As it is, we simply hiked by and tried to etch the images in our mind. You cant get down this way. Starting Point: Kennedy Meadows. I pulled out the barbless hook, snapped a quick picture, and released it. Here's our recommended gear list Closest Major City: Modesto, California(three hours). Cell Reception: Dont expect any. The trailhead at Crabtree Camp is easily accessible by . Even so, I wanted to push a bit further so I could walk back to my car the following day. 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. How many trails are in Emigrant Wilderness? 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. Are there bears in Emigrant Wilderness? Congress designated the Emigrant Wilderness in 1975, but most of the area was protected as a Forest Service Primitive Area since the 1920s. After that, it becomes an off-trail route with little evidence that there was ever a trail. I recommend this trip for a leisurely escape into the wilderness, as opposed to a trip where mileage is the goal. This trail is well-blazed and mostly dirt. 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. We encountered thunderstorms on Monday afternoon. And finally, we had never been on a backpacking trip north of Mammoth Lakes, so the new location was appealing . There is bear activity in this wilderness. 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. Permits are required for overnight stays. The Fishing Advice 2021. I planned to camp at Wood Lake. Emigrant Wilderness is great because it is super easy to get a permit, and permits are free! And remember, you also need a California Fire Permit if you want to have a fire or operate a camp stove! The Emigrant Wilderness of Stanislaus National Forest is a wilderness area in the Sierra Nevada. We enjoyed the different scenery along the Bell Meadows trail, and found a few groves of yellowing aspen along the way. 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!). 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. This is a historic route that is no longer maintained by the Forest Service. My 3-day October trip to Desolation Wilderness, exploring the less-visited northwestern parts of the wilderness area. Natural baits including pine grubs, hellgrammites, hoppers, crickets and nightcrawlets are super choices. From the Box Spring trailhead, you can reach the following lakes: Chain Lakes: 5 small lakes less than 7 acres each at 7586' elevation.2.2 miles from the trailhead . 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. 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 . It takes an average of 4 h 4 min to hike. Because of the fire ban that summer, we couldnt use any fuel sources to cook our meals. ) or https:// means you've safely 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. Start at Crabtree Trailhead.Day 1: Camp Lake, Piute Lake, Gem Lake, Jewelry Lake, Deer Lake, Buck Lakes.Day 2: Emigrant Lake, Maxwell Lake, Huckleberry Lake, Letora Lake, Cow Meadow Lake, Wood Lake.Day 3: Buck Meadow, Grouse Lake, Pine Valley, Crabtree Trailhead. A ranger that I met on the trail the day before said that hed heard anglers catch 25-inch trouts there. Climbing up the boulders, we were amazed to see horse poop, a sign that they too ventured along this steep path. Easy access with over 1/4 mile frontage on the County maintained graded gravel . The area around the trailhead can be a little confusing! Most of the 11 miles were downhill. Pingree, Black Hawk, Shallow Hyatt, Rosasco, Lost, Cow Meadow, Yellow Hammer, Big and Deer Lakes are just a few of the more productive waters. ( It can easily be completed in a three-day weekend, including travel time. The weather station was at 7,200 ft, so I needed to prepare for 4-8 degrees colder at the elevation I would be at. Emigrant Wilderness and Sachse Monument Loop boasts the most elevation gain for lake trails with 9,373 ft of total ascent. This website uses cookies. They were both closed by Sunday, October 18th, though were open earlier in October. I also planned to do some off-trail exploration in the high country. There are two main routes into/over the Sierra in Nor Cal and one goes north of Tahoe the other south. At Huckleberry Lake, I left the main trail and headed up towards Letora Lake. Nat Geo Map 307 (Yosemite NW/Hetch Hetchy Reservoir) is best. The Emigrant Wilderness is the Yosemite backcountry's underappreciated cousin. Emigrant Wilderness - Emigrant Lake, Pinecrest, 6 miles away : Hotels Near Sharon Lake: Super 8 Gardnerville Topaz Lake, Gardnerville, 25 miles away: Best . There is a wealth of lakes spread out among the 100,000 acre of this pristine wilderness. Check here to see if you can apply for an online permit. This trail is 8.5 mi long with an elevation gain of 1,555 ft. CaseyKaty There were remnants of recent visitors (Aspen Meadows Pack Station leads multi-day horse packing trips out here), but on this day we had the entire place to ourselves. on official, secure websites. The Emigrant Wilderness is a glaciated landscape of great scenic beauty. No trail head marker exists at the beginning but the single track begins at the parking turnout. 