The John Muir Trail
The John Muir Trail is one of the premier hiking trails in the United States.The trail travels through the Ansel Adams Wilderness, Sequoia National Park, King's Canyon National Park, and ends at the highest peak in continental United States, Mount Whitney. The trail passes through some of the finest mountain scenery; a land of granite, high peaks, and pristine alpine lakes.
The official length of the JMT is 211 miles (340 km). From its northern terminus in Yosemite Valley, the trail runs northeast to Tuolumne Meadows passing south of Half Dome. From Tuolumne Meadows the trail turns south, running parallel to the main range of the Sierra Nevada, through Yosemite National Park, Inyo and Sierra national forests (including the John Muir and Ansel Adams wilderness areas), Devils Postpile National Monument, Kings Canyon National Park, and Sequoia National Park. From the southern terminus of the John Muir Trail at the summit of Mt. Whitney, an additional 11-mile (18 km) hike is required to reach the nearest trailhead at Whitney Portal, thus making an end-to-end traverse of the trail effectively 222 miles (357 km). Enjoy your hike or backpacking trip and be sure to Leave No Trace so that others may enjoy its beauty.