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John Muir Trail
The John Muir Trail runs for 211 miles from Yosemite Valley in Yosemite National Park, CA to the summit of Mount Whitney, west of Lone Pine, CA. The trail passes through some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in the US, and crosses only one road in its entire length. For most of its length the John Muir Trail is coincident with the Pacific Crest Trail.
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The Trail
The northern terminus of the John Muir Trail lies at Happy Isles trailhead in Yosemite Valley, California. The trail makes a long climb of about 6000 vertical feet in its first 18 miles, reaching a high point at Cathedral Pass, before descending into Tuolomne Meadows. At Tuolomne Meadows, the trail turns south and heads into the heart of the Sierra Nevada. The trail passes over 8 major passes on its way south to Mount Whitney, never dropping below 7000 feet again, and not crossing a road for over 180 miles, while passing through 3 national parks and several wilderness areas. The trail officially ends at the summit of Mount Whitney (14495 ft), but the nearest trailhead is still 10 miles away, meaning a complete hike of the trail is over 220 miles in length.
The trail was constructed from 1915 to 1938, with the final completed section being the "Golden Staircase", a long section of trail chiseled into steep granite between Muir Pass and Mather Pass.
Hiking The Trail
The John Muir Trail is one of the great "short thru hikes" in the US. It can be hiked in either direction, though hiking from north to south provides a more gradual ascent and allows the hiker to finish at Mount Whitney. Most hikers will use at least one re-supply point. Most hikers will spend two to three weeks on the trail, though speed hikers may complete it in 4 or 5 days.
Most JMT hikes take place during the months of July and August. Conditions on the trail in June or early July are highly dependent on the winter snowpack and the amount of sunshine seen in April and May. The variation in snowpack from year to year can be huge. Early season hikers can track snowpack on websites maintained by the state of California. Hiking the trail during the early season poses extra challenges as much of the trail may be buried under the snow and steep passes can be exhausting and a bit scary, depending on your level of experience. Early season is considered by many to be the prettiest time to be on the trail due to snow at high altitudes and flowers in the lower meadows. Stream crossings are another challenge for early season hikers, and will require caution and patience.
The late season, typically the month of September, can be a pleasant time to hike due to lack of crowds and bugs. Snow will rarely pose any issue in September, though an early Winter storm becomes more likely as you move closer to October.
Prospective hikers who are not used to being at altitude may wish to take it slow in the first few days on the trail, or spend a few days at altitude prior to beginning a hike.
Permits
Wilderness permits are required for overnight hikes along the John Muir Trail. If you are starting at either end of the trail, permits are popular and it is recommended that you obtain your permit well in advance. Permits are obtained based on your entry point to the trail. If you start in Yosemite, southbound John Muir Trails permits are obtained from the Yosemite Assocation, which administers this process for the National Park Service. Southbound permits may be reserved up to 24 weeks in advance of your start date. See the latest info at the Yosemite Association for details. Hikers who start or finish their hike in Yosemite Valley can spend one night in the valley at the backpacker's walk-in campsite, located in North Pines campground.
Northbound hikers must obtain permits from Inyo National Forest. Permits can be reserved up to 6 months in advance. Because the JMT trailhead is shared with the trail up to Mount Whitney, the highest point in the lower 48, permits are generally more difficult to obtain here than in Yosemite.
If you are hiking a section of the JMT and entering from a point along the trail, you must obtain a permit from the controlling agency at your entrance trailhead, which will be within the National Park Service or National Forest Service, depending on the trailhead.
Resupply and Logistics
From North to South, some of the resupply and logistics options
- Yosemite Valley - supermarkets, restaurants, gear stores, you name it
- Tuolomne Meadows - small gear shop and market, good selection, phone, only open in prime summer season
- Reds Meadow - small store and restaurant, phone, campground with showers, only a little ways off the trail
- Mammoth Lakes - full service town accessible by bus from Reds Meadow
- Vermillion Valley Resort - good resupply option 85 miles into the trail, can be expensive
- Muir Trail Ranch - will hold packages for a fee, but no services. Closest resupply option to midpoint of the trail
- Bishop - full service town accessible by side trail and hitchhike
- Independence - almost full service town accessible by side trail and hitchhike. Minimal markets and food options
- Lone Pine - the Whitney Portal trailhead lies west of Lone Pine. Full service town.
Fast hikers can do the entire JMT with no resupply, but most hikers will want to resupply one time. The most popular options are Vermillion Valley Resort (abbreviated VVR) or Muir Trail Ranch. Both are relatively close to the trail and do not require going way off trail and into a town. Vermillion Valley Ranch offers a ferry service across Lake Edison. The ferry picks up only a mile off the JMT, and will take you to the low key resort where you can camp or stay in a tent cabin. The resort has a small store and a restaurant. You can also mail packages there, which is the least expensive option. Vermillion Valley Resort can be expensive, but is a nice break. (NOTE: In 2007 and 2008, the water level in Edison Lake fell quite a bit. As a consequence the hike to the ferry is much further on one end, and there is a rough van ride required on the other across the dry lake bed. Hikers will want to consider leaving VVR by taking a short van ride to the Bear Ridge Trailhead on the south side of Edison Lake and re-acquiring the JMT off of that trail. Trust me....it's the way to go right now!)
Muir Trail Ranch is closer to the midpoint of the trail (it is about 20 trail miles further south than Vermillion Valley resort), but offers no services. They will hold a package for you, but you cannot stay at the ranch, and there are no other services. See their website for information on fees and pickup.
Getting to and from the Trailheads
One of the challenges of hiking the entire JMT is arranging a shuttle if you have a car. Or getting to and from an airport. It is possible to get back and forth between Yosemite Valley and Lone Pine using bus service such as YARTS and the Inyo-Mono Transit . Crest also offers service from Reno down to Mammoth Lakes and Bishop, where you can connect to buses to Lone Pine or Yosemite. With a little planning, it is not too difficult to get back and forth. Note that some of these bus services do not run seven days a week. There are also some private services that offer direct shuttles, but these will be more expensive.
Gear Considerations
The John Muir Trail is a great trail on which to travel light. The long climbs, high altitudes and generally stable summer weather make a light pack a welcome part of your trip. The summer JMT hiker should be prepared for possible cool summer weather down to freezing or slightly below. Most storms come in the form of short, sometimes violent thunderstorms. Snow is possible at any time of the year, but most trips will see much more sunshine than clouds. Strong sun is likely, and sun protection is a must - especially when hiking early in the season on a lot of snowcover.
A typical three season ultralight gear list will serve most people well. Mosquitoes can be a significant challenge in early to mid-summer, and many hikers will prefer some type of enclosed shelter at those times of the year.
There are many stream crossings, and your feet will likely be wet, especially in the early season. Many hikers prefer to wear lightweight trail running shoes that drain quickly.
External Links
Links to JMT trip reports, journals, photo collections or general John Muir Trail information
- Info about hiking the John Muir Trail
- John Muir Trail planning info
- BPL's Story about an unsuccessful unsupported JMT thru-run
- Map (Click MyTopo for a shaded relief map)
Categories: Trails | USA | California
