Keep close to Nature’s heart… and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.

*UPDATED for Summer 2023*
John Muir Trail Northbound Overview

It is prime time to be planning for next summer’s hikes and backpacking trips in the Sierra. If you are hiking, plan on hiking or just dreaming about hiking the John Muir Trail this guide is for you. Especially, if you would like to hike the trail in a personal and unique way, northbound.

The John Muir Trail is traditionally hiked southbound and stretches 222 miles from Yosemite Valley to Whitney Portal. It passes through 3 national parks, climbs over 9 major passes, rises up to the highest peak in the lower 48, and leads the hiker up and down extreme changes in elevation. It has what backpackers say is the finest mountain scenery. Out of all of the trails and routes I have hiked, the JMT is like a good friend and always beckons me back.

I have hiked the entire JMT four times in very different conditions. In 2020, I hiked from Cottonwood Pass to Bishop pass. The first time, I hiked the most popular direction, southbound. Since then I have hiked northbound. The trip starts at Horseshoe Meadow accessing the Pacific Crest Trail via Cottonwood Pass or Old Army Pass. In just a few miles the PCT joins with the JMT. I have found that hiking northbound follows a natural flow and enhances the experience of hiking the JMT.

DAYS NEEDED 15 to 21 days (depending on your experience and fitness, this is a tough trail)
DISTANCE Northbound mileage from Horseshoe Meadow Trailhead to Happy Isle in Yosemite is 237 miles. This includes climbing Mount Whitney.
ELEVATION GAIN/LOSS   38,000 ft. / 44,000 ft., south to north
TRAILHEAD Cottonwood Pass or Cottonwood Lakes
DIFFICULTY Difficult, strenuous
NAVIGATION Trail is well maintained and marked, maps and GPS are helpful, early season trips with snow GPS and/or maps are required
BEST TIME TO HIKE July to early October
WATER Abundant natural sources
PERMITS Northbound permits online up to 6 months in advance at Inyo National Forest Wilderness (Cottonwood Pass or Cottonwood Lakes trailheads)

John Muir Trail Trips

John Muir Trail 2008 – July 2008 I hiked southbound with my family in a low snow year. It was warm, very buggy and beautiful. We started from Tuolumne Meadows and ended at Whitney Portal.

John Muir Trail 2011 – The next trip in June of 2011 was a different adventure due to a record high snow year. My husband, son, and I hiked northbound through deep streams, icy passes, and trekked through endless miles of snow. I would describe it more as an expedition rather than a backpacking trip. The trip required courage and teamwork. It was a life changing trip. We accessed the JMT at Kearsage Pass and ended at Red’s Meadow.

John Muir Trail 2012 – In contrast, in 2012 the Sierras recorded a record low snow year. This year I hiked solo. It was great to embrace this range in less threatening conditions with no bugs, no snow, and no life-threatening stream crossings. I hiked from Cottonwood Pass to Yosemite Valley climbing Mount Whitney, Cloud’s Rest, and Half Dome along the way.

John Muir Trail 2017 – In 2017,  I hiked the JMT northbound early season with 7 other hikers. The high snow year made this early season trip especially challenging due to engorged and raging creeks from snowmelt. This year flexibility, good gear, and teamwork was essential for safety and moral. Our team hiked from Cottonwood Pass to Yosemite Valley climbing Half Dome along the way.

How to Use this Guide

No matter the conditions or time of year this epic trail is hiked, it is challenging and unpredictable. Threatening weather can surround the hiker in minutes and the steep ascents and descents are tough on snow or on clear trail. As a result, basic planning for this beautiful trek is universal.

There is a plethora of excellent information out there on the Internet. If you are planning hiking the John Muir Trail northbound this guide is for you. I have included some optional alternates to the traditional JMT below that I recommend checking out.

Keep in mind that everyone is different with what is comfortable and safe. The following is a conglomerate of planning and tips for a variety of conditions to hike the John Muir Trail northbound.

Why Hike Northbound?

Advantages:

• Northbound mileage from Horseshoe Meadow Trailhead to Happy Isle in Yosemite is 236.9. This includes climbing Mount Whitney with a daypack vs. a full pack.
• Start in high elevation with a heavy pack, less climbing at the beginning. If altitude is a problem, plan on spending the night in the campground at Horseshoe Meadow to acclimate. The trailhead is at 10,000 ft.
• Permits are easier to secure
• The sun is at your back during the afternoon
• Hiking in a different direction than most JMTers, gives the hiker a more wilderness experience
• The original guidebook for the JMT, started at Whitney Portal and went north
• Ending of this journey is spectacular waterfalls and Yosemite Valley.
• Public transportation from Yosemite to San Joaquin Valley or back to Lone Pine is available, affordable or free.

