The Appalachian Trail increasingly is being seen as a buffer from climate change along its more than 2,000-mile northbound path from Georgia to Maine. The Gem Lake Loop is located in Emigrant Wilderness, which borders Stanislaus National Forest and Yosemite National Park, and offers incredible views, smaller crowds, and diverse terrain. The Emigrant is most easily accessible from Hwy 108, with many visitors entering from near Pinecrest Lake or Kennedy Meadows. At Huckleberry Lake, I left the main trail and headed up towards Letora Lake. For ramblings, rants, and the occasional dose of inspirational musing follow her on Instagram or her blog Small Towns to Summits. Camping and Permits: Permits are required from April 1 to Nov. 30 for any overnight travel in the Emigrant Wilderness. Emigrant Wilderness Loop This trip is completely customizable to your wishes, allowing you to see a vast amount of the incredible Emigrant Wilderness! Healthy forests are key to removing carbon dioxide from the air, and that the Central Appalachian Mountains are a critical carbon-removal landscape. In fact, I hadn’t seen a single fresh human track on the trail since Emigrant Lake. Lower Relief - 5 hours. (36.3 km) #17 High Uintas Wilderness Protected Area Updated: 2019-09-12 The High Uintas Wilderness is a wilderness area located in northeastern Utah, United States. More on this later. A ranger that I met on the trail the day before said that he’d heard anglers catch 25-inch trouts there. Camp: Gem Lake. This is a 1-hour ride loops around Leavitt Meadows. Cell Reception: Don’t expect any. 15-25 miles a day is in the super human category! The trail is dotted with lakes and streams, offering frequent water sources and campsites. Get a discount on Gaia Premium here. Any nice spots to camp prior (Camp Lake or other?)? The trout leaped into the air several times before accepting its fate. Anyone who is interested in visiting Emigrant Wilderness can print the free topographic map and street map using the link above. Maybe someday soon she’ll start posting there again, you’ll just have to follow to find out. The descent to Huckleberry Lake was painful. 5.0 18 mi / 1100 ft gain The Gem Lake Loop is located in Emigrant Wilderness, which borders Stanislaus National Forest and Yosemite National Park, and offers incredible views, smaller crowds, and diverse terrain. If you keep heading west on Route 108, you’ll hit Kennedy Meadows, Sonora Pass, and eventually pop out on the east side, just north of … But it’s much less crowded than its neighbor to the South, offering more solitude for backpacking. But the path that paralleled East Fork Cherry seemed to double as a riverbed during spring. Emigrant Wilderness is also close to Yosemite National Park and Toiyabe National Forest. Enjoy the … This ~20-mile loop can quickly become 30 miles if you forget to start your loop back. I woke up as the sun began to illuminate the mountains. Wilderness Air Quality: Who We Are: Our Partners: Monitoring and Data: Air Pollution: Law and Policy: Manager's Portal : USDA Forest Service 1400 Independence Avenue SW Washington, D.C. 20250-0003 (202) 205-8333 I planned a 3-night trip to Emigrant Wilderness to fish Emigrant Lake and some smaller lakes. Inflammations should take longer than that to develop, I thought. After I camped next to one of these lakes back in 2015, I was completely hooked. Good to know. There’s none in the wilderness or Crabtree Road. I decided to sleep under the stars without the tarp. At the time, I didn’t think much of it as the pain subsided in minutes. Dogs are also able to use this trail. From Modesto, take the 120 toward Yosemite and merge onto the 108 toward Sonora. There are 11 moderate trails in Emigrant Wilderness ranging from 5.1 to 29 miles and from 6,558 to 10,324 feet above sea level. A few of the lakes are a bit swampy, and you will want to wade out into the water to collect away from the mud. From there, I had another 15 minutes to the Crabtree Trailhead. 