This campsite is very wooded and can get buggy. Nine Mile Creek is immediately east of the campsite and offers a few semi-secluded swimming holes.

Another hidden spot lies to the north of the trail, and there are a couple other spots down the hill to the south. Nine Mile Creek campsite: There are a couple of sites near the bear box right on the trail. You’ll enjoy great views of Sugarbowl Dome, Little Blue Dome, and Castle Rocks. The first three miles are fairly dry, but there are numerous spring and creek crossings over the final six miles. Much of the trail is shaded, but it can still get very hot due to its south-facing aspect. You’ll be on the south-facing side of the valley in which the Middle Fork of the Kaweah River runs through. Start the hike at Crescent Meadow and backpack to Nine Mile Creek. High Sierra Trail Itineraryĭay One: Crescent Meadow to Nine Mile Creek – 8.8 miles, 1,410′ ascent The closer we got to Whitney the more the campsites filled up, but for the better part of the trail we never shared these sites with more than ten other campers.įor more on the High Sierra Trail, including getting permits, read High Sierra Trail Trip ReportĬlick on the maps to open them in Gaia GPS and download the GPX files. So when I say “large campsite”, that doesn’t mean that we were surrounded by dozens of other campers.

It was a nice leisurely pace that we all enjoyed.Īlso, remember that there are trail quotas. This was also our actual seven-night itinerary and it worked out great. With all of that in mind, this is my recommended High Sierra Trail itinerary. And, of course, what is the scenic quality of the campsite?.Does that campsite have enough room for your group?.Where will you go if there are no more campsites left at that location?.And don’t overdo it on the first day out either.Don’t wear yourself out the day before the Whitney summit.It’s always nice to be near a water source.

There are enough campsites along the High Sierra Trail to more or less split up your backpacking trip among even mileages, but there are a few considerations: Whitney, but getting to Whitney Portal makes the total hike length 72.2 miles. The official trail length is 61.5 miles from Crescent Meadow to Mt. Most people complete their High Sierra Trail itinerary in 6-8 days.

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