John Muir Trail

The Yosemite, Kings Canyon, and Sequoia National Parks are all traversed by the John Muir Trail, a long-distance trail in the Californian Sierra Nevada mountain range. The trail's length is 213.7 miles (343.9 km) from its northern terminus at Happy Isles in Yosemite Valley to its southern terminus at the top of Mount Whitney, with a cumulative elevation gain of roughly 47,000 feet (14,000 m). The trail is in the High Sierra backcountry and wilderness regions for practically its entire length.

The John Muir trail is located primarily within wilderness that has been designated. The trail is almost entirely at or above 8,000 feet (2,400 m) in elevation and winds through expansive stretches of alpine and high mountain landscapes. The path, which has been called "America's most renowned trail," sees roughly 1,500 attempts at thru-hiking each year (including Pacific Crest Trail thru-hikers), which is far less than the number of tries on comparable walks like the southern Appalachian Trail or the Way of St. James.

This 211-mile journey from Yosemite Valley to Mount Whitney traverses the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and it's legendary for a reason. Every step leads to breathtaking vistas of high passes, alpine meadows, lakes, and sequoias. The route begins with well-known views like Half Dome and Vernal Falls, then climbs through the Ansel Adams Wilderness to the highest point in the contiguous United States. The Pacific Crest Trail's most picturesque portion is blessed with a temperate temperature and plenty of sunshine. Most hikers travel from north to south between July and October to avoid the snow, acclimate to higher altitudes, and get in shape before ascending 14,495-foot Mount Whitney. Since backpacking, camping, and hiking are all fairly popular activities in this region, you can run into other people while doing your exploration.

Length: 338.1 km
Elevation: 14,030 m
Level: Hard