How to Secure a Northbound Permit

The permit system is complicated and stressful for hikers starting from Happy Isle in Yosemite. Permits from Cottonwood Pass or can be applied for online 6 months in advance.

• Inyo National Forest Wilderness Northbound permits out of Cottonwood Pass or Cottonwood Lakes

You must apply for the Inyo National Forest Wilderness permit exactly 6 months in advance of the date you want to start your JMT hike. You will need to create an account and apply through recreation.gov, where you will be required to list your entry and exit points, as well as your planned campsite for each night. These permits are not part of a lottery process, so you will find out immediately if you get your permit. The total Inyo National Forest Wilderness permit fee is $11.

 *For reservations in the summer months July through October, you will be looking to make reservations starting in January to April. The online permit system refreshes every Monday.

*If you plan to climb Half Dome in Yosemite National Park, you’ll need a separate permit. You can apply for Half Dome permits using the lottery for day hikers. You may use a Half Dome permit for day hiking with any wilderness permit.

Maps, GPS & Guidebook

• FarOut JMT Guide on Phone
• CalTopo or Gaia GPS App on phone (tip: save and download maps and track on phone on WiFi before trip, so the maps can be viewed on your phone without cell service).
• Halfmile GPS Track – Section G & H
• Elizabeth Wenk’s “John Muir Trail the essential guide to hiking America’s most famous trail”.  I scanned the pages I was interested in reading on trail and added them in the offline feature in the Google Drive App on my iPhone.

Resupply Locations

Resupply Options (south to north) Along the JMT:

• Kearsage Pass – Some JMT and PCT travelers exit the wilderness over Kearsarge Pass in order to resupply. From the Onion Valley trailhead, you can travel to Independence or other towns along the Highway 395 corridor. Typically, people hitch-hike into town, have friends provide rides or hire a shuttle. Another alternative to is hire a horse packer to drop resupply at Charlotte Lake or have good friend bring food in. For horse packer information try emailing Sequoia Kings Pack Train at bernerspack@yahoo.com or view a complete list of Sierra pack trains.
• Muir Trail Ranch – Located very near the trail, Muir Trail Ranch accepts resupply packages for a fee, has a very small gift shop and a recharging station for electronics. Rooms and meals are sometimes available at a package rate. Free camping and hot springs are available nearby. Food is available only to those staying the night. No cell service or laundry available.
• Vermillion Valley Resort – Vermillion Valley Resort is located at the west end of Lake Edison. A boat shuttle offers rides across the lake for a fee, or one can walk the 4.5 miles. Trail food can be purchased at the store and hot meals are available at the restaurant. Resupply packages are held for a fee. Typically, camping and your first drink are free for thru-hikers. The resort has wifi, rooms, showers, laundry and recharge station for electronics. It is expensive, be ready to spend some money here.
• Red’s Meadow Store – Red’s Meadow Resort holds packages for a fee and sell a small assortment of food. The Mule House Cafe at the resort cooks hot meals for hungry hikers. Lodging, camping, and showers are also available. A shuttle leaves from here to Mammoth Ski Resort when the road is open.
• Mammoth Lakes Post Office – When Red’s Meadows is closed due to snow, Mammoth Lakes is a great option. Mammoth Lakes has a full grocery store, outfitters, restaurants, and motels. The post office is located next to the Motel 6 at 3330 Main Street.

Mail packages to:
(name)
c/o General Delivery
Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546
Arriving by: ETA

• Tuolumne Meadows Post Office -The well-stocked Tuolumne Meadows Store caters to thru-hikers. It’s open seasonally, sometimes not until after the first hikers pass through. The store can be reached at 209-372-8428. The Tuolumne Meadows Post Office is in the same building as the store and grill. It’s phone number is 209-372-8236.

Mail packages to:
(name)
c/o General Delivery
Tuolumne Meadows
Yosemite National Park, CA 95389
Arriving by: ETA

• Hired Resupply Services – Horse packers can bring in food resupplies to you. This is commonly done in the LeConte Canyon/Bishop Pass area by Rainbow Pack Outfitters and in the Kearsarge Pass area by emailing Sequoia Kings Pack Train at bernerspack@yahoo.com. Or view a complete list of Sierra pack trains.

