Table of Contents
Introduction 1
Park History 1
The Giant Sequoia 3
Topographic Features 4
Planning Your Trip 5
Emergency Medical Services (Personal Responsibility) 6
Using This Guidebook 7
How This Guide Is Organized 7
Types of Hike 7
Ratings 7
Distances 7
Maps 8
Sharing 8
Backcountry Regulations 9
Campfires 9
Specific Camping Restrictions 10
Food Storage and Bears 11
Leave No Trace 12
Make It a Safe Trip 14
Being Prepared 14
Seasons and Weather 15
Hypothermia: The Silent Killer 15
Altitude Sickness 16
Drinking Water and Giardiasis 18
High Water 18
Poison Oak 18
Ticks 18
Mosquitoes and Biting Flies 19
Rattlesnakes 19
Be Bear Aware 19
Mountain Lions 21
Trail Finder 23
Author's Favorite Hikes 27
Map Legend 29
The Hikes
Hikes in the Foothills 31
1 Lower Colony Mill Trail 32
2 North Fork Trail 35
3 Marble Falls 38
4 Paradise Creek 41
5 Middle Fork Trail 45
Hikes in the Giant Forest 48
6 Upper Colony Mill Trail 49
7 Sunset Rock 52
8 Moro Rock and Hanging Rock 54
9 Sugar Pine Trail 57
10 Crescent and Log Meadows 60
11 Big Trees Trail 63
12 Huckleberry Trail 66
13 Congress Trail 71
14 Trail of the Sequoias 75
15 Circle Meaduw 79
Hikes in the Central High Sierra 83
16 High Sierra Trail to Bearpaw Meadow 84
17 Hamilton Lakes 87
18 Nine Lake Basin 91
19 Big Arroyo 94
20 Redwood Meadow 96
21 Pinto Lake 99
22 Little Five Lakes 101
Hikes in the Lodgepole and Dorst Areas 104
23 Lakes Trail 105
24 Alta Peak 109
25 Alta Meadow 113
26 Long Meadow Trail 115
27 Tokopah Falls 118
28 Twin Lakes Trail 121
29 Little Baldy 125
30 Muir Grove 128
Hikes in the Grant Grove Area 131
31 Big Stump Loop 132
32 Hitchcock Meadow Trail 135
33 South Boundary Trail 138
34 Manzanita and Azalea Trails 142
35 General Grant Loop 146
36 Sunset Trail 150
37 North Grove and Dead Giant Loops 154
38 North Boundary and Lone Pine Trails 157
39 Park Ridge Trail 162
Hikes in the Redwood Canyon Area 166
40 Hart Tree Trail 167
41 Sugarbowl Trail 171
42 Redwood Canyon Trail 174
43 Buena Vista Peak 178
44 Big Baldy Ridge 181
Hikes in the Cedar Grove and Monarch Divide Areas 185
45 Deer Cove Trail to Grizzly Lakes 186
46 Lewis Creek Trail 190
47 Don Cecil Trail 194
48 Hotel Creek Trail 197
49 Roaring River Falls to Zumwalt Meadow 200
50 Road's End to the Bailey Bridge 204
51 Junction Meadow 207
52 Vidette Meadow 211
53 Upper Bubbs Creek 213
54 Copper Creek Trail 216
55 Paradise Valley 219
56 Rae Lakes Loop 222
Hikes in the Mineral King and South Fork Areas 228
57 Paradise Peak 229
58 Atwell-Hockett Trail to Hockett Meadows 232
59 Evelyn Lake and Cahoon Rock 236
60 Cold Springs Nature Trail 239
61 Timber Gap 242
62 Crystal Lakes 245
63 Monarch Lakes 249
64 Black Wolf Falls 252
65 Franklin Lakes 255
66 Farewell Gap 259
67 White Chief Bowl 261
68 Eagle Lake 265
69 Mosquito Lakes 268
70 Ladybug Camp and Whisky Log Camp 271
71 Garfield Grove 275
Hikes in and near the Jennie Lakes Wilderness 277
72 Weaver Lake 278
73 Jennie Lake 281
74 Deer Meadow 284
75 Mitchell Peak 287
76 Lookout Peak 291
Hikes in the Sugarloaf Valley and Mount Silliman Area 294
77 Roaring River 295
78 Seville Lake 301
79 Lost Lake 305
80 Ranger and Beville Lakes 309
Hikes in Northern and Eastern Kings Canyon and Eastern Sequoia 312
81 Goddard Canyon 313
82 Evolution Valley 319
83 Dusy Basin 321
84 Onion Valley to Kearsarge Lakes 325
85 Charlotte Lake 329
86 Mount Whitney 332
Appendix A For More Information 337
Appendix B Sources and Further Reading 339
Appendix C Hiker's Checklist 340
Hike Index 342
About the Author 344
