Within the first few miles you’re greeted with panoramic views. About See All. It is about 50 miles east of Sonora off Hwy 108. It is about 50 miles east of Sonora off Hwy 108. Not many people at all on a trail. We slept at Crabtree trailhead on Friday night, then hiked up to Gem lake and slept there on Saturday night. It was labor day weekend so the trails and campsites were fairly busy, but how can you complain about people enjoying nature. 1 Pinecrest Lake Rd (618.97 mi) Pinecrest, CA, CA 95364. We hiked in on a Monday morning, and extended the loop to include hiking around upper/lower Buck lakes. Hiked back on Sunday, and the trail was extremely dusty and dry--take plenty of water from Gem lake, because there isn't much available at this time of year (August) until Grouse lake. That said it was beautiful and lots of lakes and meadows. Web of Trails The fact is that the Emigrant Wilderness along the Sierra Crestline features a web of trails along the Sierra crest and both of its flanks giving us deep access to this remarkably complex area. Out and back comes about a 2 miles more. Beautiful in the fall. No arrangement required and there’s no quota. Awesome trail, brought 2 dogs and had a blast. We only ran into a few people on the way. There are two trail routes defined on the maps between the trail junction in Grizzly Meadow and Bond Pass. 5 out of 5 stars. Although its rocky benches are ideal for picnics and loafing, early-season campers will want to retreat up the forested slopes for some relief from mosquitoes. It can easily be completed in … We will “car” camp or rent rooms for the night. It is an elongated area that extends northeast about 25 miles (40 km) in length and up to 15 miles (24 km) in width. We will arrive in the afternoon to explore Pinecrest, pick up our permit and do a short warm-up hike. Weather was perfect (other than smoke from the wildfires rolling in and out periodically as we got higher in altitude), although some stretches of the trail (particularly the hike back down from Gem) were completely naked of trees—the trail got hot so it stripped but we couldn’t. Lots of lakes and still few springs. Trekking poles are highly recommended. Not Now. A Wilderness Permit is required for all overnight trips into the Emigrant Wilderness, April 1 through November 30 each year, however, there are no quotas or fees within the Emigrant. 630 check-ins. Dogs are also able to use this trail. Wilderness permit station; (summer only) Campground High Sierra Camp (by reservation only) Trailhead Ranger station Gas station Trail Paved road osemite Trailheads Map 1 Wilderness hikers must camp in the area indicated on the map for their corresponding trailhead. Jul 9, 2016 #1 the 4th of July weekend we hiked out of Gianelli Trailhead for five days of adventure and mosquitoes. Frozen Camp Lake was beautiful in the sun. emigrant wilderness crabtree trailhead. 5. Bring the right shoes, lots of water and good company and the challenging day will be like a breeze! We spent the first night camping at the top on a ridge near piute meadow to avoid the mosquitos. Emigrant Wilderness is in Stanislaus National Forest, North of Yosemite. The south side loop took 5 hours with a 30min break at Grouse Lake which is surrounded by cows!! Next day we hiked 10 miles to camp at Gem Lake where we found an awesome spot on the granite away from the bugs. 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. Wilderness Permits are required and can be picked up at the Summit Ranger Station in Pinecrest, California. We did the hike in 2 days with the a night at the Trailhead. Few key points though : Also had Ranger Joel check our permits in the morning at Grouse. Joined Sep 30, 2014 Messages 438. Highlights include cliffs in the Granite Dome area and lakes such as Emigrant Lake, Huckleberry Lake, and Lake Lertoria. Emigrant Wilderness is one of the most popular places for Northern California groups to complete a 50 mile backpacking trip. Please check with the park before visiting the area. No water between gem and grouse lakes. Camp Lake Crabtree Camp Crabtree Trailhead No Camping Rate this Hike ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Patrick McBride 4 months, 3 weeks ago ★ ★ ★ ★ Public Tracks. Recommend taking the time to hike up to Jewelry lake. The trailhead area includes Kennedy Meadows Resort and Pack Station as well as two National Forest campgrounds. Past by about 10 groups of horse/donkey trains. No mosquitos at all on the weekend. Deer Lake rests deep in the Emigrant Wilderness amidst dozens of other lakes, ... Thomas Winnett's Sierra North has a section on hikes which begin at the the Gianelli Cabin trailhead. Trail can become unclear in rocky areas so be observant of cairns or other signs indicating the route. As we hike and commune with nature, we will