Resupply locations for each year hiked:

2008 – Red’s Meadow, Vermillion Valley Resort
2011 – Vermillion Valley Resort
2012 – Vermillion Valley Resort, Red’s Meadow, Tuolumne Meadows
2017 – Vermillion Valley Resort (we left with 8 days of food in our packs from Cottonwood Pass Trailhead to resupply at Vermillion Valley Resort), Mammoth Lakes Post Office
Note: Red’s Meadow & Tuolumne Meadows Post Office were closed due to snow damage.

Can I Cache Food on the JMT?

Caching food, the practice of leaving a resupply to be picked up later, is illegal along the JMT. Food drops, whether in the wilderness or in bear lockers, are regularly confiscated by rangers. Please do not leave caches along the JMT.

Resupply Boxes Preparation

Preparing and assembling resupply boxes can be daunting and stressful. Here are a few strategies that I use to make this process easier.

• Use Craig’s PCT Planner to plan days between resupplies and food needed for each box sent.
• Easy dinner assembly instructions

Here is a John Muir Trail Resupply Checklist Printable that I use to keep me organized.

Added Side Alternates and Options to the Traditional JMT Route

• Climb Mount Whitney from Crabtree Meadows. For an extra treat, start hiking with a daypack from your camp at Crabtree Meadows very early (1:00-2:00 am) for sunrise on top of Mount Whitney.
• Stop at Blayney Natural Hot Springs near Muir Trail Ranch. Even if you are not resupplying, this a real treat.
• Vermillion Valley Resort resupply options – to access Vermillion Valley Resort Resupply exit the JMT at Bear Ridge Trail junction. It is 8 miles to the resort. Take the ferry from the resort back to the trail at the opposite end of the lake. This is especially helpful if you cannot make the ferry times or the ferry is not running or you would like to save some cash.
• After leaving Red’s Meadow, hike to Agnew Meadows, then hike the PCT High Trail to Thousand Island Lake where it joins back with the JMT. The High Trail has stunning views, water from springs, and aspens. The only drawback, the trail can be dusty from frequent use of horse packers.
• After leaving Tuolumne Meadows detour west off the JMT after Sunrise Camp to climb Clouds Rest, then hike the trail south off the peak to join back with the traditional JMT trail.
• Climb Half Dome on the way to Yosemite Valley. The access trail branches off of the JMT.  Even better, get an early start for sunrise on top of Half Dome. It is a breathtaking experience with less hikers on the trail, cables, and summit. To climb Half Dome in Yosemite National Park, you’ll need a separate permit. You can apply for Half Dome permits using the lottery for day hikers. You may use a Half Dome permit for day hiking with any wilderness permit.

Transportation and Shuttles

Driving

Long term parking is available at both ends of the trail. In Yosemite Valley, use the backpacker’s lot near Curry Village, a half-mile from the Happy Isles trailhead. At the southern end, parking is available at Whitney Portal. Both locations may be full. You might have to wait for a spot to open up. In Lone Pine, long-term parking may be available in the overflow parking lot of the Dow Villa Motel (ask before you park) and at the Lone Pine Chamber of Commerce (for a small fee). At all parking sites near the trail, be sure to remove all food and scented items and conceal anything that would look like food to a bear (e.g., coolers).

If you don’t have a two-car shuttle option, leave your car at your exit trailhead and take public transportation or a private shuttle to your start point.

Visit climber.org for an exhaustive set of driving directions to JMT trailheads.

Bus Service

This can be complicated, but there is a remarkably effective system in place. Visit the bus company websites and ask online if you need help.

• Along Highway 395, Eastern Sierra Transit runs between Reno, Nevada and Lancaster, CA. It includes stops in Mammoth Lakes, Lone Pine and other JMT trailhead communities.
• YARTS runs between Merced, CA and Mammoth Lakes through Yosemite National Park. YARTS has a timed connection with Amtrak in Merced, CA. In Yosemite Valley, you may need to transfer to another YARTS bus if you wish to continue further. You can transfer between YARTS an Eastern Sierra Transit in Lee Vinning and Mammoth Lakes.
• To reach Yosemite from the west side, Amtrak connects to YARTS (and thus Eastern Sierra Transit) through Merced, CA. You can reach the Merced station via Amtrak from lots of places, including San Francisco, Oakland, Sacramento and Fresno.
• Inside of Yosemite, local buses (Valley shuttle; Tuolumne Hiker Bus; Tuolumne shuttle) take hikers to their trailheads in addition to the two YARTS lines (to Merced and to Mammoth).
• On the west side, Sequoia Shuttle and Big Trees Transit ferry passengers from Visalia and Fresno into Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.

