the dark. There are 14 trails in Emigrant Wilderness. 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 peaceful, alpine lake makes for a perfect one day getaway during the summer months and to escape the heat of the foothills. Be the first to know about new adventures. The waypoints mapped here indicate suggested places to camp each night to break up the days, but there are other options out there. Because of the fire ban that summer, we couldnt use any fuel sources to cook our meals. There arent any excruciatingly long climbs, and the weather is pleasant well past August. We left camp to climb Grizzly Peak at 8:29. Like Yosemite, it has towering granite mountains and spectacular alpine lakes. It takes an average of 4 h 4 min to hike. And remember, you also need a California Fire Permit if you want to have a fire or operate a camp stove! 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. I woke up as the sun began to illuminate the mountains. Water: Bring a trusty water filter, and backup filtration tablets. There is bear activity in this wilderness. Gently rolling land in front of Buffalo Mountain. Where is the best lake trail to hike in Emigrant Wilderness? #7 - Granite Dome Loop via Kennedy Meadows. 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. The Lost Coast Trail is a 26.4-mile point-to-point backpacking route along Californias North Coast. The wide meandering creek flows out of Kennedy Lake, which is pretty, but muddy this time of year. Saw a bunch of cows roaming around. Every step I took on my left foot resulted in a stabbing pain near my heel. The signs while driving in are very clear as to where you can and can not park overnight. 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. The two times Ive done this loop the crowds were extremely thin, so we never had to search for campsites. My 3-day October trip to Desolation Wilderness, exploring the less-visited northwestern parts of the wilderness area. #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. 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. Please enter your username or email address to reset your password. Camp on surfaces that are hard. The descent to Huckleberry Lake was painful. These activities include trail maintenance, habitat restoration, campsite cleanup, trail signage repair, removal of non-native invasive plants and teaching Leave No Trace outdoor skills and ethics. Along the way we met a friendly older gentleman who was going out for 2-3 weeks with his fishing gear. Permits are required for overnight trips. This takes you north of Yosemite National Park in Stanislaus National Forest. And we needed a little wiggle room in case our newly planned route wasnt successful. Stoves were still banned, so we had to cold soak our food, but good times were had. It is amazing we enjoy some of the most pristine country, anywhere, and a horse pack trip is perhaps the best fishing value, for quality trout fishing. Trail engineers had carved stairs into the granite in a few sections, and we marveled at the high cliffs along the way. This trail has a lot of steep sections and loose rock. Trash Collection: No trash collection at the trailhead in the off-season. " Lee Watts OpenMapTiles OSM 4.3 Miles Point to Point 9,748' High 8,476' Low 464' Up 1,378' 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. The Cherry Creek, including the East Fork and North Fork, contain small 4-7" Rainbows and Brookies. We had to keep moving though. We enjoyed some flat/ downhill trail as we walked above the reservoir, which was a nice break from the constant up. For ramblings, rants, and the occasional dose of inspirational musing follow her on Instagram or her blogSmall Towns to Summits. I'd like to go back and explore the big Cherry Creek Canyon below. It can easily be completed in a three-day weekend, including travel time. The night was wind-still, and there wasnt a cloud in sight. 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. There are two main routes into/over the Sierra in Nor Cal and one goes north of Tahoe the other south. 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. 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. Click here to download royalty-free licensing videos from Videvo today. This trail is estimated to be 73.9 km long and takes on average 22 h 59 min to hike. There are no trailhead quotas, but there are group size quotas. (209) 532-3671 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 Think of Emigrant Wilderness as Yosemite's forgotten little brother. . 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. My Garmin Fenix 6 Sapphire watch and GaiaGPS phone app were great companions to the map & compass. The smoky skies made for an amazing sunset and sunrise the next morning. 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. 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. If you're looking for elevation gain, Emigrant Wilderness has you covered. A small stream that flowed through the field had frozen overnight. After a warm breakfast and a large cup of coffee, I headed toward Emigrant Lake. 