Most individuals take about three weeks to hike the John Muir Path, which suggests you’ll get to take pleasure in 20+ nights of epic alpine tenting. Many of the JMT is above the tree line and also you’ll have nightly alternatives to set your self up for unimaginable sunsets, moonrises, Milky Methods, and sunrises. Water for cooking and consuming is in all places and flat, established campsites are plentiful, particularly in the event you’re keen to hike a half mile or extra off the principle hall.
Don’t fear about mapping out the place you’re going to camp every night time, as a result of your tempo will change all through your hike, however there are just a few memorable locations you’ll wish to intention for in case your legs are keen and daylight is in your facet. Right here’s an inventory of among the finest John Muir Path campsites that you just’ll wish to have in your radar as you intend your route.
This weblog put up was initially written by BFT Founder, Kristen, who hiked the John Muir Path Southbound in 2014. It was up to date in 2022 by Mary Caperton Morton of The Blonde Coyote who hiked the John Muir Path Northbound in 2020. It consists of essentially the most just lately out there data.
1) Decrease Cathedral Lake (SOBO Mile 17)
This Yosemite lake is incredible for just a few causes. First, get quintessential views of needle-sharp Cathedral Peak which on a peaceful day types an ideal reflection within the lake. Then, in the event you stroll out to the West finish of the lake, you’ll be able to watch the sundown over Tenaya Lake within the Valley under.
*Notice: Decrease Cathedral Lake is situated about 1/2 mile off of the John Muir Path and requires a brief facet path.
2) Thousand Island Lake (SOBO Mile 43)
There aren’t fairly 1,000 islands in Thousand Island Lake however there are sufficient islands to make this lake some of the picture-perfect postcard-worthy scenes of the JMT. The very best views and campsites are alongside the north facet of the lake, the place you’ll have uninterrupted views throughout the water towards 12,936-foot Banner Peak. Bear in mind that just a few older, unofficial websites are inside 200 ft of the lake, too near the lake for at present’s Go away No Hint requirements. They’re flat and look inviting, however please pitch your tent at a website above the shoreline (just like the campsite under).
3) Garnet Lake (SOBO Mile 45)
There’s a purpose this lake was one in every of Ansel Adam’s favourite locations to {photograph}. Banner and Ritter Peaks rising within the distance, superb swimming, and dozens of tree-covered islands dotting the lake make it one of many extra recognizable lakes within the Sierras.
4) Lake Ediza Junction (SOBO Mile 47)
When you’re on the market you’ll begin to see that the afternoon solar is a essential part of an superior campsite and some websites across the Lake Ediza junction supply simply that. Past Lake Ediza, you descend right down to Shadow Lake, which is attractive, however shady because the identify implies. So cease right here and take pleasure in these rays till the solar units behind the jagged ridge to the west. Whereas the creek will possible be too shallow to swim in, photographers will love the morning reflection of the mountains within the creek.
5) Minarets Lake Loop (SOBO Mile 47)
For an extremely scenic bonus JMT facet mission that begins on the Lake Ediza Junction, think about mountain climbing the Ediza and Minaret Lakes Loop, which makes a semi-circle off the JMT between the Ediza Junction and Johnston Meadow. We loved the most effective John Muir Path campsites between Cecile and Minaret Lakes. This 8.5-mile loop doesn’t add any important mileage to a JMT hike (you’ll be skipping an 8.1-mile part between Shadow Creek and Johnston Lake) and the views of the long-lasting and spiky Minarets throughout the excessive lakes basin are positively well worth the detour.
6) Virginia Lake (SOBO Mile 72)
We didn’t keep right here as a result of we thought it was too early to cease for the day, so we had a pleasant lengthy lunch, did some swimming, and continued on. As we left the lake, a deep sense of remorse began to sink in, and we agreed that we must always’ve camped right here. On the west facet of the lake, there are dozens of flat and personal spots to arrange store that present straightforward lake entry and delightful views.
