Trail Guide, Section TYT Kennedy Meadows to Tuolumne Meadows. One way is not significantly better than the other. Refer to the previous page “Reaching the Lakes” for a description of the hike to ge to the off-trail section at the base of the mountain. I have made two previous trips to this area. The ice cold beer at the store when we got back was a great reward Most definitely recommend this hike. The trailhead area includes Kennedy Meadows Resort and Pack Station as well as two National Forest campgrounds. US 395 Cascading waterfalls, rushing rivers, wood bridges, towering rock faces and sweeping views of the reservoir and the tops of the Sierras were some of the highlights. They can pack you and your gear into an Emigrant Lake base camp. MONDAY THRU FRIDAY THRU 7/22/11 - DUE TO CONSTRUCTION - MOTORISTS ARE SUBJECT Directions are available on the Kennedy Meadows Resort web site. Emigrant Wilderness, Kennedy Lake trek. Dogs are also able to use this trail. The views were beautiful. Had tried it on a weekend and the crowd was overwhelming. Have a beer when you finish. There was some streams from snow run off that you can cool off with. There are restrooms and water as well as facilities to aid with horses. The upper lake is 9.2 miles from the trailhead at 8839' elevation. The trailhead area includes Kennedy Meadows Resort and Pack Station as well as two National Forest campgrounds. Main Backpacking Features Hiking East from the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail up the Western Sierra Flank to Kennedy Lake South of Kennedy Meadows Pack Station opens up much more that a short spur trail to a beautiful lake between the Tahoe to Yosemite and Pacific Crest Trails. We saw some overnight hikers but the trail is wide and it's easy to keep your distance. This 9th edition of Sierra North, written with Kathy Morey and It is considered the best hiking guide available for the region. State Route 108 (from the Central Valley) Amazing to look out over the reservoir with snow capped mountains at the top. Once you get to the sharp right, there is no trail and you need to scramble quite a bit up granite boulders to keep going in the general direction that is shown on the app (note: it's a straight line so definitely not a real path). It is a popular destination for vacationers, anglers, hunters, horsemen, and hikers heading into the Emigrant Wilderness. When you get to the trail Y, keep right until you reach the old boiler section. Option to stay in Upper Relief Lakes. About 10.3 miles from the trailhead.Jewelry Lake: 4.2 acre lake at 8399' elevation. Follow the trail along the north shore of Emigrant Lake and continue west past Buck Lakes. Groups are limited to 15 people. Hike to Iceland Lake - Only for experienced cross-country hikers and do not attempt alone. Kennedy Meadows Pack Station Kennedy Meadows Pack Station knows every mile of the trails through the Emigrant Wilderness. This difficult hike, however, is a botanist’s delight because with the drop into the canyon, you will pass through almost every Sierra altitude range after leaving the trailhead at Kennedy Meadow. The Tahoe to Yosemite Trail South from Kennedy Meadows to Brown Bear Pass is one long steady Climb. It’s was a good trail. Emigrant Basin on the other side of Brown Bear ends the climb into a gentle roller coaster. - http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/roadinfo/sr108 <- Kennedy Meadows Resort and Pack Station A - Summit Creek B - Kennedy Lake C - Lower Relief Valley D - Upper Relief Valley E - Emigrant Meadow F - Emigrant Lake G - Snow Lake H - Maxwell Lake I - Upper Twin Lake J - Bigelow Lake K - Buck Lake L - Dorothy Lake M - Huckleberry Lake N - Tilden Lake O - Benson Lake The trail is easy to follow, but the lake is a little farther out than you'd think. Great trail! Kennedy Meadows to Relief Reservoir Trail. Great hike with beautiful views. Carried the toddler in the pack. This area is great for trout fishing, horseback riding and of course backpacking. The information provided on this website is done so without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. Thomas Winnett's Sierra Northhas a section on hikes which begin at the the Kennedy Meadows trailhead. Big Sam (North to PCT) 10825 feet. But when the breeze kicked in, it was nice. SR 108 very pleasant hike otherwise. The trail proceeds slightly above and to the north of Summit Creek. We will definitely be back for a full three day trip (camp near grouse creek/end of reservoir on the first night, go up to ridge lake for night 2, and come back on the third day). It is also the only hike in the Monarch or Jennie Lakes Wilderness where you pass directly through a Sequoia Grove. The lake is beautiful, we bouldered down to the water and sat for a while there. Tie it All Up Worth the climb. The trail was sandy with lots of horse traffic and poop. The cabin was restored in 1988 by Pat Casey. Beautiful views and river crossings. Fishing is good in the lake and even better along Kennedy Creek. Gianelli Cabin trailhead near Burst Rock is another favorite starting point. They also have a store and a cafe. Our final climb to Bond Pass into Yosemite is quite easy. I like the challenge of the incline on the way to Relief Reservoir but it was still really doable. 