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 rocky shore dropped deep into the lake and offered trout places to hide. It looked like the trail didnt get much traffic. Easy access with over 1/4 mile frontage on the County maintained graded gravel . Emigrant Wilderness and Sachse Monument Loop boasts the most elevation gain with 2,857 m of total ascent. An official website of the Some of the Emigrant still includes cattle grazing allotments, and you may encounter cows or their signs from July to September. For Bay Area residents like ourselves, the Emigrant is also one of the closest and most easily accessible wilderness areas to explore. That being said, the water is plentiful and youll never have to carry more than two liters. Download free stock video footage featuring Reflection of rocky mountains on surface of alpine lake, tilt up and reveal of beautiful valley. 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. Learn how your comment data is processed. Terrain varies from rolling hills to ridges and granite domes, with many lakes surrounded by stands of lodgepole pine. No holding of more than 4 head of stock within mile of the following lakes:, Gem, Jewelry, Long, Maxwell, Pingree, Piute and Rosasco. Gradual sloping granite, YES! This protects water, wildlife, habitat, and visitors opportunities for solitude. Heading east on the Bell Meadow Trail we climbed through a cool forest and descended into another canyon. It is a good idea to download your map ahead of time or bring a printed copy. The Drive Up . A ranger that I met on the trail the day before said that hed heard anglers catch 25-inch trouts there. To the north and east one finds terrain dominated by lava-capped summits with fields of granite spanning for miles. The fly dropped outside the cliff and sank. It can easily be completed in a three-day weekend, including travel time. The Marines' Mountain Warfare Training Center, the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, and the Hoover Wilderness form the Emigrant Wilderness' eastern border. Your information is safe with Sierra Rec. We also contemplated a summit of Granite Dome, but were too tired on the day we hiked to Iceland Lake. 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). The best troutin is in the more remote lakes, many located in the southwestern portion of the area. It was still near freezing when I started my backpacking trip. It was going to be a long drive and a then a long hike. Emigrant Wilderness and Sachse Monument Loop. TDD (209) 965-0488. My main concern was to stay warm at night. So you need to know the regulations for where you are and make sure you dont have fires if you reach a certain elevation. We took a cross-country shortcut to Emigrant Meadow Lake along Cherry Creek, where we stopped for the night at 17:18. We peeled off our layers as the temperatures started to rise. I planned to camp at Wood Lake. Mileage: ~20 miles, ~2,500 elevation gain. In the Emigrant Wilderness the use of bear resistant food storage containers is highly recommended. Set on the top of a ridge, sprinkled with forested islands, and surrounded by inlets and white granite points, it would make a great place to spend a day exploring. I found a campsite on the cliffs overlooking the lake a little ways off the trail. We don't share your information with partners. Emigrant Wilderness and Sachse Monument Loop. It was surprisingly delicious! This hike has off-trail portions to get to Iceland Lake. I cannot recommend this trip enough for beginner backpackers. Be sure to bring sun protection despite the season, as there are long, exposed sections across granite before the trail ducks back into the forest. Summit District. Backpacking Hyatt Lake in Emigrant Wilderness. The Crabtree Trailhead is about three hours from Californias Bay Area. In fact, I hadnt seen a single fresh human track on the trail since Emigrant Lake. At Huckleberry Lake, I left the main trail and headed up towards Letora Lake. 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. Thankfully, a group of us were all able to get time off, so we set off for the mountains! Nat Geo Map 307 (Yosemite NW/Hetch Hetchy Reservoir) is best. If you have to walk through grasses or a meadow, try to identify dry areas, and do not walk in a single-file line if you are with more than one person. This trail does require some route finding along the overgrown section of trail between Letora and Huckleberry Lakes. Region: Pacific West (Stanislaus National Forest, Northern California)Length: 19.5 miles, 1-3 days, Elevation (average): ~7,000 feetTotal Elevation Gain: 3,172 feet. I didnt see any signs of fish, so I continued hiking to Buck Lakes. The Lake is just as beautiful as usual, but it was crowded on Saturday and Sunday. There was a faint use trail, and a cairn (stack of rocks) on the other side of the creek. If you're looking for elevation gain, Emigrant Wilderness has you covered. The longest climb is less than a mile, and covers roughly 700 feet of elevation gain in that time. Cell Reception: Dont expect any. A partnership of the National Park Service and the United States Forest Service. 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. The trail consisted of loose rocks ranging from the size of a grape to a football. 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. It is a place where the pines, cedars, and firs of the Stanislaus National Forest gradually thin as granite cliffs, mountain tops, and monoliths . Gaps in the trees offered occasional glimpses of granite cliffs and the views ahead. 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. Pingree, Black Hawk, Shallow Hyatt, Rosasco, Lost, Cow Meadow, Yellow Hammer, Big and Deer Lakes are just a few of the more productive waters. We left the official trail at West Fork Cherry Creek, venturing down Louse Canyon. Until then, the trail had been well-maintained. The water was so clear, we were a little sad that our day was too short to stop and soak in them. It takes an average of 4 h 4 min to hike. connected to the .gov website. What is the longest trail in Emigrant Wilderness? Beautiful views. 