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. Snowpacks typically linger into June, sometimes later following very wet winters. 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. Where is the best place to hike in Emigrant Wilderness? 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. After a little up and down trying to find nice granite slopes, we were on the right track after we found another cairn. Also, in October we saw only a handful of other people on trail. There are pros and cons to each month of the hiking season in Stanislaus National Forest. You must arm yourself with a good topographical map and a compass to find some of these high country lakes. However, if you are not used to high altitude (elevation is about 8,500 feet) you might suffer from altitude sickness and get tired easily. We left the official trail at West Fork Cherry Creek, venturing down Louse Canyon. The closest snow to the bay is in the Sierras. Some was perched on top of difficult to get to places. I found a cliff overlooking the lake with a fire ring and a sheltered spot for my sleeping pad. I ate dinner, watching the sunset reflect off the calm lake. Emigrant Lake was much larger than any of the lakes I visited the day before. 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 place where the pines, cedars, and firs of the Stanislaus National Forest gradually thin as granite cliffs, mountain tops, and monoliths . We enjoyed the spot, and we had it all to ourselves! The Drive Up . Choice to use NF parking lot, or pay at Kennedy Store (puts you 1/2 mile closer to trailhead). Once we broke above the brush again, we had amazing views of Relief Valley and the ridges we were going to crest tomorrow. Just as quickly as it had appeared, it vanished into the dark. 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. The Emigrant Wilderness Loop is a 19.5-mile loop located in Stanislaus National Forest, California, that can be hiked in 1-3 days. A boat is really handy here to reach many of the best fishing spots. Precipitation averages 50 inches annually, 80 percent of it in the form of snow. Cross-country travel can seem like the exact opposite of Leave No Trace. 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. Thankfully, this large creek was still flowing well, even in October. Learn how your comment data is processed. Thank you to my 3 friends who got me through the first day. My 12-foot rod bent as the line whizzed through the water. The longest stretch between lakes is ~4 miles, so two liters of carrying capacity is plenty. I wanted to hang out on that ledge forever! We chose to start our trip on the Crabtree Trail and return via Bell Meadow Trail for a change of scenery. What is the longest lake trail in Emigrant Wilderness? We started making our way down, following the nice granite slopes. 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. 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 Emigrant Wilderness is over 100,000 acres with over 80 lakes within a granite basin filled with granitic domes, ridges, and small hills. United States government. We passed the southern shore and set up in a little nook on the western side of the lake with a great view of Granite Dome. This is a popular spot for picnicking day hikers and swimmers alike. A small stream that flowed through the field had frozen overnight. At the trail junction, we turned north and climbed 500ft up a ridge to the intersection with Crabtree Trail, ultimately making our way back to the trailhead. Starting at the border, about a mile into the hike, the trail begins to climb. One of the shortest routes into spectacular Emigrant Wilderness, the Burst Rock Trail puts the steepest climb at its beginning. Bank anglers will find places to get to . Stock: This area is heavy with horse activity. 