We dodged a bunch of cow patties, and our group spread out to avoid stomping out a trail through the dead grasses. I stood and watched the lake for a few minutes. We peeled off our layers as the temperatures started to rise. We don't share your information with partners. A boat is really handy here to reach many of the best fishing spots. There are 12 lake trails in Emigrant Wilderness. Emigrant Wilderness and Sachse Monument Loop boasts the most elevation gain with 2,857 m of total ascent. After a restful night, we hiked up the rocks to perhaps our favorite part of the trip. We were treated to more bear scat while passing Big Lake, eventually making our way over to the highlight of our trip: the historic Yellowhammer Camp. The park's runner-up is Granite Dome Loop via Kennedy Meadows, which will get you 5,587 ft of elevation gain. 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Referred to as the granite superhighway, there is this giant, smooth granite bowl between Hyatt and Big Lakes that empties into Cherry Creek Canyon. As it is, we simply hiked by and tried to etch the images in our mind. The trail passed through a pleasant pine forest. If you're looking for elevation gain, Emigrant Wilderness has you covered. Supervisors Office TDD (209) 965-0488. Water: Bring a trusty water filter, and backup filtration tablets. From there, I had another 15 minutes to the Crabtree Trailhead. Emigrant Lake was much larger than any of the lakes I visited the day before. You can also take the short spur to Bear Lake, on the junction directly after Camp Lake. Also, in October we saw only a handful of other people on trail. Backpacking to Upper Lewis Lake and Granite Dome in Emigrant Wilderness What Is Happy July 9, 2015 Second annual backpacking trip up to Emigrant Wilderness for the 4th of July. But the path that paralleled East Fork Cherry seemed to double as a riverbed during spring. My first trip to the Sierras this year was on July 4th for an overnight stay in Emigrant Wilderness. According to users from AllTrails.com, the best lake trail to hike in Emigrant Wilderness is. So continue south, passing by Ridge Lake before going to Iceland. All Rights Reserved. Some of the Emigrant still includes cattle grazing allotments, and you may encounter cows or their signs from July to September. Enter at Kennedy Meadows. Emigrant Wilderness - Emigrant Lake, Pinecrest, 6 miles away : Hotels Near Sharon Lake: Super 8 Gardnerville Topaz Lake, Gardnerville, 25 miles away: Best . Normally, youd just stop at the ranger station to pick up a permit for wherever you want to hike, but since offices were closed due to COVID, there was an easy online form to fill out, and your permit was available to print out right away. This volunteer group works in all three wilderness areas within the Stanislaus, primarily cutting out the logs which fall across trails using both human and stock power. Overnight parking is allowed, and pit toilets are available here. ( Until then, the trail had been well-maintained. https://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/stanislaus/specialplaces/?cid=stelprdb5361242&width=full (Why?). After studying the landscape, we found that it would be pretty easy to get down to Lower Relief Valley as long as we stayed further west on the slope, towards the meadows under East Flange Rock. Trails: out via Crabtree and back via Bell Meadow trail. It was still near freezing when I started my backpacking trip. Like much of the Sierra Nevada, the Emigrant Wilderness is a land of endless granite landscapes carved out by glaciers and water over millions of years. Share sensitive information only Sunrise and Moonset under smoky skies over Hyatt Lake. The longest stretch between lakes is ~4 miles, so two liters of carrying capacity is plenty. At this point, it had been over two full days since Id seen another person, and over a day since Id even seen a footprint. We sat up at the top for a while, amazed by the amphitheater of sloping granite and patchy trees. Top 10 Backpacking Trails John Muir Wilderness; Emigrant Wilderness; Explore Granite Chief Wilderness; Explore Golden Trout Wilderness; Jennie Lakes Wilderness; Destinations . Towering granite peaks surrounded Upper Buck Lake. Natural baits including pine grubs, hellgrammites, hoppers, crickets and nightcrawlets are super choices. And we needed a little wiggle room in case our newly planned route wasnt successful. When shes not guzzling instant coffee in the backcountry, you can find her down the ski slopes or using inappropriatelanguage around children at the climbing gym. While at the lake of High Relief Valley, I realized that the abundant scat on the tops of granite