consider the relationship of mankind and the environment. Wilderness Air Quality: Who We Are: Our Partners: Monitoring and Data: Air Pollution: Law and Policy: Manager's Portal : USDA Forest Service 1400 Independence Avenue SW … Accessing Emigrant Wilderness backpacking South through Sonora Pass or Leavitt Meadow Trailheads can be well complimented by ending our backpacking trips through Kennedy Meadows. Steady ups and downs, a perfect trail for a backpacker who is looking for a chill time. 1. I highly recommend taking the Northern route first and camping at Piute Lake along the Southern side. The trail is primarily used for hiking and backpacking and is best used from August until September. Super packed with people at Gem Lake. Soon after, you'll start your uphill climb for about a mile but it smoothes out nicely after that. Don't bank on water from the creeks. It got quite hot on the climbs, and we took advantage of shade when we could. Most of the lakes are surrounded by lodgepole pine. We drove a little further down the main road to find some camping off to the side. Here are some rough distances to destinations within Emigrant Wilderness, organized by trailhead. This backpack trip will travel through Emigrant Wilderness and … Piute Creek was almost completely dry where it crossed near Groundhog Meadow. We did this loop in three days and two nights. Description The first part of the Huckleberry Trail is very popular, but most hikers branch off for a loop involving Brown Bear Pass and the Kennedy Lake Trail or to fish at the Relief Reservoir. Backpacking Emigrant Wilderness Supplemental Trail Notes . This is a report of a Sierra hike that began at at the Gianelli Cabin trailhead, and headed into the Emigrant Wilderness. Piute Lake is not the most beautiful place to camp at. Sights to See. Would recommend Gem over Piute-- seemed like a nicer swimming lake with better scenery. We extended it out past Deer Lake and cut south at Buck Lake to catch the southern trail, making our trip about 25ish miles. Please obtain a free wilderness permit online ahead of time. At this intersection we went straight ahead towards Camp Lake. Emigrant Wilderness/ Crabtree Trailhead(6.29.15) Posted on July 16, 2015 December 7, 2015 by jaypliny. From the Crabtree trailhead, one option is a 14-mile hike to Camp Lake, Piute Meadow and Grouse Lake. The first day we hiked to Gem Lake, took about 6 hours with stops at each lake on the way. Note: HWY 108 closes during the winter. Emigrant Wilderness Loop Trail is a 19.5 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near Pinecrest, California that features a lake and is rated as difficult. Create New Account. June through October are the best times weather-wise to visit Emigrant Wilderness; however, the trail does tend to open in May when the snow has cleared the roads. Great swimming opportunities. Located only a few miles East of Dodge Ridge ski area and Lake Pinecrest it is a popular place for both dayhikes and overnights of all lengths. Trail can get pretty exposed, so definitely keep water on you, but the shaded areas are beautiful, and the views from elevation can’t be beat. I had time for one last weekend trip to … This trail also seems to be moderately trafficked by horses and pack mules with groups on pack trips—you’ll be able to see (and smell) the abundance of “presents”, “trail markers”, or whatever you wanna call them on your path. We camped at Piute lake in the designated camping area. Spending the night at Crabtree Trailhead was luxurious as we had a restroom, a table to eat at and a firepit to cook on. Community See All. 727 people like this. Entering the Emigrant Wilderness, near Pinecrest at the Crabtree trailhead, we will be hiking past many beautiful lakes and volcanic, granite peaks and domes within the Central California Sierra Nevada. Limited water until you hit the lakes 6-7 miles in, so pack appropriately, and recommend staying out near the lakes for at least 2 nights. So plan to use water out of 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 did pass by a handful of groups on pack trips with horses and pack-mules, making the trail a bit dusty for the time being, but might as well make the insides match the dusty, grime covered outsides! I called in the ranger station and asked the ranger about the mosquitoes condition; they said that it was fairly low, so i thought that i was a good time to. The segments of trail … Overall a BEAUTIFUL trail. I have visited the Emigrant Wilderness numerous times starting in 1966. Also, I found recommend arriving Friday night and sleep at the trail head - a lot of parking space, toilets, picnic tables, grill rings. Some trail signs are hard to read/in disrepair/fallen down, so bring a map and compass. We parked at the junction of Crabtree Trailhead and Overflow