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. The temperature had gone from freezing to summer in the hour I had been on the trail. This trail is most crowded in the summer, as there are also many day hikes from the trailhead. Trash Collection: No trash collection at the trailhead in the off-season. I kept going. My plan was to do the wilderness loop as shown here with a few extra side trails to really see as many lakes as possible Full text of "Out West : a story and guide book illustrating with text and pictures the marvelous resources and scenes of the great West: from the lakes, across the praires, over the Rockies, through the deserts, among the Sierras, to the Pacific Coast" See other formats The next night, we hid in a well-covered dirt site next to a smaller lake and woke up with zero condensation. I planned to camp at Wood Lake. I stood and watched the lake for a few minutes. Just north of Yosemite National Park area, it is at the junction of the volcanic formations characteristic of the Sierra to the north and the granite mountains found farther south. The fall months are much cooler and provide less water, but there won’t be any bugs. Mileage is very individual. The Emigrant Wilderness is one of the best-kept secrets of the High Sierra. Emigrant Lake was much larger than any of the lakes I visited the day before. You could spend days exploring the area around Deer Lake and never grow weary of your exploits. I was getting to the limit of how far I could walk on my foot. Five miles from the trailhead, I ran into a group of hikers. It was the last few weeks of trout season, so I also wanted to bring my fly fishing gear. The fly dropped outside the cliff and sank. This past weekend I hit Emigrant Wilderness in the Stanislaus National Forest, not only to see thse area for the first time but to give my new pack that i'd made some mileage to see how it felt. Most of the 11 miles were downhill. Thanks for sharing. Food storage: Bear canisters are not required in Stanislaus National Forest, but are highly recommended. Start at Crabtree Trailhead.Day 1: Camp Lake, Piute Lake, Gem Lake, Jewelry Lake, Deer Lake, Buck Lakes. I didn’t see any signs of fish, so I continued hiking to Buck Lakes. The Crabtree Trailhead is about three hours from California’s Bay Area. My water bottle had frozen overnight, but I slept warm. Location: Stanislaus National Forest, Emigrant Wilderness, near the town of Sorona, CA in Northern California east of the San Francisco Bay Area. When I got to the West side of the lake, I was disappointed to notice that it was a shallow, swampy lake. This trail is well-blazed and mostly dirt. Day 2: Emigrant Lake, Maxwell Lake, Huckleberry Lake, Letora Lake, Cow Meadow Lake, Wood Lake. They greeted me with a surprised “hello, human!” Clearly, they hadn’t seen others in a while either. The Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway Trail is a 48-mile end-to-end trail in New England that can be accomplished in three-to-four days. However, if you’re planning on hiking this on a summer weekend I recommend getting to camp in the early afternoon. I had to abandon my plan to keep hiking up North Fork Cherry Creek toward the upper Emigrant Lakes. It was the first weekend in November last year, ← How to plan an ultralight backpacking trip, San Francisco Bay Area overnight bikepacking trip →. On this ride you will ride along side the river and through the gorgeous meadow. This takes you north of Yosemite National Park in Stanislaus National Forest. These are typically self-serve, free, and unlimited at any Stanislaus National Forest ranger station. Day 3: We cross Emigrant Pass and loop around to Cinko Lake on our way to the Dorothy Lakes area, crossing into Yosemite. The trail followed the edge of a large meadow on the Northside of Upper Buck Lake. The chart above will give you some idea on what to expect. I passed through some of the most impressive granite landscapes of the whole trip. Deer Lake was a bit more shallow/marshy at least in one end. The trail consisted of loose rocks ranging from the size of a grape to a football. A little overnighter to the Emigrant wilderness! We took this loop clockwise, heading in the direction of Camp Lake on the first day. Stanislaus National Forest Backcountry Permit. However, because we went during the COVID pandemic, we filled out our permit online. The views over Huckleberry Lake were some of the most impressive of the trip so far. Hi, just talked to a friend who says trying to reach Buck Lake on day one is really ambitious. After a warm breakfast and a large cup of coffee, I headed toward Emigrant Lake. 