Hiking
Backpacking and Day Hiking opportunities in the Sierra National Forest.
Backpacking
Wilderness permits are required for all overnight backpacking trips into wilderness areas. Wilderness permits can be reserved at recreation.gov.
Ansel Adams Wilderness Trailheads:
- A30 Onion Springs Trailhead
- A31 Mono Meadow Trailhead
- A32 Doris/Tule Trailhead
- A33 Mono Hot Springs Trailhead
- A34 Portal Forebay Trailhead
- A35 Rattlesnake Trailhead
- A50 Logan Meadow Trailhead
- A51 Hell's Half Acre Trailhead
- A52 South Fork Trailhead
- A53 Piyau Dome Trailhead
- A54 Cassidy/Miller Trailhead
- A56 Mammoth Trailhead
- A58 Isberg Trailhead
- A60 Walton Trailhead
- A61 Fernandez Trailhead
- A64 Norris Lake/Jackass Lakes Trailhead
- A67 Chiquito/Quartz Trailhead
John Muir Wilderness Trailheads:
- J51 Statham/Spanish Trailhead
- J52 Crown/Rancheria Trailhead
- J53 Woodchuck Trailhead
- J54 Maxson Trailhead
- J55 Corbett Trailhead
- J56 Dutch/Crater Trailhead
- J57 Florence Trailhead
- J58 Hooper Trailhead
- J59 Bear Diversion Trailhead
- J60 Bear Ridge Trailhead
- J61 Mono Creek Trailhead
- J62 Devils/Graveyard Trailhead
- J63 Margaret Lakes Trailhead
Dinkey Lakes Wilderness Trailheads:
- D1 Badger Trailhead
- D2 Helms Meadow
- D3 Cliff Lake Trailhead
- D4 Nelson Trailhead
- D5 Willow Meadow/Dinkey Lakes Trailhead
- D6 Coyote Trailhead
Kaiser Wilderness Trailheads:
- K1 Sample Meadow Trailhead
- K2 Potter Pass Trailhead
- K3 Potter Cut-off Trailhead
- K4 Deer Creek Trailhead
- K5 Billy Creek Trailhead
- K6 Coarsegrass Meadow Trailhead
- K7 Hidden Trailhead
- K8 Pryor Trailhead
Day Hikes
Areas for Day Hiking at Bass Lake Ranger District
Bass Lake Area:
Beautiful pine forests and mountains surround this lake making it an excellent place for day hikes. Nearby you will find the Way of the Mono Interpretative Trail, as well Willow Creek, Goat Mountain and Spring Cove trails.
- Brown Creek Trail
- Devil's Slide Trail
- Goat Mountain Trail
- Pack Sta Trail
- Spring Cove Trail
- Way of the Mono Trail
- Willow Creek Trail
Beasore Road Area:
Beasore Road Area Day Hikes Map
- Chiquito Lake Access Trail
- Chiquito Pass Trail
- Clover Meadow Trail
- Cora Spur Trail
- Fernandez Access Trail
- Frog Meadow Trail
- Isberg Trail
- Jackass Lakes Trail
- Lady Lake Trail
- Lillian Lake Trail
- Norris Lake Trail
- Walton Trail
- Yellowjacket Trail
Highway 41 Area:
- Kamook Trail
- Lewis Creek Trail NRT Trailhead
- Lone Sequoia Trail
Jerseydale Area:
- Hite Cove Trail
- Pinoch Ridge Trail
- Rush Creek Trail
- Savage/Lundy Trail
- Skelton Trail
- South Fork Merced Trail
- Virgina/Granite Creek Trail
Kerckhoff Lake Area:
- Horseshoe Bend Trail
- River Bend Trail
Minarets Road Area:
Minarets Road Area Day Hikes Map
- French Trail
- Hell's Half Acre Trail
- Logan Meadow Trail
- McCreary Cutoff Trail
- Miller Creek Trail
- Miller Meadow Trail
- Shuteye Pass Trail
- South Fork Trail
Sky Ranch Road Area:
Sky Ranch Road Area Day Hikes Map
- Bull Buck Trail
- Chimney Tree Trail
- Dutchman Lake Trail
- Fresno Dome Trail
- Graveyard of Giants Trail
- Grizzly Creek Trail
- Grizzly Lake Trail
- Grizzly Pass Trail
- Iron Lakes Trail
- Quartz Mountain Trail
- Quartz Mountain Trailhead