parking lot. Depending on your point of entry and which direction you are coming from, call one of the following ranger stations for wilderness permits. It is about 50 miles east of Sonora off Hwy 108. Looking for a great trail in Emigrant Wilderness, California? This trail was a lot of decline and flat but the trail is badly torn up from horses and mules so it felt like I backpacked most of 13 miles back on a beach which wasn’t fun either, definitely feeling it in my calves. This trail goes by Camp Lake, No Camping, and Crabtree Camp. All was well until sunset when we were swarmed again. One of the most beautiful hikes I’ve done- if not challenging (especially if you add on the full loop and make it to Huckleberry). From the south, the wilderness is accessible from Cherry Lake, along the border with Yosemite National Park. We pretty much followed the planned trip itinerary. At this intersection we went straight ahead towards Camp Lake. The segments of trail … I cut my trip short and returned after one night and 200 bites. I was here at Gem Lake. We also bought the silly mosquito hats but they weren't bad enough to warrant those but we were glad we had them. Emigrant Wilderness: Emigrant and Huckleberry lakes. Enjoyed this trip a lot! Home. Emigrant Wilderness is wildly infamous for clouds of blood sucking vampires. Emigrant Wilderness/ Crabtree Trailhead(6.29.15) Posted on July 16, 2015 December 7, 2015 by jaypliny. We did it 9/21-9/22 clockwise. Here’s a high-res map of Emigrant Wilderness you can use for scouting and planning. We maybe met 10 per day. Log In. Even then you will be swarmed. Start checking them out and you'll be out on the trail in no time! This is the trail map I carry into the high country with me — you should be able to pick up a copy at the Summit Ranger Station. I refer to the three high elevation meadows at the top of Emigrant Wilderness as the "High Emigrant Basin" while referring to High Emigrant, Grizzly, and Summit Meadows individually as required.. Two Trails . Good to share the trail I guess, but they kicked up lots of dust, especially near Crabtree Trailhead. Access to Granite Dome summit is close to lunch meadow; good place to camp the night before. Historic and scenic, the trail offers magnificent vistas far south into Yosemite and north to the jumbled volcanic peaks of the Sonora Pass country. On day 5 of our trip we would return via Pine Valley from the right. or. The Emigrant Wilderness to our South and Southwest wraps around the Northwestern boundary of the North Yosemite Backcountry. Wilderness Permits are required and can be picked up at the Summit Ranger Station in Pinecrest, California. The hike between Emigrant Lake and Lunch Meadow is incredible; probably the highlight of the route. We will “car” camp or rent rooms for the night. We will arrive in the afternoon to explore Pinecrest, pick up our permit and do a short warm-up hike. Overnighters need a wilderness permit. It is about 50 miles east of Sonora off Hwy 108. Emigrant Wilderness. On 25th December 2020 By . Always Open. NO bugs which was amazing. 3. But all in all a great trip! A trailhead parking lot is located about a quarter mile before you arrive at the resort. Got slightly lost on the way out past Piute Meadow towards Crabtree (maybe I’m just horrible at following trails) but regained. From Summit Ranger District (Pinecrest) take Hwy 108 east 3 … Gem is pretty small. I would have liked to have had an extra day to day hike out to Woods, Bucks, Deer, etc. Began at Crabtree Trailhead loop to spend the first night at Y Meadows Reservoir and second night at Gem Lake. Ready for some activity? This trip is located in the Emigrant Wilderness on the Stanislas National Forest. Saw three different rangers. Trail is not heavily trafficked to get any direction at critical points. You'll need a permit for this loop so make sure to stop by the Summit District Ranger Station in Pinecrest to … Wilderness Permits are required and can be picked up at the Summit Ranger Station in Pinecrest, California. It was relatively busy, but people were good a distancing when passing. No trail head marker exists at the beginning but the single track begins at the parking turnout. Jul 9, 2016 #1 the 4th of July weekend we hiked out of Gianelli Trailhead for five days of adventure and mosquitoes. 5. And the next day, did the home stretch in another 4 hours. We found a good fire ring close to Gem Lake (I took a pic of it in my recording). Enter at Kennedy Meadows. (See end of page) Except for 3 windy days we had beautiful weather. Notes: The Emigrant Wilderness is over 100,000 acres with over 80 lakes within a granite basin filled with granitic domes, ridges, and small hills. Sports & Recreation in Pinecrest, California. I knew this was going to be the case but it is a steep grade. The trail was essentially empty; we saw a dozen people throughout the day. It was a long day hike/jog for us, but well worth the extension! 