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. Off the 108, turn right onto Crabtree Road and 10 miles down the road is the parking lot and overnight campsite for this trailhead. The last climb up to the trailhead offered a new landscape of volcanic rock and bright-yellow aspen. We hiked the loop in early October and only encountered a handful of other hikers over three days. There are a few rocky sections, where the path is lined with small rocks across slabs of granite. What was your experience? I recommend this trip for a leisurely escape into the wilderness, as opposed to a trip where mileage is the goal. Coming from the West, the best way to get to Emigrant Wilderness is to take Route 108 up into the Sierra Nevada. The Emigrant Wilderness is the Yosemite backcountry’s underappreciated cousin. Gaps in the trees offered occasional glimpses of granite cliffs and the views ahead. Region: Pacific West (Stanislaus National Forest, Northern California)Length: 19.5 miles, 1-3 days, Elevation (average): ~7,000 feet Total Elevation Gain: 3,172 feet. It was way too big for me to eat, especially right after breakfast. It was still near freezing when I started my backpacking trip. Some of the extra weight could be offset by not bringing a tent as there wouldn’t be any mosquitoes this late, and there was no rain forecast either. Day 3: Buck Meadow, Grouse Lake, Pine Valley, Crabtree Trailhead. By the time I got to the top of the ridge separating Buck Lakes and Emigrant Lake, it was once again warm enough that I could ditch my fleece. I enjoyed this route, but don’t see any reason why counterclockwise would be any less enjoyable. I packed away my rod and continued along the lakeshore. We spent one night on an exposed, rocky lakeside and were rewarded with stellar sunset views, but suffered chillier temperatures. Start checking them out and you'll be out on the trail in no time! Emigrant Wilderness: Trail Mileages Stanislaus National Forest ROG 16-27; 06/12 Trailhead: Gianelli Cabin Elevation: 8,600’ Destination Miles Burst Rock 1.2 Powell Lake 2.3 Lake Valley Trail 3.7 Chewing Gum Lake 4.1 Y Meadow Trail 5.5 Y Meadow Lake 6.4 Sierra North: Backcountry Trips in California's Sierra Nevada There were a lot of fallen trees that had thankfully been cleared off the trail. Overview This is a difficult loop trail to No Camping in Emigrant Wilderness. Crabtree Road is not paved, but 2WD cars are just fine. Some land is below 5000 feet while Leavitt Peak is 11,750 feet high. The trail passed through a pleasant pine forest. More vlogs and a gear video coming! It’s the perfect amount of physical challenge mixed with stunning California beauty. Even so, the trail had well-constructed steps that ascended the granite. The trail is primarily used for hiking and backpacking and is best used from August until September. Regardless of which trailhead you’re starting out from, you should be able to snag a permit at the Summit Ranger Station in Pinecrest. Mileage: ~20 miles, ~2,500 elevation gain. I didn’t try fishing there on that trip, will need to do it next time I’m out there. Trails: out via Crabtree and back via Bell Meadow trail. The trail weaves through the high alpine basin, crossing High Emigrant Lake, then to Emigrant Meadow Lake and continues to contour west moving through all the lakes and rivers. It stretches from Denver to Durango across the Southern Rockies and can be hiked in 25-35 days. Most of the reliable water sources are lakes, which have a varying degree of swampy-ness. The route to the top of Big Sam is an old mining road. At this point, it had been over two full days since I’d seen another person, and over a day since I’d even seen a footprint. It can easily be completed in a three-day weekend, including travel time. Sierra Nevada - Hoover/Emigrant Wilderness - Sonora Pass Loop On September 17-21, 1993 I did a 28 mile backpack loop trip from Sonora Pass on Highway 108 along part of the Pacific Crest Trail and climbed 10,825' Big Sam. Even so, I wanted to push a bit further so I could walk back to my car the following day. The evening was chilly, but I stayed warm by my campfire. Only later did I remember that I had hit the outside of my foot against a sharp rock. The Emigrant Wilderness of Stanislaus National Forest is a wilderness area in the Sierra Nevada.It is bordered by Yosemite National Park on the south, the Toiyabe National Forest and the Hoover Wilderness on the east, and State Route 108 over Sonora Pass on the north. This will be another challenging day of seven miles, gaining and losing just under 