1-WAY CONTROLLED TRAFFIC AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS FROM 7.8 MI EAST OF It is a popular destination for vacationers, anglers, hunters, horsemen, and hikers heading into the Emigrant Wilderness. The river was raging. If we had another day, we would've either gone up the second day or done a day trip but with limited time, we hiked back down the second day. Kennedy Lake Backpack Trail Beautiful Scenery and Excellent Fishing The 7-mile hike from Kennedy Meadowsto Kennedy Lakeis one of the classic overnight backpacking outings in the Emigrant Wilderness. . That's a nice little trip. Compare the images of Kennedy Lake below with the map above. Once you conquer going up, the downhill is much more relaxed. A trailhead parking lot is located about a quarter mile before you arrive at the resort. Take the trail north from Deer Lake and then follow Spring Creek until you get to Wilson Meadow Lake. Great waterfalls and granite walls...and then you come to the reservoir! Closer to 9 miles if you go to the water past the creek. The biggest downside is that the trail is used by a lot of horses so you have to constantly dodge horse poop. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from June until October. Kennedy Meadows to Relief Reservoir Trail is a 9.8 kilometer moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Pinecrest, California that features a lake and is rated as moderate. Trails around resevoir were very confusing and didnt always coincide with the maps. We started around 10am and it was already getting hot. Sonora Pass is seasonal, also check SR 108 above Mostly up uphill but it was great ! Smedberg Lake: After crossing the 10,160' elevation of Benson Pass, the trail drops down to Smedberg Lake, about 23 miles from the trailhead.Smedberg is an excellent fishery for rainbows that were planted from 1934 to 1972. and spent about an hour there at the first point you can go down (at the large rusted pipe) to get water (need to take packs off for the last bit to scramble a little). I always pick up my permit on the way up there at the Summit Ranger Station which is at the corner Pinecrest Lake Road and HW 108. Hike to above Relief Reservoir. A long climb from Kennedy Meadow to High Emigrant Lake. The most beautiful and pristine blue water you will see. NO TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS ARE REPORTED FOR THIS AREA. Karl's Lake: This lake is south of Wood Lake and is fishless.Red Can Lake: 4 acres at 8296' elevation. . Kennedy Meadows to Relief Reservoir Trail is a 6.1 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Pinecrest, California that features a lake and is rated as moderate. Lodging is available at Kennedy Meadows Resort. On the main trail, the three main spots for water are Relief Reservoir (slight detour), Grouse Creek (was flowing in late august but unsure about other times), and Summit Creek. << this is taken from http://www.kennedymeadows.com. Kennedy Lake has become a classic destination in the Emigrant Wilderness. https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/kennedy-lake-trail Rivers, bridges, creeks, cave, dam, beautiful reservoir . Lots of nice sights along the way. From the resort, cross the meadow to the first bridge and then begin a steep climb along an old road used to build Relief Dam in the early 1900s. The resort offers rustic cabins, bunk rooms, a supply store, a restaurant, a saloon, hot showers for rent, free public rest rooms, and they also operate a large pack station (horses/mules). U.S. Route 395 (from the Eastern Sierras) TO DELAYS OF UP TO 15 MINUTES Nice steady uphill hike to lake. Cross a second bridge and after a stiff climb, arrive at the turn-off to Kennedy Lake. Great payoff for a relatively short hike. Be sure to bring a bear canister. The Emigrant is most easily accessible from Hwy 108, with many visitors entering from near Pinecrest Lake or Kennedy Meadows. It was busy over 4th of July weekend but that is to be