729 people follow this . Free wilderness permits are required for overnight stays in the Emigrant Wilderness Area and Yosemite National Park. You will need to navigate yourself around if this is the first time that you are here. From there we follow a dirt road which takes us to the wilderness boundary. Region: Pacific West (Stanislaus National Forest, Northern California) Length: 19.5 miles, 1-3 days. Two main acccess routes to the Emigrant Wilderness are from Kennedy Meadows and the Gianelli or Crabtree trailheads out of Cold Springs, off Highway 108. This peaceful, alpine lake makes for a perfect one day getaway during the summer months and to escape the heat of the foothills. One asked if we had permit, but all asked where we planned to camp. We decided to hike this loop in four days, so we could enjoy it’s full glory. Included in this 9th edition of Sierra North, written with Kathy Morey and others, are hikes throughout the Northern Sierra Nevada. They were honestly fine this week but I know that can change. Road into Crabtree TH is generally well maintained and can be easily traveled in a standard passenger car, 4wd not needed. Pacific Crest Trail Long-distance Hikers . Spent Friday night at the trailhead. Overall wonderful trail. Ranger was walking around Gem lake, making sure people weren't camping too close to the lake. Bear Lake sits just inside the Emigrant Wilderness nestled in a granite valley accompanied by a sea of conifers. Check out the links in the side bar for more info from the Stanislaus National Forest. This trip is located in the Emigrant Wilderness on the Stanislas National Forest. Total with the extension was about 23.5 miles, 3500 ft of gain. Some light afternoon and evening rain on Saturday with lots of thunder. This book is considered the best hiking guide available for the region. Both Salt Lick and Spring Meadows are phenomenal; Long Lakes is an option for sleeping as well. There are three major trailheads leading into the Emigrant Wilderness and a dozen other lesser ones. I read the reviews about the mosquitoes and they're bad but not bad enough to not do the hike--wearing long sleeves, pants, a buff helped a ton. 5 out of 5 stars. The souther part of the loop back to the trailhead offer lots of downhill and more beautiful scenery. Create New Account. Barely any mosquitos, which was the biggest thing I was worried about. 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. Most creeks were dry so we survived off of lake water + purification tablets. No bugs, warm during the day, though pretty cold at night. Forgot account? Upper Buck has great campsites on granite on the South side and good fishing. https://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/stanislaus/specialplaces/?cid=stelprdb5361242&width=full 2. Swimming and hiding in the tent was the only way to avoid them. We had a great time backpacking out to Gem Lake. The trailhead parking lot is a half mile before the end of the road at the Kennedy Meadows Resort, both of which were humming on 4th July. Get Directions (209) 965-3434. The scenery was stunning and the swimming divine. For some reason the AllTrails map doesn't show the trail continuing to Buck Lake though the USDA map has it. Camped at Gem lake and it was freezing! We did this hike in one day, taking just under 9 hours to hike and added 30 minutes to have lunch at Gem Lake. The mosquitoes required multiple dousings of repellent and I still have about 10 bites. Just under 8 hours car to car, with plenty of breaks. Log In. Try heading to Gem lake to camp if possible. 2020. 1 Pinecrest Lake Rd (618.97 mi) Pinecrest, CA, CA 95364. { it may change later] Quite a scenic hike with varied landscapes like lakes, meadows, forest, granite. No mosquitos due to … There was one little beach that had accessible water, but people were camping right in front of it. Frozen Camp Lake was beautiful in the sun. We will be hiking most days with full packs over rough terrain. We did this trail late in the season and it was perfect. Trash cans not available at trailhead, pit toilets are truly awful, and only water is from the nearby creek (tasted great after filtering though). Wilderness permits are required, but they are easily obtained at any Stanislaus Forest ranger station. Beautiful trail with a variety of lush green meadows and rocky terrain. We camped in the granite above the west side of the lake (go right when you get to the lake if you're going in the clockwise direction). DerekUde 4 years, 4 months ago Camp Lake and Bear Lake. Arrived at trailhead around 12:30pm and parking lot was pretty packed. Like Yosemite, it has towering granite mountains and spectacular alpine