Areas for Day Hiking at High Sierra Ranger District
Huntington Lake Area:
Huntington Lake Area Day Hikes Map
- Billy Creek Trail
- Coarsegrass Meadow Trail
- Deer Creek Trail
- George Lake Trail
- Gloria Meadow Trail
- Huntington Shore Trail
- Indian Pools Trail
- Kaiser Creek Trail
- Kaiser Loop Trail
- Mary's Meadow Trail
- Nellie Lake Trail
- Potter Creek Trail
- Pryor Lake Trail
- Rancheria Falls NRT Trail
- Twin Lakes Loop Trail
Dinkey Lakes Wilderness Area:
- Bullfrog Lake Trail
- Coyote Lakes Trail
- Dinkey Creek Trail
- Dinkey Lakes Trail
- Dogtooth Trail
- East Lake Trail
- Helms Meadow Trail
- Island Lake Trail
- Mystery Lake Trail
- Nelson Lake Trail
Lake Edison Area:
- Devil's Bathtub Trail
- Margaret Lakes Trail
- Silver Creek Trail
- Soda Springs Trail
- String Meadow Trail
- Tule Lake Trail
Florence Lake Area:
- Crater Lake Trail
- Dutch Oven Trail
- Florence Trail
- Pacific Crest Trail (PCT)
Search for Hiking Opportunities
A30 Onion Springs Trail
The Onion Springs trail is 4.7 miles long. It begins near the High Sierra Pack Station and ends at Four Forks Creek near Wilderness boundary. The trail is open for the following uses: Off Highway…
A31 Mono Meadow Trailhead
The Mono Meadow trail is 4.3 miles long which spans from Lake Tomas Edison to Mono Hot Springs Resort. Mono Meadow Trail intersects two other faint trails that heads Northwest towards Warm Creek…
A32 Doris/Tule Trailhead
The Doris/Tule Trail is a 3.1 mile out and back trail that begins at Mono Hot Springs Resort adjacent to Mono Hot Springs Campground. The trail leads to Doris and Tule Lakes, Mono Meadow Trail, and a…
A33 Mono Hot Springs Trailhead
Mono Hot Springs Trail is a 1.9-mile trail connecting to the High Sierra Ranger Station. The popular route to hike is to start at the High Sierra Ranger Station elevation 7400 ft and walk down to the…
A34 Portal Forebay Trailhead
The Portal Forebay trail is faint foot trail which is about 2 miles down to the San Joaquin River and ties into the Doris and Tule Lake Trail system. Portal Forebay Trail also ties into the…
A35 Rattlesnake Trailhead
The Rattlesnake Trail is a faint lesser used trail that drops down from 8100 ft at the trailhead to Portuguese Flat which is 6760 feet in elevation in 3.6 miles. At Portuguese Flat one can take the…
A50 Logan Meadow Trailhead
Logan Meadow Trailhead is located above Mammoth Pool Reservoir by the Wagners Store. The trail is 3.7 miles in length and connects with the French Trail which ends at Piyau Dome Trailhead, 11 miles…
A51 Hells Half Acre Trailhead
Hell's Half Acre trail is a faint trail which is 1.5 miles in length and connects to the French Trail which follows the length of the South fork of the San Joaquin River above Mammoth Pool Reservoir.…
A52 South Fork Trailhead
The South Fork trail is 1.8 miles long. It begins at Road 5S69 and connects to the French trail which is 11 miles long and follows the South Fork of the San Juaquin River. The trail goes past Arch…
A53 Piyau Dome Trailhead
Piyau Dome Trailhead starts just north of scenic Piyau Dome and ties into the French Trail which in total is 14.7 miles in length ending at Logan Meadow Trailhead. The Piyau Dome Trail is a great…