7) Vermillion Valley Resort (SOBO Mile 88)
In 2020 when Mary hiked the JMT, the ferry throughout Lake Edison wasn’t working so she needed to hike 13 miles off-trail to get to and from Vermillion Valley Resort. By sheer luck, she confirmed up on BBQ night time and the scrumptious scorching meal, scorching showers, laundry, hiker field resupply, and camaraderie with different hikers made the detour value each step. VVR’s old-time basic retailer and tent tenting space just isn’t wilderness tenting, however it would fill your canteen in additional methods than one so we needed to embrace it in our favourite JMT campsites.
*Notice: As of 2022, the ferry is again in service and sometimes runs from July to October.
8) Bear Creek (SOBO Mile 96)
You discover Bear Creek after an extended scorching, dusty hike up and over Bear Ridge, and whenever you lastly attain Bear Creek’s idyllic swimming holes, you’ll be dying for a spot to chill off. So take a dip and calm down the remainder of the day on the large flat granite boulders which are scattered all through the center of the cascades.
9) McClure Meadow (SOBO Mile 119)
The night time we spent in McClure Meadow occurred to be a full moon, and watching the moonrise above Evolution Basin was some of the spectacular issues I’ve seen in my life. There’s additionally a beautiful meandering creek the place you’ll be able to watch the sundown and soak your sore ft.
10) Marie Lakes (SOBO Mile 99)
The campsites at Marie Lakes are smack dab in the midst of a kind of iconic granite lake basins created by the long-lost glaciers of the Sierra. Over the past glaciation, an enormous mass of ice sat on this bowl between 10,898 foot Selden Go and the 13,075-foot Seven Gables. All that weight gouged out the smattering of depressions that are actually the Marie Lakes, Medley Lakes, and Three Thousand Islands Lakes. Surrounded by lakes you’ll be handled to an unimaginable lightshow on the water and a silvery granite skyline at each dawn and sundown.
11) Evolution Basin and Darwin Bench (SOBO Mile 122)
Evolution Lake is one other unimaginable John Muir Path campsite, the place Mary and her mountain climbing companion caught a number of Golden trout. After establishing camp and hanging our meals they hiked as much as Darwin Bench, a dangling lakes basin that overlooks Evolution Basin. This was a spectacular spot to understand the ghosts of glaciers previous that after overtopped all however the highest peaks within the Sierra.
12) Lakes North of Pinchot Go (SOBO Mile 159)
Not like different areas on the path, the mountains round Pinchot Go are dominated by neon pink hues that mild up through the alpenglow hour. There are a number of remoted lakes to select from, so have your choose and luxuriate in these attractive colours.
13) Center Rae Lake (SOBO Mile 172)
Center Rae Lake will possible be one of many busier campsites you encounter on the path, nevertheless it’s for a purpose. Superior swimming, iconic peaks like Fin Dome and the Painted Girl, and among the most excellent dawn reflections make it value placing up with a small crowd.
14) Bighorn Plateau (SOBO Mile 196)
Bighorn Plateau gives unparalleled views of the night time sky, and it’s additionally the place you get your first glimpse of Mt. Whitney. Being on a flat expanse utterly above the treeline, Bighorn Plateau is a good place to observe some night time pictures. Nevertheless, it’s best to solely camp on the plateau if the sky is evident. Getting caught up there in a thunderstorm just isn’t solely disagreeable however may be very harmful.
15) Above Guitar Lake (SOBO Mile 206)
Every little thing I learn main as much as my hike was that Guitar Lake was the final place to get water earlier than heading as much as Mt. Whitney. Because of this, that’s the place most individuals spend their final night time on the path. Simply earlier than Guitar Lake, we ran right into a ranger who advised us that if we stored going a couple of 1/2 mile above Guitar Lake there have been a collection of small unnamed lakes, so we determined to test it out. It ended up being one of the best choice.
Guitar Lake will get chilly and shady early within the afternoon, however the small lake above it provided solitude, late-day solar, and an unimaginable view of the solar setting behind Guitar Lake. We couldn’t have requested for a greater option to spend our final night time on the John Muir Path.
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