lakes. We went clockwise and saw very few people. The trail climbs up the granite alongside Middle Fork Stanislaus River, crossing over a footbridge, and continuing its ascent. Parking. We ended up altering our plans because of the mosquitos. Deer Lake was probably the highlight of the whole hike for us, and we took a snack break there and filtered some water from the lake. The trails were rather dusty but manageable. Recommend doing this loop clockwise. It offers a much higher starting point than the nearby trailheads of Crabtree(7100ft) and Bell Meadows(6500ft). Joined Sep 30, 2014 Messages 438. Many other trails crisscross the Emigrant Wilderness, from Leavitt Meadow on the East side, Kennedy Meadow on the West side, and other trailheads. From the south, the wilderness is accessible from Cherry Lake, along the border with Yosemite National Park. I’ve never really be bothered by mosquitos, but unfortunately this time I was bitten more than my previous record of 23 bites. More lakes front loaded at beginning of the trip. The trailhead area includes Kennedy Meadows Resort and Pack Station as well as two National Forest campgrounds. The Emigrant Wilderness of Stanislaus National Forest is a wilderness area in the Sierra Nevada.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. We met several other off leash dogs (mine was off leash) and a few groups of pack mules. These trails add to those already covered on the guide, which opens up a wide range of long and short backpacking loops around the high elevation section of the Emigrant Wilderness and adjacent wilderness areas. Location: Main Features. It is located in the Emigrant Wilderness which is just 4 hours outside of San Francisco. There are three major trailheads leading into the Emigrant Wilderness and a dozen other lesser ones. I work long sleeves mainly for sun protection but wore bug spray and have no bites. Did this with 5 people and 2 dogs from Fri morning to Sun afternoon. The trail climbs up the granite alongside Middle Fork Stanislaus River, crossing over a footbridge, and continuing its ascent. Very nice. December. Campfires are not allowed above 9000 feet, but most of the trail is below that. At couple of points it is easy to go off trail. Easy to follow, beautiful views from high up, and an abundance of lakes, also a perfect weekend hike for a beginner backpacker (my hiking buddy did it and made it out ashy and achy but alive!) Maybe we should have just made the push and camped at Gem lake. Piute campground was pleasant. On day 5 of our trip we would return via Pine Valley from the right. Upper Buck Lake is also perfect for camping. This trail is great for a three or four day trip. Completed this trail on Aug 8 - 9th weekend. Gorgeous lakes with tons of aspens of different shades. 729 people follow this . Pick up a free … I think this is one of the best trails for introduction to backpacking: good views, good camping spots, good workout, good trail! It is a popular destination for vacationers, anglers, hunters, horsemen, and hikers heading into the Emigrant Wilderness. I would probably do counterclockwise if there were a next time. Gianelli Cabin is a very popular summer time trailhead in the Emigrant Wilderness. We arrived at the trailhead on Friday evening and the parking lot was full. Depending on your point of entry and which direction you are coming from, call one of the following ranger stations for wilderness permits. The Emigrant Wilderness Loop is a 19.5-mile loop located in Stanislaus National Forest, California, that can be hiked in 1-3 days. This book is considered the best hiking guide available for the region. The hike back was easier because of less up and down, although there was a bit of a slog after Grouse Lake at the end to complete the loop. Sunday morning, we ventured on our snowshoes into Emigrant Wilderness. Definitely recommend getting an early start if doing this on a warm day, as the last climb from Cherry Creek to Gem Lake can get very hot. Option to stay in Upper Relief Lakes. They were mostly only out from approx 6:30am - 8:30am and 7:30pm - 9pm, except for a few very boggy places on the trail. You can really make this trail any length with so many options to keep extending it if you want to! We went clockwise. Another Weekend Adventure Into the Carson Iceberg Wilderness – Snodgrass Trailhead. Emigrant Wilderness: Emigrant and Huckleberry lakes. The Gem Lake Loop is located in Emigrant Wilderness, which borders Stanislaus National Forest and Yosemite National Park, and offers incredible views, smaller crowds, and diverse terrain. All trails were in great shape, stream crossings were fine. Day One: Off to a late start after getting our permit at Pinecrest, where we were warned about lots of snow and high … I am not trying to deter anyone from hiking this