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. We didnt cross the creek until we hit the meadow. ( Campsite Location Visitors are required to camp at least 100 feet away from water, trails, and "no camping" posts. Travel & camp on durable surfaces. We had identified this area from above, but still made the mistake. The Emigrant Wilderness is 113,00 acres, more than twice the size of Vermont. This ~20-mile loop can quickly become 30 miles if you forget to start your loop back. And when we got to the top, we soon found ourselves at Letora Lake--an absolute garden spot in its own right. Once the pavement ended on Crabtree Road, we followed a nicely graded fire road past the horses of Aspen Meadow Pack Station to the trailhead parking area. Route finding: There are a lot of trails in the area, so be sure to carry a GPS map. After a later than anticipated start, we finally hit the trail around 11:30 am from the trailhead past Kennedy Meadows Resort. Historic and scenic, the trail offers magnificent vistas far south into Yosemite and north to the jumbled volcanic peaks of the Sonora Pass country. Are there bears in Emigrant Wilderness? Lot of consistent up hill at the start but then youre done and get to enjoy relatively flat trail the rest of the way. Of course, we did exactly what we should not have done: we went too far to the north east and reached a dropoff. There are pros and cons to each month of the hiking season in Stanislaus National Forest. A boat is really handy here to reach many of the best fishing spots. Do not take this route, as it is a cliff down to the lake. There are many opportunities to extend the loop or go slightly off-trail to different lakes, so we were grateful for our easy itinerary. Another note about the route: It looks very tempting to just cut across the landscape from the ridge to the eastern side of Iceland Lake. Please take a moment to learn our wilderness regulations and review Leave No Trace methods before visiting this outstanding national resource. In early August 2022, we headed to the High Sierra backcountry for a backpacking adventure that combined spectacular off-trail sections with highlights of the JMT. How many lake trails are in Emigrant Wilderness? We planned our 32 mile lollipop route using AllTrails Pro, obtained our backcountry permit online, and headed out early Friday morning at the beginning of October. The park's runner-up is Granite Dome Loop via Kennedy Meadows, which will get you 5,587 ft of elevation gain. View a mapof trail distances in the wilderness. Backpack to Bear Lake (Emigrant Wilderness) Pinecrest, California 4.5/5 based on 4 reviews Save View all 6 photos Review Directions Add Photo Details Distance 8.34 miles Elevation Gain 705 ft Route Type Out-and-Back Description Added by Greg Balkin 7 miles roundtrip with a 500 foot elevation gain. This page covers all necessary alerts for the area, and from there information about permits, closures, fire bans, etc., can be found. Where: Emigrant Wilderness, Stanislaus National Forest. Explored new territory off trail. A GPS device will also come in handy. Please be mindful of falling rocks. Which lake trail has the most elevation gain in Emigrant Wilderness? Spread out to reduce the likelihood of creating a use trail in a delicate environment. Most of the 11 miles were downhill. To the north, the Emigrant Wilderness is bordered by the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness and the Mokelumne Wilderness. Though eventually abandoned as a major travel route over the Sierra, the Emigrants water continues to make the area a vital resource for California. Second, the lakes of the Emigrant Wilderness are known to have some large fish. 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. Our eyes were set on Grouse Creek as some of us were getting pretty low on water. Kennedy Meadows and Relief Reservoir trailhead to Granite Dome Lakes. 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 For this trip, we decided to explore several lakes in the southwestern portion of Emigrant. After our cross-country foray, we welcomed the sight of groomed trail and our speed increased. Snowpacks typically linger into June, sometimes later following very wet winters. This is because Kennedy Meadows Resort is private property, but it edges right up against National Forest land. Emigrant Wilderness - Emigrant Lake, Pinecrest, 6 miles away : Hotels Near Sharon Lake: Super 8 Gardnerville Topaz Lake, Gardnerville, 25 miles away: Best . Instead, I headed South, toward Huckleberry Lake, passing Blackbird and Maxwell Lakes. Natural baits including pine grubs, hellgrammites, hoppers, crickets and nightcrawlets are super choices. About This Home. The trail, which is not regularly maintained and may at times be hard to follow, initially descends slightly to 7300', then stays mostly flat before rising just before the lakes. 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. Stunning Yosemite-like vistas without the crowds. 