"Of all the paths you take in life,

make sure a few of them are dirt."

EXPLORE MY HIKES OF THE JOHN MUIR TRAIL

2019 | JMT SECTION HIKE

Sunrise to Red’s Meadow was my first solo backpacking trip longer than one night and first attempt at a long distance hike. While I made many mistakes, including quitting on a bad day, this was the beginning of it all.

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2020 | JMT SOBO

Tuolumne Meadows to Mount Whitney. I started solo and ended up with three new friends. It was a year of COVID-19, rain, and fire. 2019 started my journey on long-distance hikes, but 2020 made me fall in love.

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2021 | JMT SOBO | PCT SECTION

John Muir Trail take two…and then some. I started my hike at Sonora Pass on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), continued along the JMT, and ended at Cottonwood Lakes….with a trail family of eight.

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LEARN MORE ABOUT THE JOHN MUIR TRAIL

FAQ | MY HIKES

July, August (twice), and late September
20 days from Tuolumne Meadows (Lyell Canyon) to Mount Whitney with 0-2 zero (no hike) days
Sunrise Lakes (no longer an option) and Lyell Canyon
I also started further north on the PCT at Sonora Pass and Donner Pass (Yosemite wilderness permits required)
SOBO (Southbound) every time!
37.5 pounds (17 kg) including camera gear
Check out my GEAR LIST and CAMERA GEAR
I love high-alpine, exposed sections on trail: Palisades Lakes, Whitney Zone, Sapphire Lake, Marie Lakes
Red’s Meadow, Vermillion Valley Resort (VVR), Muir Trail Ranch (MTR), and Kearsarge Pass

TRAIL FAQ

The John Muir Trail (JMT) is a 211 mile hike through the Sierra Nevada, from Yosemite National Park to Mount Whitney. Mount Whitney is the highest point in the lower 48 states. Much of the John Muir Trail overlaps with the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), a 2650 mile hike from Mexico to Canada. The trails follow two separate paths between Thousand Island Lake and Red’s Meadow Resort. There is a high demand for permits, but it is well worth the challenge.

While there used to be more options to head southbound out of Yosemite, the only two trailheads that currently provide access to the full John Muir Trail include Happy Isles to Past LYV (Donohue Pass eligible) and Lyell Canyon (Donohue Pass eligible). Northbound options include Whitney Portal, Cottonwood Lakes, and Cottonwood Pass. There are many trailheads available for section hikes.

July, August, September
15-25 days on average
YES! Permits are required for all overnight hikes along the John Muir Trail.

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK:Permit Information, Permit Lottery
INYO NATIONAL FOREST: Permit Information, Permit Application
SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST: Permit Information, Permit Application
SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK: Permit Information, Permit Application
WHITNEY PORTAL: Permit Information, Permit Application
Southbound: Happy Isles to Past LYV (Donohue Pass eligible) and Lyell Canyon (Donohue Pass eligible)
Northbound: Whitney Portal, Cottonwood Lakes, Cottonwood Pass
Section Hike: Rush, Creek, Devil’s Postpile, Duck Pass, trailheads from MTR + VVR, Piute Pass, Bishop Pass, Kearsarge Pass, more!
Personal preference. Southbound is more popular and has a gradual increase in elevation, but permits are highly competitive. Northbound is generally easier to get a permit (from Cottonwood Lakes or Pass). Like Yosemite, permits from Whitney Portal are highly competitive.

TUOLUMNE MEADOWS: Grill and Store | Unreliable since 2020 due to COVID-19, construction, and more recently: snow damage. When open, there is a small store for a basic resupply, post office, and grill (burgers, ice cream, and cold drinks)
MAMMOTH LAKES: Grocery stores, gear stores, lodging, and more
RED’S MEADOW: Grill, Store, and Lodging | The grill offers many options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The store offers multiple resupply options (you can send a resupply box). Red’s Meadow also offers showers, lodging, and nearby camping (forest service).
VERMILLION VALLEY RESORT (VVR): Lodging, Dining, Store, and more! First drink is free. VVR offers showers, laundry (+ loner clothing), a well stocked camp store, hot meals, lodging, and free camping. And so much more!
MUIR TRAIL RANCH (MTR): Very basic non-food options for sale. MTR offers to store resupply buckets for $95 (not including shipping).
ONION VALLEY | KEARSARGE: Adds approximately 14 miles roundtrip over Kearsarge Pass. Some hikers opt to cache food in bear boxes, while others hitch into the town of Independence (limited options | bus access to Lone Pine and Bishop). My go-to option: Mt Williamson Motel + Basecamp (run by a hiking family). They offer lodging, transportation to and from trail, breakfast, resupply storage, laundry, and more.
Other options include packers, hiring someone to meet you with food, or having friends/family meet you.
Donohue Pass, Silver Pass, Selden Pass, Muir Pass, Mather Pass, Pinchot Pass, Glen Pass, and Forester Pass

Overall, water is readily available for most of the trail. There are few stretches greater than five miles between water sources.
Approved bear canisters are REQUIRED for most of the trail. There are a few small sections where canisters are not required, however it is recommended that hikers carry one for the entire trail.