2021 Valet marketing - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Valet Marketing. No more than 15 people and 25 head of stock are allowed on overnight trips. Once in the meadow, we just had to walk across to the trail on the other side! I planned a 3-night trip to Emigrant Wilderness to fish Emigrant Lake and some smaller lakes. Help support Local Journalism by visiting our Sierra Rec magazine sponsors and consider a small donation on our Patreon page if you enjoy the content. . Long Lake is a fetching place, with several good campsites along the western shore. The elevation profile is comparable for both options. The Emigrant Wilderness is 113,00 acres, more than twice the size of Vermont. So you need to know the regulations for where you are and make sure you dont have fires if you reach a certain elevation. There was a faint use trail, and a cairn (stack of rocks) on the other side of the creek. So yes, we did go skinny-dipping. If you're looking for elevation gain, Emigrant Wilderness has you covered. Heading east on the Bell Meadow Trail we climbed through a cool forest and descended into another canyon. Frequently asked trail questions about Emigrant Wilderness. Pinecrest, CA 95364. Emigrant Wilderness is in Stanislaus National Forest, North of Yosemite. 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. After a lengthy break in the shade, we continued our trek. The night was wind-still, and there wasnt a cloud in sight. After taking a ton of photos that wouldnt do it any justice, we skirted around the upper flanks to a notch where our route would take us over to Big Lake. it is this direction which I believe provides the best experience. Be sure to file a trip itinerary with the local rangess and obtain necessary permits before heading out into this remote wilderness. The trail passed through a pleasant pine forest. It takes an average of 4 h 4 min to hike. Referred to as the granite superhighway, there is this giant, smooth granite bowl between Hyatt and Big Lakes that empties into Cherry Creek Canyon. Sierra Rec Magazine is the Sierra Nevadas only regional publication dedicated to outdoor lifestyle news and features for the entire Sierra Nevada Range. We stood in awe of the immensity of the bowl. The two times Ive done this loop the crowds were extremely thin, so we never had to search for campsites. 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. Senate. For this evening, we had soaked brown minute rice with dehydrated black beans and a little taco seasoning for about an hour. Went to Chewing Gum Lake over the Labor Day weekend. AllTrails has 14 great trails for hiking, backpacking, and camping and more. Im normally not a fan of wilderness reservoirs, but Relief is pretty. Katie is a freelance writer based in Salt Lake City, Utah. In the late spring and early summer, the rushing water along the creek creates gorgeous cascades for miles along this canyon. To get to the lakes, we had to hug the ridge to our left, due south west. I thought we would see the lakes at the ridge, but I was mistaken. The best times to visit Emigrant Wilderness are from June to September, with afternoon thunderstorms always possible (so come prepared). This time we chose a lesser known wilderness area within the Stanislaus National Forest called the Emigrant Wilderness. I had to abandon my plan to keep hiking up North Fork Cherry Creek toward the upper Emigrant Lakes. Emigrant wasnt our first choice, but it was the only wilderness area open to overnight use at the time. I kept going. TDD (209) 533-0765, Summit Ranger District 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. Where: Emigrant Wilderness, Stanislaus National Forest. Watersheds drain to the Stanislaus and Tuolumne Rivers. Emigrant Wilderness - granite dome lakes << Hiking In Emigrant Summary Granite Dome Hike >> Stats to Reach Lakes. This trail is estimated to be 73.9 km long and takes on average 22 h 59 min to hike. 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. This peaceful, alpine lake makes for a perfect one day getaway during the summer months and to escape the heat of the foothills. The southeast side was nasty and I broke an expensive trekking pole. Granite basins carved by glaciers, jeweled with lakes, and speckled with wildflowers attract visitors to the Emigrant Wilderness. 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. I didnt see any signs of fish, so I continued hiking to Buck Lakes. The Emigrant Wilderness is over 100,000 acres with over 80 lakes within a granite basin filled with granitic domes, ridges, and small hills. Whatever you have planned for the day, you can find the perfect trail for your next trip to Emigrant Wilderness. (209) 965-3434 Access overall is good. Check here to see if you can apply for an online permit. If you came to camp Emigrant Wilderness - Upper Relief Reservoir is a great site to do that. but muddy this time of year. The last climb up to the trailhead offered a new landscape of volcanic rock and bright-yellow aspen. Many are not on marked trails and some rock scrambling may be necessary. But the impact was forceful enough to cause a big bruise and my foot to swell up. We also contemplated a summit of Granite Dome, but were too tired on the day we hiked to Iceland Lake. FAX (209) 533-1890 Emigrant Wilderness and Sachse Monument Loop boasts the most elevation gain with 2,857 m of total ascent. As we hiked further into the Emigrant, more rock formations began to appear and the crowds thinned. The park's runner-up is Granite Dome Loop via Kennedy Meadows, which will get you 5,587 ft of elevation gain. The last miles of the trail passed through an old burn area. 