1,000 feet. But the impact was forceful enough to cause a big bruise and my foot to swell up. Until then, the trail had been well-maintained. That being said, the water is plentiful and you’ll never have to carry more than two liters. Backpack Gem Lake Loop in Emigrant Wilderness. There aren’t any excruciatingly long climbs, and the weather is pleasant well past August. Daytime temperatures were in the low 60s and nighttime lows int the 20s. You'll need a permit for this loop so make sure to stop by the Summit District Ranger Station in Pinecrest to pick yours up. Camping, there would be a wet and cold ordeal. Emigrant Wilderness is in the Reserves category for Tuolumne County in the state of California. I gave it a few quick jigs and boom–the trout slammed the fly. The longest stretch between lakes is ~4 miles, so two liters of carrying capacity is plenty. Towering granite peaks surrounded Upper Buck Lake. Drive carefully on Crabtree Road, and look out for horse poop on the trail. Deer Lake rests deep in the Emigrant Wilderness amidst dozens of other lakes, each one as scenic and inviting as the next. Waste MUST be packed out from November to May. Overnight parking is allowed, and pit toilets are available here. Start and end at the Crabtree Trailhead. It’s 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. Hike this trail? Fortunately, the other end of the lake was much more suitable for camping. The Colorado Trail is a 485-mile point-to-point backpacking route in Colorado. Lye Brook Wilderness Loop, Vermont; Shoal Pond Loop, New Hampshire; Death Hollow Loop, Utah; Big Branch Wilderness Loop, Vermont; Baker-Johnson Lake Loop, Nevada; Crazy Mountains Loop, Montana; Grafton Loop Trail, Maine; Sawtooth Wilderness Loop, Idaho; 100-200 Miles . Day One: Crabtree Trailhead to Camp Lake, 3 miles Day Two: Camp Lake to Grouse Lake, 12.5 milesDay Three: Grouse Lake to Crabtree Trailhead, 4 miles. I also planned to do some off-trail exploration in the high country. A small stream that flowed through the field had frozen overnight. 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. In addition, I brought down pants and wool socks to stay warm in camp. Days: 2 days, 1 night. I normally hike long days, 15-25 miles, so I thought the first day was fairly easy. I picked up my Emigrant Wilderness permit at the Summit Ranger Station right after it opened at 8:30 am. My main concern was to stay warm at night. The nearest town is Pinecrest, a popular destination for both summer and winter tourists. Granite Dome to Ridge Lake and Iceland Lake, Gianelli Trail to Chewing Gum Lake, Leopold Lake, Deer Lake and Gem Lake, Bear Lake and Grouse Lake via Emigrant Wilderness Loop, Aspen Meadow Road, Crabtree Camp and Buck Lakes Loop, Emigrant Wilderness and Sachse Monument Loop. There are opportunities to camp at every lake, with plenty of spots featuring man-made fire rings. From the south, the wilderness is accessible from Cherry Lake, along the border with Yosemite National Park. The Emigrant Wilderness Loop is a 19.5-mile loop located in Stanislaus National Forest, California, that can be hiked in 1-3 days. In the Emigrant Wilderness, grazing or holding more than four stock overnight within one-quarter mile of Rosasco, Pingree, Piute, Gem, Jewelry, Long, or … $855.58. Because of that, I brought 2 sleeping pads and my 10-degree sleeping bag. Wilderness Press. However, fires aren’t always allowed. Like Yosemite, it has towering granite mountains and spectacular alpine lakes. An icon used to represent a menu that can be toggled by interacting with this icon. I cannot recommend this trip enough for beginner backpackers. I pulled out the barbless hook, snapped a quick picture, and released it. Emigrant Wilderness is displayed on the Cooper Peak USGS quad topo map. Camping is allowed anywhere LNT guidelines are followed. ... Schifrin, Ben, Emigrant Wilderness. Wearing both a fleece and gloves, I started climbing. Water: Bring a trusty water filter, and backup filtration tablets. The longest climb is less than a mile, and covers roughly 700 feet of elevation gain in that time. Get outside! Check here to see if you can apply for an online permit. I found a campsite on the cliffs overlooking the lake a little ways off the trail. The two times I’ve done this loop the crowds were extremely thin, so we never had to search for campsites. Every step I took on my left foot