Hike California's John Muir Trail

 

Step out into a wilderness that inspired over a century of conservation, following a historic trail through the lofty ranges, peaceful meadows, bear-grazed forests and fresh-air splendor of California's Sierra Nevada.

Distance: 344KM

Location: Sierra Nevada, California, USA 

Ideal Time Commitment: Three Weeks

Best Time of Year: Mid-July to Early September

•  Watching the sun set and rise over Thousand Island Lake.
• Marvelling at the basalt columns of the Devil's Postpile- and nipping to nearby Red Meadows Resort for a hot-spring-powered shower.
• Looking out for lupins, Indian paintbrush and other wildflowers, as well as mule deer, marmots and black bears.
• Camping beside mountain-hugged Evolution Lake, one of the JMT's remoter reaches.
• Casting a line (if you have a fishing permit) into the five serene pools of Rae Lakes.
• Standing atop Mt Whitney, gazing over the rugged wilderness you've just traversed.

This trail across Muir's beloved Sierra Nevadas, from the great granite valley of Yosemite to Mt Whitney, bears his name. There's lots of up and down (walk the entire route, north to south, and the total ascent is 12,800m; walk south-north and it's 14,234m). But, despite this, the trail seldom feels tough- gradients are mostly gentle, the way largely sheltered. The toughest part is being self-sufficient. There are no real towns or shops en route, and hikers must carry much of what they need, meaning weeks of dried food and watery porridge.
But the trail compensates for this culinary fatigue with sheer wow. This is magnificent countryside, where every step seems to reward with yet another deer-nibbled valley of lake-reflected mountain range; where every night's camp, even if busy with other hikers, makes you feel a bit like a pioneer.
Your legs ache, your armpits smell, and your shoulders burn from the weight of your backpack, but you've never felt more alive.