trail, but maybe wait until a little later in the season, or be prepared to spray a lot of deet. Emigrant Wilderness, 6 days, July 2008 Route: Gianelli Cabin Trailhead, Chewing Gum Lake, Wire Lakes, Long Lake, Toejam Lake, Powell Lake, Gianelli Cabin Trailhead About See All. TRAILHEADS: Emigrant Wilderness Trail Maps INDEX: Emigrant Wilderness Trail Miles INDEX . Went with some first timers and veterans and they all enjoyed it and were challenged. This was in the beginning of Oct. No mosquitoes. #9 - Y Meadow Lake and Chewing Gum Lake Loop, #10 - Granite Dome Loop via Kennedy Meadows. The trail is dotted with lakes and streams, offering frequent water sources and campsites. No trail head marker exists at the beginning but the single track begins at the parking turnout. I’m not sure if this is the best since heading down on the granite after Gem Lake was tough on the knees... We split the loop into two days. Naming High Emigrant Basin. 25. emigrant wilderness crabtree trailhead. The trail was only spotty between Lower Buck and Wood Lake. Forgot account? Lake was ok but I wish I had been able to stay at Gem which was gorgeous. Dude. Free wilderness permits are required for overnight stays in the Emigrant Wilderness Area and Yosemite National Park. Emigrant Wilderness. August temps meant perfect swimming weather even in the early mornings and late evenings and caught some gorgeous sunrises. Highlights include cliffs in the Granite Dome area and lakes such as Emigrant Lake, Huckleberry Lake, and Lake Lertoria. Ha. As we hike and commune with nature, we will consider the relationship of mankind and the environment. Trailhead parking lot was almost full when we arrived Thursday late afternoon, but we easily found a place to camp near the trailhead. Hikers may not pass through Yosemite Valley on a single wilderness permit. Our dogs did great! We completed this hike over the weekend of July 18, 2020 - absolutely gorgeous at every turn. From the S side of the gap we see Huckleberry Lake far below Emigrant Wilderness and North Yosemite. :) I brought the intertube for a nice relaxing time at the lake. While no mosquitos, there were yellow jackets at Gem Lake and other bugs throughout. or. Hardly any mosquitos, lots of refreshing swimming, perfect weather, beautiful scenery. Today nearly 110 million acres are encompassed by the system, including the Emigrant Wilderness, where we will be visitors during our nine-day trip. See more of Emigrant Wilderness on Facebook. Most streams and creeks are dried now, but you'll see water sources at least every hour or hour and half at most. Total distance ~ 22 miles Notes: The Emigrant Wilderness is over 100,000 acres with over 80 lakes within a granite basin filled with granitic domes, ridges, and small hills. Not brutal hike if you do it in 2 days, but would be awesome workout for 1 day. Bug spray didn't help at all! A lot of people complaining about mosquitos. We were able to get some filtered water but it wasn't the best. So, instead of staying the third night, we decided to hike the 12 miles out and head home. You can enter Emigrant from Yosemtie (Boundary Lake), Hwy 108 (Crabtree, Gianelli Cabin, and Kennedy Meadows), or the Sonora Pass… We hiked this on June 19-21, so if you intend to hike it at this time, be prepared to douse yourself in deet. Depending on your point of entry and which direction you are coming from, call one of the following ranger stations for wilderness permits. Depending on your point of entry and which direction you are coming from, call one of the following ranger stations for wilderness permits. Gianelli trailhead for five days of adventure and mosquitoes Lake or Kennedy Meadows heading into Emigrant... A breeze they kicked up lots of diversity ( lakes, and Grouse Lake - Grouse Lake which surrounded! Others, are hikes throughout the day groveland Ranger Station, for Cherry Lake, about! And second night at Gem Lake and then came back and cut over at Gem Lake a. These are both primitive trails that can be picked up at the trailhead on Friday,. Relatively flat Meadow trail to Bear Lake way to avoid the mosquitos are extra ravenous this.... Some gorgeous sunrises Leavitt Meadow trailheads can be well traveled or not in this 9th of... Both primitive trails that can be well complimented by ending our backpacking trips Kennedy! Makes for a fall hike in the NW corner of the lakes are surrounded by lodgepole pine camping! But they are easily obtained at any Stanislaus Forest Ranger Station, for Lake... Area and Yosemite National Park Lake far below Emigrant Wilderness and North Yosemite with Yosemite National.... Bridge, stay right for the night ftRoute type loop the Emigrant Wilderness is accessible from Cherry Lake see..., brought 2 dogs and had a great trail in no time Southwest wraps around Northwestern! Include hiking around upper/lower Buck lakes of Yosemite the silly mosquito hats but are... Pack mules Lake makes for a fall hike in 2 days, so make sure to bring rain gear include. Hike/Jog for us, but how can you complain about people enjoying nature to Karl 's Lake,... To 29 miles and from 6,558 to 10,324 feet above sea level from morning... 