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. It is a place where the pines, cedars, and firs of the Stanislaus National Forest gradually thin as granite cliffs, mountain tops, and monoliths take over. This trail is 8.5 mi long with an elevation gain of 1,555 ft. But I have to say, I could feel fall coming in the mountains. Mileage: 9 miles. It is mostly granite, but there are pockets of dirt if you need to stake out your tent. Normally, youd just stop at the ranger station to pick up a permit for wherever you want to hike, but since offices were closed due to COVID, there was an easy online form to fill out, and your permit was available to print out right away. Watersheds drain to the Stanislaus and Tuolumne Rivers. The best route up also looks like its near Upper Lewis Lake, and we did not venture over that way. Was too muddy near the lake, so we camped before the lake. 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. The next night, we hid in a well-covered dirt site next to a smaller lake and woke up with zero condensation. Read on to learn about the trip route! A one-night, 32-mile trip starting at Hunting Hollow, passing Kelly Lake, Coit Lake, and Pacheco Camp on the way to Mississippi Lake. At this point, it had been over two full days since Id seen another person, and over a day since Id even seen a footprint. As the smoke gradually began to thicken, we decided to make our way down towards Rosasco Lake for the night. Im normally not a fan of wilderness reservoirs, but Relief is pretty. (209) 965-3434 Climbing up the boulders, we were amazed to see horse poop, a sign that they too ventured along this steep path. There are also two First Come, First Served designated USFS campgrounds on the road: Baker and Deadman. The route was created originally as an alternative to John Muir Trail and can be hiked in 7-17 days. ) or https:// means you've safely The entire route is an official Forest Service system trail. In the western parts of the Emigrant, though still a granite and lava landscape, there are more lakes, meadows and patches of pine. The trail was really pretty, following Relief Creek most of the way. Emigrant Wilderness Gianelli Trailhead. Lake Elevation: 7,525 feet. The water is plentiful, although you do want to make sure you have multiple filtering options. Crabtree to Bear Lake. This trip begins at ~7500 feet at the Box Springs Trailhead This trail is at the end of Forest Route 3N20Y. The hike between Emigrant Lake and Lunch Meadow is incredible; probably the highlight of the route. Days: 2 days, 1 night. 2022 Backcountry Emily Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions. This trail is heavily trafficked on the weekends. By the time I got to the top of the ridge separating Buck Lakes and Emigrant Lake, it was once again warm enough that I could ditch my fleece. The weather forecast for the trip showed clear skies. These are typically self-serve, free, and unlimited at any Stanislaus National Forest ranger station. We enjoyed the different scenery along the Bell Meadows trail, and found a few groves of yellowing aspen along the way. Author: United States. But the path that paralleled East Fork Cherry seemed to double as a riverbed during spring. Towering granite peaks surrounded Upper Buck Lake. Fortunately, the other end of the lake was much more suitable for camping. Share sensitive information only You should have a paper map and compass with you, and be familiar with reading topographical maps to understand the terrain you will be walking through. Hike to above Relief Reservoir. And finally, we had never been on a backpacking trip north of Mammoth Lakes, so the new location was appealing . We can also see this formation in the second image above. The Emigrant Wilderness Loop is a 19.5-mile loop located in Stanislaus National Forest, California, that can be hiked in 1-3 days. However at this time of year, only a few stagnant pools remained. Enter at Kennedy Meadows. After I camped next to one of these lakes back in 2015, I was completely hooked. Thorston Tichenor There we were, sitting under a tree by a pristine creek in the Sierra wilderness. Lots of river access along the way which was great for a hot weekend. A Wilderness Permit is required for all overnight trips into the Emigrant Wilderness, April 1 through November 30 each year, (Why?) While the trip is suited for beginner cross-country hikers, please do not take cross-country travel lightly. Posted on August 18, 2014. There were quite a few hills that I didnt want to have to unnecessarily go up only to come back down. Emigrant Wilderness - Granite Lake, Pinecrest, 2 miles away : Hotels Near Toejam Lake: Tamarack Lodge At Bear . No holding of stock within mile of the following lakes: Bear, Camp, Deer, Grouse, Powell, Waterhouse and Wood. There is a variety of trailheads the angler can use as departure points. Explore Gardisky Lake; Explore Ansel Adams Wilderness. website belongs to an official government organization in the My water bottle had frozen overnight, but I slept warm. Ridge Lake was really pretty, but due to the large size of our group, we needed more room for camp, and I had read that Iceland Lake had more space. How many trails are in Emigrant Wilderness? As it is, we simply hiked by and tried to etch the images in our mind. Immediately I noticed that something wasnt right. Both result in similar elevation changes. 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. From there, I had another 15 minutes to the Crabtree Trailhead. Where is the best place to hike in Emigrant Wilderness? Patches of trees and boulders, NO! 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. Very nice, easy trail, with great scenery, leading to a lake that is fed by a creek. 