expected. them is the Emigrant Laketrip. On this trip you will experience one of the most scenic and remote sections of the Tahoe-Yosemite Trail, walking with only a day pack from Kennedy Meadows through the Emigrant Wilderness and the Northern Yosemite backcountry to Tuolumne Meadows. Trail map, trip description, camping spots, photos, fishing guide, wilderness permits. This turned out to be a nice, 'early season' hike. It’s uphill most of the way there, with downhill being a bit slippery in the sand on the way back. Not the 6.1 miles that the app says. The reservoir was by far the most stunning part of our trip and we wished we could have spent more time there. - 7/21/11 8:19 PM PDT <- We park in the designated hiking parking area which adds roughly .75 miles to the hike. This hike is at least 8 miles. Intense. More lodging can be found back down the road at Dardanelle Resort. Lots of horses on the trail. After 3.8 miles you'll take a left (right takes you towards the Relief Valleys) on the Huckleberry Trail towards Saucer Meadow/Sheep Camp/Lunch Meadow/Emigrant Meadow. This will dump you out at a good vista over the lake and dam. be careful of the excessive Horse Manure, We stumbled upon this trail while riding up North From Los Banos. We drove to the trailhead on Friday night, arriving around 7pm. I really was impressed. June 2, 2020. They have cabins for rent. Always confirm information with the service provider and check for any recent changes that Bonus: There is a general store by the trailhead at Kennedy Meadows for a cold beer after the hike! There is ample free parking and several campsites on the drive up in case the trailhead is full. Regardless of destination, this section of trail involves detailed route finding based on topography. All in all, it's a beautiful trail. The trailhead area includes Kennedy Meadows Resort and Pack Station as well as two National Forest campgrounds. The climb was a challenge for me but around every corner there was something beautiful to behold. We then hiked up to where there is a sharp right on the trail in AllTrails at Summit Creek. Some hikers drive up to the resort and drop their packs and most of their party close to the actual beginning of the trail before returning to park their car. We hiked up the reservoir (which is gorgeous!) Both Salt Lick and Spring Meadows are phenomenal; Long Lakes is an option for sleeping as well. Overview The Kennedy Meadows trailhead is located on the west side of the Sonora Pass and provides access to the Emigrant Wilderness Area from the north. Not too crowded on a Thursday afternoon and recommend turning right after the second bridge (wooden one) as it's a much easier on joints than the left steep stone stairs. Emigrant Meadow Lake junction 9440 feet. [IN THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA AREA & SIERRA NEVADA] But overall a really nice day hike! Option to stay in Upper Relief Lakes. But worth the views. Two National Forest campgrounds are situated close to Kennedy Meadows. From the south, the wilderness is accessible from Cherry Lake, along the border with Yosemite National Park. Gianelli Cabin is a very popular summer time trailhead in the Emigrant Wilderness. Kennedy built a cabin, which still stands today, where the resort is now located. We had a wonderful time. Kennedy Meadows is located approximately 60 miles East of Sonora, nestled high in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Kennedy Meadows to Granite Dome is a 20.1 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Pinecrest, California that features a lake and is rated as difficult. Red Tape Overnight permits are required for the Emigrant Wilderness and the areas around it. Trips are available starting end of May through first part of October. Kennedy Lake and the land around Kennedy Meadows were claimed by Andrew Thomas Kennedy of Knights Ferry and William E. Lutz in the mid-1880s. The original Kennedy Meadows lodge was erected in 1917. Parking is $5/night at Kennedy Meadows. Hike from Kennedy Meadows to Lower Relief Valley in the Emigrant Wilderness. Road Map North Sierra Trans Sierra Highways Mid week was perfect, not a lot of people on the trail. The trail follows the river out Campfires are allowed. Do not take the trail towards Kennedy Lake! Solid hike. We would say it’s moderately hard. Lots of great camping site around the reservoir. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, nature trips, and bird watching and is accessible year-round. Dogs are … You can see Sonora Peak and Leavit Peak as you walk along the river. 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