Permits can be picked up at Lodgepole Visitor Center (open 7am-3:30pm, closed 11am-12pm for lunch) the day of your trip, or from 1pm or later the day before. Frypan Meadow is a delightful and handy spot to camp for trips incudling the climbs of both Kennedy and Harrington. Take the free in-park shuttle the next morning from Lodgepole to the trailhead at Crescent Meadow (the first shuttle leaves at 8 a.m.). The main loop is 1.6mi total. Distance: 1.8 miles. The Crescent Meadow Parking area is beyond the Moro Rock trail and also features a picnic area (and the accompanying crowds). Whitney). Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Images Permit Info: Wilderness permits are required at this trailhead. Featured Routes. Incidentally Ron Karpel was able to get a permit in 1998 for Deer Cove Trail camping at Frypan Meadow from the park service at Road's End. Time: 2 hours, round-trip. Whitney High Country Trail Map shows the whole trail. From here, hikers can see back to Moro Rock to the west, down to the Middle Fork of the Kaweah River, and ahead to the glaciated peaks of the Great Western Divide. La Crescent: La Crescent Joint Public Works Facility: 450 S. Chestnut St. La Crescent, MN 55947: LeRoy: Lake Louise State Park: 12385 766th Ave. The High Sierra Trail begins with a trailhead in Crescent Meadow of Sequoia National Park and ends up 72.2 miles later at Whitney Portal. Image by David Hickey. 2) Next day, stay on the trail 1.6 miles. Permit Info: The trail enters the Three Sisters Wilderness shortly after leaving the trailhead. Permits can be picked up at Lodgepole Visitor Center (open 7am-3:30pm, closed 11am-12pm for lunch) the day of your trip, or from 1pm or later the day before. Turn-by-turn from the Crescent Meadow trailhead. Water is plentiful for the entirety of the trail, and there are bear boxes at both Bearpaw and Hamilton if you’re looking to cut a few pounds off of your pack weight. Yes, it is Crescent Meadow. For those who have a limited amount of time to hike on the trail (or those who couldn’t get a permit to hike SOBO from Yosemite), section hiking the trail is a great option. If you fail to get a permit starting at Crescent Meadow, you can choose Alta trail as an alternative starting point (it connects to the HST at mile 5.8). Return on the same trail or create a loop and continue on as the path turns to dirt. There are a number of trailheads south of Donohue Pass that connect to the JMT and are easily accessible through public transportation. There is a restroom with running water and a large parking area here but very little else so the crowds are sparse. There is a small ford over the North Fork of Specimen Creek when you come to a large meadow. Description: This scenic loop trail takes you around the picturesque Crescent Meadow. 3) Cross the wooden bridge over Lone Pine Creek and veer east to … You can also camp at the Lodgepole or Buckeye campground in Sequoia National Park and take the free park shuttle to Crescent Meadow after you’ve picked up your permits and ready to start the hike. Permits need to be picked up in person at the Lodgepole Visitor Center. Permits. Here is an official ove… This High Sierra Trail Permit can be obtained at the Lodgepole Visitor Center or you can call them at 559-565-443 and get one set up in advance. It is in a state of regenerating growth after being trampled by unwary visitors. If you fail to get a permit starting at Crescent Meadow, you can choose Alta trail as an alternative starting point (it connects to the HST at mile 5.8). Otherwise good job! Day One on the High Sierra Trail we hiked 11.5 miles east-bound, from Crescent Meadow to Bearpaw. Take the High Sierra Trail out of Crescent Meadow and follow its well-graded ups and downs for 11.1 miles to Bearpaw Meadow. An entrance fee is required to visit the Giant Forest in Sequoia National Park, but no permit is needed to hike up Moro Rock, so get out and enjoy! View Crescent Meadow Image Gallery - 4 Images. Distance: 11.5 miles each way Time: 5 to 10 hours, each way (average 7 hours) Trailhead: Crescent Meadow, approximately 10 miles south of Wuksachi Lodge® Elevation Gain: 1,000 feet. Hikers may apply for a permit starting March 1st, and it can take up to two weeks to hear back from the wilderness permit office after sending your application. © Hiking the JMT, 2018. Weather. The Mt. I try to add some images tommow as well. The 2020 permit quota season ended on 9/19. (John Muir Trail North of Devils Postpile AA10), (get off at Devils Postpile or Red’s Meadow), (John Muir Trail South of Devils Postpile AA15). Crescent Meadow is a collection of loops in the Giant Forest in Sequoia National Park. Reservations are recommended and campsites run $22 per night. A wilderness permit is required and can be obtained at the Lodgepole Visitor Center between 7 am and 3:30 pm. At the trailhead find restrooms, picnic tables, bear boxes, and informational signs. Here’s the trailhead location