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. An overnight permit is required for backpacking this route. Beautiful views. Chewing Gum Lake is no exception. The Emigrant has really went downhill the last few years as well as as other wilderness areas. This was a perfect opportunity to experiment with cold soaked meals! The Lake is just as beautiful as usual, but it was crowded on Saturday and Sunday. One night camping limit per trip at the following lakes: Bear, Camp, Grouse, Powell, and Waterhouse. Overnight parking is allowed, and pit toilets are available here. This is because Kennedy Meadows Resort is private property, but it edges right up against National Forest land. I stopped at Camp Lake to fill up on water and layer down. The Bell Meadow Trail parallels the Crabtree Trail, and can create a variety of nice loops to explore. From there, the trail descends into canyons and climbs ridges undulating in this familiar fashion for miles. Purchase maps at any Stanislaus National Forest Ranger Stationor the Forest Service online store. This trail has a lot of steep sections and loose rock. There are many opportunities to extend the loop or go slightly off-trail to different lakes, so we were grateful for our easy itinerary. These are typically self-serve, free, and unlimited at any Stanislaus National Forest ranger station. There are wonderful campsites at nearly every lake on this loop. Once back at the car, we changed our clothes, put our sore and tired feet in our trusty Crocs, and headed down the mountain. 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. Second, the lakes of the Emigrant Wilderness are known to have some large fish. Start and end at the Crabtree Trailhead. The trail flattened out a bit as we walked through Saucer Meadow and then we descended to our camp spot near Summit Creek. Historic and scenic, the trail offers magnificent vistas far south into Yosemite and north to the jumbled volcanic peaks of the Sonora Pass country. Elevation: +3000ft. A GPS Track, good navigation skills, and desert hiking experience are highly recommended on this route. This hike has off-trail portions to get to Iceland Lake. Backpacking to Upper Lewis Lake and Granite Dome in Emigrant Wilderness What Is Happy July 9, 2015 Second annual backpacking trip up to Emigrant Wilderness for the 4th of July. Though eventually abandoned as a major travel route over the Sierra, the Emigrants water continues to make the area a vital resource for California. Some of the Emigrant still includes cattle grazing allotments, and you may encounter cows or their signs from July to September. Top 10 Backpacking Trails John Muir Wilderness; Emigrant Wilderness; Explore Granite Chief Wilderness; Explore Golden Trout Wilderness; Jennie Lakes Wilderness; Destinations . We inadvertently found an unmarked trail that would ultimately lead back to the Bell Meadow trail, but that wasnt in our plan so we backtracked. . Permits are required for overnight trips. To the north and east one finds terrain dominated by lava-capped summits with fields of granite spanning for miles. But to be a good wilderness steward when youre off-trail, there are some key points you should follow. The Death Valley Four Springs Loop is an entirely off-trail loop that connects four different springs in the southern portion of the National Park. There is no exception for using existing sites that are too close to water. It was also mostly downhill, which was great. #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. Option to stay in Upper Relief Lakes. The best troutin is in the more remote lakes, many located in the southwestern portion of the area. Having climbed nearly 5000 over three days, we were proud of ourselves for adding yet another amazing trip to our memories. The road to the trailhead is accessible to most passenger vehicles with decent clearance at low water levels, but high clearance 4WD is needed for any creek fords at high water levels. I returned to do this loop again in 2020, and it felt just as special even after hundreds of backpacking miles under my belt. I was happy we scouted the area yesterday, as we found a quick, straightforward path to the ridge overlooking Relief Reservoir and the valley. Drive carefully on Crabtree Road, and look out for horse poop on the trail. 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. Hiking in Stanislaus National Forest: If this past year taught us anything, its to do your research before you go. 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