resulted in a stabbing pain near my heel. Katie is a freelance writer based in Salt Lake City, Utah. What time of year did you go? Want this map for offline use? I found a cliff overlooking the lake with a fire ring and a sheltered spot for my sleeping pad. A four-night, 40-mile loop leads southeast from Kennedy Meadows, past Relief Reservoir, over 9,400-foot Mosquito Pass, and to Emigrant Lake (mile 16), where the combination of skyward granite, alpine pool, and rainbow trout make for the most … In the spring there will be more options to collect flowing water, but I would not hike this loop without a backup water filtration source. Read here for information on when visiting bear country. There are many opportunities to extend the loop or go slightly off-trail to different lakes, so we were grateful for our easy itinerary. Submit your trip report here, The Appalachian Trail Can Provide a Refuge from Climate Change, What You Need to Know About the New Sleeping Pad R-Values, Hugh’s 40-Year Journey to Lightweight Backpacking, Route is between 6,500 and 7,500 feet of elevation, Short uphill and downhill sections, no long climbs, A few rocky patches, but mostly dirt trail, Loop starts and ends in a free, large parking lot with pit toilets, Free, self-serve permits available at ranger stations. So I’m learning to look north, past Yosemite, to the quiet paths of the Emigrant Wilderness for my own tract of unspoiled heaven. The Trail to Deer Lake Wildflowers, Panoramic Views, Tranquil Lakes. Instead, I headed South, toward Huckleberry Lake, passing Blackbird and Maxwell Lakes. How much do you usually like to hike in a day, in terms of miles or elevation? Immediately I noticed that something wasn’t right. Thinking about going early October. It felt like plantar fasciitis but had appeared suddenly. You can also take the short spur to Bear Lake, on the junction directly after Camp Lake. I stopped at Camp Lake to fill up on water and layer down. Route finding: There are a lot of trails in the area, so be sure to carry a GPS map. Smoky Mountains National Park Loop, NC / TN. So yes, we did go skinny-dipping. We planned this trip because fire closures canceled other plans, yet this national forest remained open. Paperback. In late spring/early summer there will likely still be snow on the grow; however, the streams will be flowing with water (and who doesn’t love snowcapped views?). I also hiked to Deer Lake in one day but that was 20 years ago and I was super weary when I got there. This trip is wonderful for beginners, and was actually my first backpacking trip many blisters ago back in 2015. It is an elongated area that extends northeast about 25 miles (40 km) in length and up to 15 miles (24 … Stock: This area is heavy with horse activity. I rigged my Tenkara rod and picked a size 16 bead head nymph with a pink hotspot. Day 1: Camp Lake, Piute Lake, Gem Lake, Jewelry Lake, Deer Lake, Buck Lakes. Hope you did well. The weather forecast for the trip showed clear skies. There are pros and cons to each month of the hiking season in Stanislaus National Forest. This trail goes by Sheep Camp. This means camping at least 200 feet from water, 100 feet from established trails, and away from fragile terrain such as meadows. You didn’t report much on your fishing adventures. The night was wind-still, and there wasn’t a cloud in sight. The 3 trail junctions under Grizzly Peak in the High Emigrant Basin compose one of the best hubs of trails for anchoring a whole series of long and short … When she’s not guzzling instant coffee in the backcountry, you can find her down the ski slopes or using inappropriate language around children at the climbing gym. It looked like the trail didn’t get much traffic. Just as quickly as it had appeared, it vanished into the dark. Distance: 22.6 mi. It is perfect for an AT shake-down hike or a weekend getaway. Emigrant Wilderness Rides. There are wonderful campsites at nearly every lake on this loop. Emigrant Wilderness is in Stanislaus National Forest, North of Yosemite. In the morning, my foot was feeling worse. Start at Crabtree Trailhead. Closest Major City: Modesto, California (three hours). Emigrant Wilderness and Northwest Yosemite: Covers Emigrant Wilderness and the Adjacent Backcountry of Yosemite National Park with Map by Ben Schifrin (2004-02-03) 4.2 out of 5 stars 13. 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