boulders was caused by marmots. I picked up my Emigrant Wilderness permit at the Summit Ranger Station right after it opened at 8:30 am. It was a big snow year after a series of late storms swept through the mountains dropping as late as May, so the . Permits are required for overnight trips. This trail is estimated to be 45.9 mi long and takes on average 22 h 59 min to hike. Based on trip reports, I was dreading the first part of the hike because of horse poop, but it actually was really fine, probably because it was late in the season. Return via Willow Ridge and Los Cruzeros. We set up our tent on the beach and met two other backpackers, who were heading back to their camp on the opposite side of the lake with some freshly caught trout. Hikers with strong backs should also consider packing in a small inflatable boat. We inadvertently found an unmarked trail that would ultimately lead back to the Bell Meadow trail, but that wasnt in our plan so we backtracked. Are there bears in Emigrant Wilderness? Since it was now late in the day, the light was perfect. There are also two First Come, First Served designated USFS campgrounds on the road: Baker and Deadman. Explore Gardisky Lake; Explore Ansel Adams Wilderness. Just walking a few miles can make you feel as if you've left the wilderness behind for another one. Though the weather will be extremely pleasant in the summer, bugs will be out in full force. I kept going. Subcommittee on Forests and Public Land Management ISBN: Format: PDF, ePub, Mobi Long Lake is a fetching place, with several good campsites along the western shore. October backpacking in Emigrant Wilderness. In the morning, my foot was feeling worse. The route was created originally as an alternative to John Muir Trail and can be hiked in 7-17 days. Please take a moment to learn our wilderness regulations and review Leave No Trace methods before visiting this outstanding national resource. Your information is safe with Sierra Rec. Days: 2 days, 1 night. The trail, which is not regularly maintained and may at times be hard to follow, initially descends slightly to 7300', then stays mostly flat before rising just before the lakes. But I have to say, I could feel fall coming in the mountains. Emigrant Wilderness - Granite Lake, Pinecrest, 2 miles away : Hotels Near Toejam Lake: Tamarack Lodge At Bear . The DF&G does a kill survey every year off the main hwy during the entire opening weekend. Stranislaus Wilderness Volunteers is a group of citizens who formed in 1991 with a shared love of wilderness and are dedicated to protecting it. Please enter your username or email address to reset your password. There are wonderful campsites at nearly every lake on this loop. It involved some basic topo map navigation, a certain amount of real effort, and just enough bushwhacking to keep many people from having a good time on a hike. To get to the lakes, we had to hug the ridge to our left, due south west. Camping, there would be a wet and cold ordeal. Official websites use .gov A .gov I was getting to the limit of how far I could walk on my foot. TDD (209) 533-0765, Summit Ranger District You must arm yourself with a good topographical map and a compass to find some of these high country lakes. Once we broke above the brush again, we had amazing views of Relief Valley and the ridges we were going to crest tomorrow. I recommend this trip for a leisurely escape into the wilderness, as opposed to a trip where mileage is the goal. In Emigrant Wilderness, that was above 9,000 feet. Emigrant Wilderness and Sachse Monument Loop. For trips entering Yosemite National Park Wilderness from the Stanislaus National Forest and staying overnight at Kibbie Lake or Lake Eleanor (near Cherry Lake), you must call the Groveland Ranger District 1 day in advance of your trip. We started making our way down, following the nice granite slopes. Emigrant Wilderness and Sachse Monument Loop boasts the most elevation gain for lake trails with 9,373 ft of total ascent. This time we chose a lesser known wilderness area within the Stanislaus National Forest called the Emigrant Wilderness. Click here to download royalty-free licensing videos from Videvo today. Thankfully, this large creek was still flowing well, even in October. The views over Huckleberry Lake were some of the most impressive of the trip so far. United States government. To the north, the Emigrant Wilderness is bordered by the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness and the Mokelumne Wilderness. . it is this direction which I believe provides the best experience. Learn how your comment data is processed. Cross-country backpacking in Emigrant Wilderness. There arent any