Flying

• Reno, Nevada is one of the easiest airports to access the JMT from. The Eastern Sierra Transit bus stops at the airport and will bring you to Lee Vinning, Mammoth Lakes or Lone Pine, CA. From Lee Vinning or Mammoth Lakes, you can transfer to YARTS for your connection to the northern terminus of the JMT.
• San Francisco, Sacramento, Oakland, Fresno and Las Vegas all provide reasonable access to the John Muir Trail as well. From California, you will take a taxi to Amtrak to YARTS (in Merced) or a taxi to Greyhound or Amtrak and then on to connect with Eastern Sierra Transit (in Reno).
• Flying into the Mammoth Lakes airport and then hiring a private shuttle or connecting to Eastern Sierra Transit is also a great option for accessing the JMT.

Hitchhiking

Hitchhiking is also an option for some. The stretch of road between Lone Pine and Whitney Portal is commonly hitched. Hitchhiking is definitely not recommended on the west side of the Sierra.

Private Shuttles

On the east side of the Sierra, various private shuttle companies can pick you up or drop you off at JMT access points. Options are few on the west side. For hikers hoping to join or leave the JMT around the mid-point on the trail, Vermillion Valley Resort runs a shuttle between Edison Lake and Fresno, CA. See the Sequoia Shuttle above for another option.

Timing & Pace

Everyone has a different pace and fitness, but my general rule of miles per day with lightweight equipment (not over 28 pounds with extra bear/snow gear, 1 liter of water and food) is 15 miles per day in snow/raging creek conditions and 16 to 22 miles a day on dry trail. I usually start hiking at 6:00 am and finish at 6:00 or 6:30 pm. I also like to add a layover or zero day in my itinerary. This schedule allows the hiker to finish the trail only taking 2 weeks of vacation time from work. Keep in mind that many hikers choose to hike the trail in 20 or so days, which is a beautiful experience.

2012 – 15 days including 1 zero day at Vermillion Valley Resort
2017 – 15 days, averaging 15 miles per day (we did not climb Mount Whitney)

Physical Training for Hiking a Long-Distance Trail

I dislike unnecessary suffering when hiking on the trail. It takes away from the enjoyment of the trip. The following are tips I do in the weeks ahead of an important trip to prepare my body for the rigors of a long trail:

• Two or three days a week, walk up and down dirt hills on uneven terrain carrying a loaded pack (at least 20 pounds) and wearing the trail shoes and socks you will be using on the trip. This gives you a chance to find out if your shoes/sock combo gives you blisters and if the shoes are going to big enough (I always use a whole size bigger for longer backpacking trips). Also, walking with a pack strengthens ankles, legs and knees, toughens your feet and shoulders, and builds balance.
• Three or four days a week calisthenics: push-ups, sit-ups, lunges, squats, and toe lifts.

Tips for a Happy Body on the Trail

• At least once a day (lunch break is a good time) take off your shoes and socks. Take out insoles, empty dirt out of shoes and dry out socks and shoes. This gives your feet a chance to harden up so blisters won’t start and for your shoes to dry the sweat out.  This is specially important on the first few days of a trip.
• If you feel a hot spot or a rock in your shoe, stop and put a band-aid or tape (I like Leukotape) over the spot BEFORE it turns into a blister.
• If you have trouble with blisters between toes, try Injinji Toe Socks.
• Wear lighter weight trail runners with soles that grip and have mid-sole support. Be sure to buy them 1/2 to 1 whole size bigger. My favorite choices are the La Sportiva Bushidos or La Sportiva Mutant.

Cell Service Along the Trail

For the most part, the High Sierra does not have service. These were the places on the JMT where there was an internet connection:

• Donohue Pass
• Ridge above and to the south east of Garnet Lake
• Descending from Purple Lake, Past Gladys Lake, towards Reds Meadow
• Reds Meadow
• On the Bear Ridge before starting the descent towards Bear Creek Trail
• No WiFi or LTE connection at Muir Ranch, only a wired satellite connected laptop to share with everybody else

Get the Gear
John Muir Trail Lightweight Gear List

Below is my personal John Muir Trail long-distance backpacking gear kit. This list would also apply to any longer distance hikes in the Sierras. My base weight (all gear without food and water) is around 12 pounds including a bear can. My TOTAL weight with with 1 liter of water and 5 to 8 days of food varies from 21 to 27 pounds. Weight does not include gear for early season or high snow years.

CLICK TO VIEW ALL THE GEAR AND CLOTHING DETAILS (INCLUDING GUYS CLOTHING)

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