Frommer's National Parks of the American West - Don Laine [378]
All overnight backpacking trips require a $20 wilderness permit (good for two campers; additional fees apply to larger parties), available by mail, by fax, or in person at the ranger station closest to the hike you want to take. First-come, first-served permits can be issued the morning of your trip or after 1pm on the previous afternoon. Early registration can be done 21 or more days in advance, starting March 1. To reserve a permit, you must provide a name, address, telephone number, the number of people in your party, the method of travel (snowshoe, horse, foot), number of stock if applicable, start and end dates, start and end trailheads, a principal destination, and a rough itinerary. Mail the application to Wilderness Permit Reservations, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Three Rivers, CA 93271, or fax it to ☎ 559/565-4239. Reserved permits must be picked up by 9am. If you're delayed, call the ranger station or you risk forfeiting your permit. If your hike crosses agency boundaries, get the permit from the agency on whose land the hike begins. Only one permit is required.
Note: Eight ranger stations lie along the John Muir and Pacific Crest trails, and six are in the southern part of the park in the Sequoia backcountry. Most are not staffed from fall to spring. To find the ranger station closest to your trailhead, consult the park map handed out free at all entrances.
Alta Peak–Alta Meadow
16 miles RT. Strenuous. Access: From Giant Forest Museum, drive about 3 miles north on the Generals Hwy. and take the Wolverton Rd. turnoff (on the right). Look for the trail at the southeast end of the parking area at Wolverton Creek.
From Wolverton, hike on the Lakes Trail toward the Panther Gap Trail. Head right on the Panther Gap Trail, up through the 8,400-foot gap to Alta Trail. Turn left on Alta Trail and hike past the junction with Seven-Mile Hill Trail and the junction with Alta Peak Trail. Left takes you up Alta Peak, a 2,000-foot ascent in 2 miles that offers spectacular vistas. If climbing isn't your idea of fun, plow straight ahead to Alta Meadow, which has a nice view and good places to camp.
High Sierra Trail
10 miles RT. Moderate to strenuous. Access: Calif. 198 to Giant Forest; proceed to Crescent Meadow Rd. Bear right at the junction, passing the signed parking area for Moro Rock, and continue to the road's end and the Crescent Meadow parking area.
This trail is a popular route into the backcountry, and some utilize it as a one-way passage to Mount Whitney. It gets a lot of sun, so begin early. From the parking area, head out on a paved trail to the south, over several bridges to a junction. Turn right onto the High Sierra Trail. You will pass Eagle View, the Wolverton Cutoff, and Panther Creek. Hike at least 3 miles before setting up camp.
Jennie Lakes Trail
12 miles RT. Moderate to strenuous. Access: From Grant Grove, drive about 7 miles south on the Generals Hwy. to the turnoff for Big Meadows Campground. The trailhead and parking area are on the south side of the road next to a ranger station.
This is a nice overnight hike that's not too demanding. You can extend it into the Jennie Lakes Wilderness Area. From the parking area, cross through the campground and continue across Big Meadow Creek. From here, the trail climbs. At Fox Meadow are a wooden trail sign and a register for hikers to sign. At the next junction, head right toward Jennie Lakes (left goes toward the Weaver Lake Trail) and up to Poop Out Pass. From here it's a drop down to the Boulder Creek drainage area and on to emerald-green Jennie Lakes. This hike can be combined with a second day hike to Weaver Lake. Just retrace your steps to the Weaver Lake turnoff. Weaver Lake is a relatively warm mountain lake surrounded by blueberry bushes that grow heavy with fresh fruit in July.
Lakes Trail
13 miles RT. Moderate to strenuous. Access: From Giant Forest, drive north on the Generals Hwy. to the Wolverton parking area. The trailhead is on the left of the parking lot as you enter from