excruciatingly long climbs, and the weather is pleasant well past August. Once we scrambled down this bit, we found a small creek, and followed it, along a clear use or game trail. Saw a bunch of cows roaming around. But, like most things in life, LNT is not black and white. Looking for a more strenuous hike? The southeast side was nasty and I broke an expensive trekking pole. Hike to above Relief Reservoir. The trail was really pretty, following Relief Creek most of the way. Read on to learn about the trip route! According to AllTrails.com, the longest trail in Emigrant Wilderness is. The closest snow to the bay is in the Sierras. Unlike our first two days, we had to get up and hiking early today, since we had miles to hike and a long drive home ahead! Campfires are prohibited above 9000 feet, and no campfires are allowed within mile of Emigrant Lake. According to users from AllTrails.com, the best lake trail to hike in Emigrant Wilderness is Gianelli Trail to Chewing Gum Lake, which has a 4.7 star rating from 311 reviews. Where is the best place to hike in Emigrant Wilderness? Frequently asked trail questions about Emigrant Wilderness. Another note about the route: It looks very tempting to just cut across the landscape from the ridge to the eastern side of Iceland Lake. Hike this trail? I was happy we scouted the area yesterday, as we found a quick, straightforward path to the ridge overlooking Relief Reservoir and the valley. Posted on August 18, 2014. Both Salt Lick and Spring Meadows are phenomenal; Long Lakes is an option for sleeping as well. A Wilderness Permit is required for all overnight trips into the Emigrant Wilderness, April 1 through November 30 each year, (Why?) Wanting more privacy, we ventured along to a small tarn just below the lake and found a great spot for our tent. There was a faint use trail, and a cairn (stack of rocks) on the other side of the creek. The water is plentiful, although you do want to make sure you have multiple filtering options. LockA locked padlock We visited in July 28 from San Jos and it was the best experience at Bears lake we ever had.The water level was perfect it was super quiet and it was . While the grade was steeper since we didnt have nicely graded switchbacks to follow, we actually made ok time up to the top of the ridge. Food storage: Bear canisters are not required in Stanislaus National Forest, but are highly recommended. For more info on how to protect your food (and Sierra Bears) check out the bear section. If you have to walk through grasses or a meadow, try to identify dry areas, and do not walk in a single-file line if you are with more than one person. It was also mostly downhill, which was great. Because of the fire ban that summer, we couldnt use any fuel sources to cook our meals. But, we didnt have far to hike, so we enjoyed our breakfast and sleep. It is amazing we enjoy some of the most pristine country, anywhere, and a horse pack trip is perhaps the best fishing value, for quality trout fishing. https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/stanislaus/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=15107&actid=51, TRAIL HEADS: GETTING INTO THE EMIGRANT WILDERNESS, Stanislaus National Forest Presents: Birds of the Stanislaus. Its possible to hike this trail in the winter with traction, but be sure to check the national forest road conditions and be prepared for winter conditions. Leave No Trace Center has good guidelines for following this rule. You could easily spend another night up in this basin! #7 - Granite Dome Loop via Kennedy Meadows. We enjoyed some flat/ downhill trail as we walked above the reservoir, which was a nice break from the constant up. This takes you north of Yosemite National Park in Stanislaus National Forest. Be aware that there are no camping signs on the creek side of the trail, so be sure to camp on the other side of the trail. Bank anglers will find places to get to . This trail is 8.5 mi long with an elevation gain of 1,555 ft. According to AllTrails.com, the longest lake trail in Emigrant Wilderness is. Check here to see if you can apply for an online permit. I passed through some of the most impressive granite landscapes of the whole trip. Closest Major City: Modesto, California(three hours). Be sure to bring sun protection despite the season, as there are long, exposed sections across granite before the trail ducks back into the forest. We had identified this area from above, but still made the mistake. Which trail has the most elevation gain in Emigrant Wilderness? on official, secure websites. Our route started at the Crabtree Trailhead, which is just east of Dodge Ridge Ski Area near Pinecrest Lake (and our sons favorite fishing spot!). We deliver the definitive fishing material straight from the experts. Start and end at the Crabtree Trailhead. Where is the best place to hike in Emigrant Wilderness? 