in Google Maps and Google Street View. Since the BSL is a loop, there is a lot of flexibility regarding where you start, and there are several places where you could exit early if necessary. However, if you need to use public transportation, you should start the hike at Crescent Meadow or Alta trailhead (take Sequoia Shuttle to Sequoia National Park) and connect to the BSL at Bearpaw Meadow (this will add around 12-13 miles to your trip). The path will wind through the valley and along Crescent Meadow before reaching Tharp's Log. November 10th at 7:30am until further notice. "A learned blockhead is a greater blockhead than an ignorant one." A wilderness permit is required and can be obtained at the Lodgepole Visitor Center between 7 am and 3:30 pm. Fewer people at this trailhead means better permit availability. Wilderness Permits are required for both day-use and overnight travel in the Wilderness from Memorial Day Weekend until Oct. 31. Whitney. Crescent Meadow is about 7 miles from Lodgepole Village where you pick up your wilderness permit. The trail starts from the northern side of the large parking lot. The permit application is on-line and can be mailed or FAXed to Kernville or Springville. The trail starts at Crescent Meadow in Sequoia National Park and ends at Whitney Portal near Lone Pine, CA. Elevation Gain: 200 feet. You should assume it is a six to eight day hike, from start to finish, not including any transportation time, for most average hikers. Also I think it would be nice to have a primary image on the page. This hike was created by the National Park Service and was completed in 1930. Once you arrive at the park, you can take the free Sequoia National Park shuttle to pick up your permit in Lodgepole and then get back on the shuttle to go to the trailhead at Crescent Meadow. Parents refers to a larger category under which an object falls. After passing the backcountry site WE4, the trail soon begins to climb. It is 154 miles long and is completely on maintained trails. From here on, the trail is unpaved but mostly smooth and well graded. Permits can be reserved at www.recreation.gov. Thanks. The start and end of the hike is lot more enjoyable when you can actually park at Crescent Meadow, but unfortunately, visitors aren’t allowed to drive there on summer weekends and holidays between 9 am and 4 pm. To begin, you will need a permit and it will be much easier to get than a Mt Whitney Trail Permit. To get to the trailhead: Take Generals Highway (SR 198) east to Crescent Meadow Road, just south of the Giant Forest Museum. Since the High Sierra Trail is a one way hike crossing over two mountain ranges, planning out the logistics of transportation and shuttles can be a little tricky. Another trail named Tharp… Great view of mountains to the west, open mountain meadow dropping down to South Boulder Creek. The hike starts at the Crescent Meadow parking lot. The elevation gain/loss is +15,531/-13,866 feet according to Paul Richins, Jr., author of Mount Whitney (2ndEd., The Mountaineers Books). There are free shuttles which connect Lodgepole Village with Crescent Meadow. 1) Take the High Sierra Trail 10.6 miles east, threading together lodgepole pine forest, alpine meadows, and big views of the Great Western Divide high above the Middle Fork Kaweah River gorge, to Bearpaw Meadow High Sierra Camp. To get to the trailhead: Just south of the Giant Forest Museum, turn off the Generals Highway and head east on Crescent Meadow Road. Crescent Meadow, is a large, crescent shaped meadow located at the edge of the picnic area. The trailhead is located just past the tunnel log east of General's Highway 198. Most impressive in the spring when wildflowers are in bloom, wildlife sightings are common in this area. Stay to your right and follow the trail around Crescent Meadow to return on the along the opposite side of the meadow. After that bit of business is … The hike starts at the quiet Crescent Meadow parking lot. Pickup our permits at the Lodgepole Visitor Center (open 7am to 3:30pm daily) and stay the night in Lodgepole Campground. However you can take any of the loops to the General Sherman tree 3mi, Tharp's Log trail 0.5mi, or the High Sierra Trail 1mi to Eagles View. The High Sierra Trail to Mt Whitney is a challenging 75-mile trek whose scenery ranges from the giant forest of Sequoia National park, gorgeous mountain lakes, the Kern River Valley and of course the rocky jagged terrain of Mt Whitney. It can be hiked within an hour as a pleasure walk for anyone who wants to enjoy the outdoors but is on a limited schedule. When filling out your permit application, select ‘High Sierra’ (Crescent Meadow) as your entry trail, and ‘Whitney Portal’ as your exit trail. (2 ). High Sierra Trail: Introduction. At Crescent Meadow there is long-term parking and restrooms, but no fresh water. Make sure to bring your itinerary with you because you must state where you plan to camp each night before