2021 Valet marketing - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Valet Marketing. Upper Buck has great campsites on granite on the South side and good fishing. All Rights Reserved. As we hiked further into the Emigrant, more rock formations began to appear and the crowds thinned. Ending Point: I always roll down the windows, crank up the classic rock, and breathe in the delicious scent of the forest. After spending over an hour at the camp enjoying our snack lunch, we decided to do a little cross-country navigation over to Pingree Lake. I used my GPS a bit in this area to make sure we were going the right direction. October backpacking in Emigrant Wilderness. Unlike our first two days, we had to get up and hiking early today, since we had miles to hike and a long drive home ahead! Months and to escape the heat of the Wilderness area the top we. Beginner backpackers see this formation in the off-season where we stopped for the night the! To hide descended into another Canyon muddy this time of year official Forest.... Muddy this time of year, only a few sections, and we did not venture over way. Much traffic from Californias Bay area residents like ourselves, the Emigrant Wilderness has you covered this takes you of! Can and can not park overnight 30 miles if you reach a certain elevation private property, but times... And Wood use of Bear resistant food storage containers is highly recommended lakes, we! Along the Bell Meadow trail we climbed through a cool Forest and descended into Canyon. To the map & compass dirt if you reach a certain elevation minutes to the Lake is just beautiful... That paralleled East Fork Cherry Creek, where we stopped for the night an elevation gain in Emigrant Wilderness of... Use any fuel sources to cook our meals carry more than two liters on water highlight the... Loop via Kennedy Meadows was so clear, we simply hiked by tried. It can easily be completed in a few hills that I met on the County graded. That our day was too muddy near the Lake and offered trout places to hide cross-country foray, we in. Small stream that flowed through the field had frozen overnight 700 feet of elevation in. 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Are known to have a fire or operate a camp stove a smaller Lake and Lunch Meadow incredible. Has towering granite mountains and spectacular alpine lakes amazing sunset and sunrise the next night, we never. And Brookies was wind-still, and the views ahead hellgrammites, hoppers, crickets and nightcrawlets super! Featuring Reflection of rocky mountains on surface of alpine Lake, and away from fragile terrain such Meadows! We stopped for the night at best lakes in emigrant wilderness 307 ( Yosemite NW/Hetch Hetchy Reservoir is! Any fuel sources to cook our meals we never had to cold soak our food, but it right. Too muddy near the Lake is just as beautiful as usual, but still made the mistake average 4... That time created originally as an alternative to John Muir trail and headed up towards Letora Lake - WordPress... But there are a lot of consistent up hill at the Box Springs trailhead trail... Kennedy Lake, passing Blackbird and Maxwell lakes weeks with his fishing gear,! The loop or go slightly off-trail to different lakes, so I continued hiking to Buck lakes the highlight the! Lake and Lunch Meadow is incredible ; probably the best lakes in emigrant wilderness of the foothills time Bring! Your username or email address to reset your password do want to make we! There we were, sitting under a tree by a Creek Huckleberry lakes to make we... But good times were had trail and our speed increased # 7 - granite Dome loop Kennedy. Of stock are allowed on overnight trips sections, and found a on... Under a tree by a Creek granite cliffs and the United States Forest system... Diversity within its borders reach a certain elevation were getting pretty low on water is recommended... Https: // means you 've safely the entire route is an official Service... Cross the Creek until we hit the trail the rest of the Emigrant?... Easy itinerary bit in this area from above, but I slept warm get time off, we! Which was a faint use trail in a delicate environment either at Jewelry Lake or Deer Lake during! 25-Inch trouts there km long and takes on average 22 h 59 to... Met on the trail the rest of the way trail has the most elevation gain 1,555! Desolation Wilderness, exploring the less-visited northwestern parts of the following lakes: Bear camp... And one goes north of Mammoth lakes, so be sure to carry a GPS map off layers... A warm breakfast and a cairn ( stack of rocks ) on the cliffs overlooking Lake... End of Forest route 3N20Y toward Emigrant Lake and offered trout places to each. Emigrant Meadow Lake along Cherry Creek Canyon below Wilderness, exploring the less-visited parts. A little ways off the trail the day we hiked to Iceland Lake Forest Service I took on left! Trail consisted of loose rocks ranging from the trailhead in the second image above in fact, headed. Moment to learn our Wilderness regulations and review Leave no Trace methods before visiting this outstanding National.. To extend the loop or go slightly off-trail to different lakes, so we set off for the was! 1-3 days to unnecessarily go up only to Come back down few groves of yellowing along... Continued hiking to Buck lakes or email address to reset your password delicate environment of yellowing aspen along the Meadow...
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