93 Acres located on the scenic Old Emigrant Trail near the historic ghost town of Unionville, Nevada. We can also see this formation in the second image above. The trailhead at Crabtree Camp is easily accessible by . With our GPS and good sense of direction, we made our way up to Pingree Lake and enjoyed its cool water as the smoke from nearby wildfires closed in. Backpacking Hyatt Lake in Emigrant Wilderness. The granite ridges are smaller in scale compared to Yosemite, but the area offers a true wilderness experience with very few tourists venturing into the more remote areas of the region. The last few years have resulted in some of the lowest harvests on record as well as a decline in buck age, mostly young forkies are being harvested. Backpack to Bear Lake (Emigrant Wilderness) Pinecrest, California 4.5/5 based on 4 reviews Save View all 6 photos Review Directions Add Photo Details Distance 8.34 miles Elevation Gain 705 ft Route Type Out-and-Back Description Added by Greg Balkin 7 miles roundtrip with a 500 foot elevation gain. The Lake is just as beautiful as usual, but it was crowded on Saturday and Sunday. It was much cooler, especially in the shade! The Drive Up . They included a few small cabins, a barn, a hitching post, an outhouse, and various dilapidated items. Route finding is required, but this is gentle country. Stanislaus National Forest The Backcountry Horsemen of California, Midvalley Chapter, Wilderness Volunteers Projects (National). Large boulders, epic rock formations, pine trees as far as the eyes can see, and plentiful lakes make this loop a serene escape from California's busy cities. It is a good idea to download your map ahead of time or bring a printed copy. I cannot recommend this trip enough for beginner backpackers. Ending Point: There are a few rocky sections, where the path is lined with small rocks across slabs of granite. Edit The weather station was at 7,200 ft, so I needed to prepare for 4-8 degrees colder at the elevation I would be at. I didnt see any signs of fish, so I continued hiking to Buck Lakes. . After spending over an hour at the camp enjoying our snack lunch, we decided to do a little cross-country navigation over to Pingree Lake. Cell Reception: Dont expect any. It is recommended that you call at 8:30 AM (no sooner) since the permits go quickly. The rocky shore dropped deep into the lake and offered trout places to hide. A GPS Track, good navigation skills, and desert hiking experience are highly recommended on this route. Gaps in the trees offered occasional glimpses of granite cliffs and the views ahead. The best troutin' is in the more remote lakes, many located in the southwestern portion of the area. This is a popular spot for picnicking day hikers and swimmers alike. Pingree, Black Hawk, Shallow Hyatt, Rosasco, Lost, Cow Meadow, Yellow Hammer, Big and Deer Lakes are just a few of the more productive waters. Rules & regulations about fires. And finally, we had never been on a backpacking trip north of Mammoth Lakes, so the new location was appealing . Stock: This area is heavy with horse activity. We thought we would try to summit Granite Dome on this day, but most of us were too tired, and when studying the maps, the route up looks much better from Upper Lewis Lake than Iceland Lake. There were a lot of fallen trees that had thankfully been cleared off the trail. As we hiked further into the Emigrant, more rock formations began to appear and the crowds thinned. Avoid wet grasses, meadows, and especially cryptobiotic soil. Emigrant Wilderness ~ 6 - 10 August 2007. No holding of more than 4 head of stock within mile of the following lakes:, Gem, Jewelry, Long, Maxwell, Pingree, Piute and Rosasco. Third, I had already planned a 7-day trip in the area as a backup, so I was able to shorten that itinerary and cover 4 lakes instead of the original 8. in On Adventures The trip to Iceland lake (in the area generally called "Granite Dome's Golden Trout Lakes" by the Emigrant Wilderness Guidebook) was our first ever backpacking Stanislaus National Forest. Be the first to know about new adventures. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock Emigrant Wilderness Gianelli Trailhead. While this trip was originally planned as an out-and-back, we were able to identify a path down to Relief Creek and Lower Relief Valley and see some new terrain! There are opportunities to camp at every lake, with plenty of spots featuring man-made fire rings. Pingree, Black Hawk, Shallow Hyatt, Rosasco, Lost, Cow Meadow, Yellow Hammer, Big and Deer Lakes are just a few of the more productive waters. Leave no Trace and off-trail backpacking. Emigrant Wilderness Think of Emigrant Wilderness as Yosemite's forgotten little brother. Download free stock video footage featuring Reflection of rocky mountains on surface of alpine lake, tilt up and reveal of beautiful valley. We then added crushed bean chips and turkey jerky. We also contemplated a summit of Granite Dome, but were too tired on the day we hiked to Iceland Lake. Drive carefully on Crabtree Road, and look out for horse poop on the trail. All photos taken with our . Varying terrain including forests, alpine lakes, and rocky ridges make for fun and enjoyable trips. A few of the regionally popular patterns fished dry are the California Mosquito, Light Cahill, Black Gnat, Elk Hair Caddis and Joes Hopper. In addition, I brought down pants and wool socks to stay warm in camp. Start at Crabtree Trailhead.Day 1: Camp Lake, Piute Lake, Gem Lake, Jewelry Lake, Deer Lake, Buck Lakes.Day 2: Emigrant Lake, Maxwell Lake, Huckleberry Lake, Letora Lake, Cow Meadow Lake, Wood Lake.Day 3: Buck Meadow, Grouse Lake, Pine Valley, Crabtree Trailhead. After the fill-up in the shade, we continued down the trail, which turned slightly uphill again while we hiked above Relief Reservoir. CaseyKaty It is a place where the pines, cedars, and firs of the Stanislaus National Forest gradually thin as granite cliffs, mountain tops, and monoliths . However, because we went during the COVID pandemic, we filled out our permit online. Contact information: Stanislaus National Forest. Went to Chewing Gum Lake over the Labor Day weekend. (209) 532-3671 19777 Greenley Road These lake trails have an average 4.5-star rating from 1,371 AllTrails community reviews. The best camps for Emigrant Meadow Lake are located on and around the elevated granite formation between us and the lake. This page covers all necessary alerts for the area, and from there information about permits, closures, fire bans, etc., can be found. Like many of the other reviews, this is a great trail. This trail is estimated to be 73.9 km long and takes on average 22 h 59 min to hike. Its the perfect amount of physical challenge mixed with stunning California beauty. Climbing up the boulders, we were amazed to see horse poop, a sign that they too ventured along this steep path. Mileage: 9 miles. Hiking in Stanislaus National Forest: If this past year taught us anything, its to do your research before you go. The evening was chilly, but I stayed warm by my campfire. After taking a ton of photos that wouldnt do it any justice, we skirted around the upper flanks to a notch where our route would take us over to Big Lake. The Emigrant Wilderness is best accessible from Hwy 108, either via Kennedy Meadows (no, not that one) in the north or via the town of Pinecrest and then Crabtree Road from the west, leading to several trailheads, including Crabtree and Gianelli. The last climb up to the trailhead offered a new landscape of volcanic rock and bright-yellow aspen. The last 2 miles of the road was unpaved, but passable with a car. Nat Geo Map 307 (Yosemite NW/Hetch Hetchy Reservoir) is best. Luckily we found our original route and headed over to Rosasco Lake, only to find a large group of campers with some aggressively barking dogs at the only viable site. Five miles from the trailhead, I ran into a group of hikers. Permit and Bear Canister Required. Sonora, CA 95370 Elevations range from below 5000 feet near Cherry Reservoir to 11,570 feet at Leavitt Peak. Where: Emigrant Wilderness, Stanislaus National Forest. Boundary Lake is aptly named as it sits on the border of Emigrant Wilderness and Yosemite National Park and you crisscross the boundaries throughout the trek. These activities include trail maintenance, habitat restoration, campsite cleanup, trail signage repair, removal of non-native invasive plants and teaching Leave No Trace outdoor skills and ethics. Most of the reliable water sources are lakes, which have a varying degree of swampy-ness. Emigrant Meadow Lake are located on the junction directly after Camp Lake our tent permit at the Summit Station! Lesser known Wilderness area within the Stanislaus National Forest the Backcountry Horsemen of California, Midvalley,! Bordered by the amphitheater of sloping granite and patchy trees due south west which a... That they too ventured along this steep path the Stanislaus National Forest called the Emigrant, more formations... The closest snow to the Crabtree trailhead off our layers as the temperatures started to.... 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