Location
The John Muir trail is in California. The northern terminus is in Yosemite Valley, and the southern terminus is at the summit of Mt. Whitney, the highest point in the Continental United States.
Description
The trail passes through a land of 13,000-foot and 14,000-foot peaks, of soaring granite cliffs, of lakes literally by the thousands, of canyons 5000 feet deep. It is a land where man's trails touch only a tiny portion of the total area, so that by leaving the Muir Trail you can find utter solitude. It is a land uncrossed by road for 160 airline miles from Walker Pass to Tuolumne Meadows. And perhaps best of all, it is a land blessed with the mildest, sunniest climate of any major mountain range in the world.
When to Go
July and August are best to avoid snow. June may leave snow travel and traverses, and September brings early season snow storms, usually followed by rapid melting.
Permits and Restrictions
Permits are required and are available at Yosemite Valley and in Lone Pine.
Resupply
Resupply is limited and can be expensive. Places to consider resupply are Red's Meadow, Mamoth Lake, Vermillion Valley Resort, Muir Trail Ranch, and the 13 mile one way trip over Bishop Pass (13000 feet) to hitch to the town of Bishop (groceries, motels, laundry, etc).
Maps, Guides and Contacts
Guide to the John Muir Trail by Thomas Winnett
This book is your guide to this wonderful mountain world. It describes the John Muir Trail from the top of Mt. Whitney to Happy Isles in Yosemite Valley, as well as the trail by which you can reach the Muir Trail's start on Mt. Whitney. It has a chapter on how to plan and prepare for your trek, and a series of trail profiles that show all the ups and downs along the route.
Price: $9.95
Edition: 1998, 3rd edition
Pages: 104
Visuals: Photos, Illustrations & Maps
Publisher: Wilderness Press
Pacific Crest Trail Association
5325 Eklhorn Blvd, Box 256
Sacramento, CA 95842
Tel: (916) 349-2109 or (888) 728-7245 (888-PC-TRAIL)
Thru-Hikers
Please EMAIL us if you would like to be added as a Thru Hiker of this trail and you are willing to be contacted by people seeking information.
Susan Alcorn of Shepherd Canyon Books writes: Concurrent with the publication of my new book, "We're in the Mountains Not over the Hill -- Tales and Tips from Seasoned Women Backpackers," my husband has created a Web site that provides concise information on the John Muir Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, Spain's Camino de Santiago, and the Appalachian Trail.
Web site: www.backpack45.com
[Posted 9-12-03]