the rangers will issue your permit (you are not required to follow this plan, they just want to have a general idea of where you plan to go). Free self-issue permits are required for day use at the trailhead. Before starting your hike, be sure to give yourself some time to check out the sequoia trees! Crescent Meadow from Tharp's Log Trail before the High Sierra Trail splits off. No water is available at the Crescent Meadow trailhead. This loop passes through some of the best scenery of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, and was created as an alternative to the JMT. The following trails are all within Inyo National Forest, and allow hikers to head north or south on the JMT. (4), Additions & Corrections It emerges onto a warm, south-facing slope near Eagle View. Getting a permit is easy, and there are no crowds to contend with. Parking: a valid recreation pass may be used as a form of fee payment or Central Cascades Wilderness Permit holders must leave a permit trailhead vehicle pass in vehicle. The permit is free for Bearpaw guests. Crescent Meadow Trailhead. Location: Southern Sierra NevadaDistance: 73 milesDays required: 6–9Route type: Point-to-pointType of route: On maintained trailVertical ascent: 19,094 feetMax altitude: 14,505 feetDifficulty: StrenuousWhen to go: July through SeptemberPermits: RequiredFees: $10 per permit + $5 per personDogs: No***UPDATE for 2019***As of 2019 there is a section of trail that is blown out just past Hamilton Lake. The trail (from Crescent Meadow to Whitney Portal) is 72 miles long and takes about a week to complete. This trailhead is an optional starting point for the High Sierra Trail. Please note that if you go south on the JMT from one of these trailheads, you will likely need to exit at Horseshoe Meadow via either Cottonwood Pass trail or Cottonwood Lakes trail (because it is very difficult to get a permit for exiting Mt. View 7 Day Forecast on weather.gov. This is the official Starting Point of the High Sierra Trail! Because of its popularity, this is the only trail in Sequoia and Kings Canyon that does not have reservable overnight permits. The hike starts at the Crescent Meadow parking lot. Begin the High Sierra Trail at Crescent Meadow in Sequoia National Park. --Benjamin Franklin. High Sierra Trailhead Shuttle If you’re staying in Visalia, the Sequoia Shuttle has numerous stops that will take you into the park in the morning. Crescent Meadow in Autumn. Continue three miles, to the Crescent Meadow Parking Area. | All Rights Reserved, John Muir Trail North of Devils Postpile AA10, John Muir Trail South of Devils Postpile AA15, High Sierra Trail 6 day itinerary (day-by-day descriptions), Big SEKI Loop – Complete guide to the trail, National Geographic Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Map. The blowout occurs after the switchbac… To get to the trailhead: Take Generals Highway to Crescent Meadow Road, which is just south of the Giant Forest Museum. Please do not hike intothe meadow itself. © 2006-2020 SummitPost.org. I'll fix that as soon as possible. It is looped by an unnamed trail which starts just beyond the picnic area itself. The Crescent Meadow Trailhead is 2.6 miles from the Giant Forest Museum via Crescent Meadow Road. Take a right at the next junction and immediately cross a creek to head to Crescent Lake. Permits are only first come first serve, and they are available beginning at 1pm the day before your hike at the Lodgepole Visitor Center (I suggest arriving a little earlier to get in line!). Here’s the trailhead location in Google Maps and Google Street View.. Trailhead: Crescent Meadow parking lot. Getting to the trailhead is easy if you use the Sequoia Shuttle, which goes from Visalia to Sequoia National Park ($20 round-trip). A park entrance fee is taken to reach the trailhead, but no permit is required to hike around Crescent Meadow, so get out and enjoy! Crescent Meadow Loop Trail. Outside of our quota season you still need a … The High Sierra Trail begins at Crescent Meadow in Sequoia National Park, on the West side of the Sierra Nevada range, and ends at Whitney Portal on the East, traversing the highest and most beautiful part of the Sierras. The High Sierra Trail, which begins at Crescent Meadow (in Sequoia National Park) and ends at Whitney Portal, is a great option for those who have a limited amount of time and want to hike to the top of Mt. For example, theAconcagua mountain page has the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits' asparents and is a parent itself to many routes, photos, and Trip Reports. All Rights Reserved. No camping is allowed until you get at least 2 miles beyond the trailhead, but finding a campsite sooner than the 9 … The road offers the option of taking a passageway through a fallen Sequoia log or driving around on a short bypass. Drive east past the turnoff for Moro Rock (A short and amazing hike). 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