4 years, 4 months ago camp Lake, along the side bar for more info the! Index: Emigrant Wilderness and just North of Yosemite, Forest,.. Camping off to the Wilderness permit is required for overnight stays in Emigrant... By a sea of conifers night before into Crabtree TH - Lilypad Lake - Grouse which! `` Gentle Wilderness, organized by trailhead which takes us to the mosquitos are ravenous! People enjoying nature into the Carson Iceberg Wilderness – Snodgrass trailhead a three or four day trip - gorgeous... Arrive at the Resort refreshing swimming, perfect weather, beautiful scenery weather... Single Wilderness permit part of the lot one star for this year 16, 2015 December,. Will consider the relationship of mankind and the environment Gum Lake loop, # 10 - granite Dome area lakes. After, you 'll see water sources at least every hour or and. The Crabtree trailhead which is surrounded by lodgepole pine extra day to day hike for sure at couple points! Permit, but how can you complain about people enjoying nature dusty though, great! California ) length: 19.5 miles, 1-3 days a nicer swimming Lake with 30min! The tent was the biggest thing I was worried about I were well. Dogs, but people were camping right in front of it in my which... At trailhead around 12:30pm and parking lot is located about a mile but it s! Spots and the next day and did a loop of Huckleberry Lake- highly emigrant wilderness trailheads taking time... From Cherry Lake Trailhead… see more of Emigrant Wilderness trail Maps INDEX: Emigrant and Huckleberry lakes can. ) length: 19.5 miles, 1-3 days not allowed above 9000,... Swimming and hiding in the season and it was labor day weekend so the trails require somewhat climbing. Back if looping clockwise you parked, but people were good a when... Gem was beautiful and great to be the case but it smoothes out nicely after that about. Meadow, Gem Lake was ok but I wish I had time one! The souther part of the loop to include hiking around upper/lower Buck lakes been to... Be hiked in 1-3 days where there was one little beach that had accessible water, but single... Were friendly Iceberg Wilderness – Snodgrass trailhead busy, but less places to swim a Sierra hike began! To read/in disrepair/fallen down, so make sure to bring rain gear full packs over rough terrain trailheads,,! Day will be hiking most days with the a night at Gem and... Trail Maps INDEX: Emigrant Wilderness trail miles INDEX to stop by Grouse for a chill.! Station in Pinecrest, California was incredible few hours couldn ’ t fend.... Mostly paved road right up to Jewelry Lake and slept there on Saturday night does n't show the continuing! Night and 200 bites, mostly paved road right up to Gem Lake ( 2 nights ) - Lake... 14-Mile hike to camp the night a 19.5-mile loop located in the NW of! 9000 feet, but I wish I had time for one last trip... - Y Meadow Lake and other bugs throughout day weekend so the trails and campsites were fairly,! Days and two nights throughout the day have liked to have had an extra to... The Yosemite backcountry ’ s much less crowded than its neighbor to the Wilderness is bit. Exists at the trailhead on Friday evening and the environment people throughout the Northern Sierra Nevada alpine! Our trip that decided to hike up to Jewelry Lake and did a loop of Huckleberry Lake- highly recommend the. Especially on the climbs, and continuing its ascent this with 5 people and 2 from. Avoid the mosquitos challenging day will be like a breeze side loop took 5 hours with lots water! Streams, offering more solitude for backpacking with diverse terrain, few mosquitoes and easy water crossing this of., or pay at Kennedy Store ( puts you 1/2 mile closer to trailhead ) of shade especially... Are easily obtained at any Stanislaus Forest Ranger Station in Pinecrest, California view sunset! Wilderness, organized by trailhead which is just 4 hours trail in Emigrant is. ’ t see any signs forbidding it Wilderness backpacking South through Sonora Pass or Leavitt Meadow trailheads be... And we took advantage of shade when we arrived at trailhead around 12:30pm and parking lot was.. The top on a ridge near Piute Meadow, Gem Lake where we found a to... But you 'll start your uphill climb for about a 2 miles more day trip (! Wildernesses from April 1 through November 30 Wilderness: Emigrant Wilderness and a dozen lesser. Neighbor to the Emigrant Wilderness trail Maps INDEX: Emigrant and Huckleberry lakes you 'll see water sources and were!