Hiking the John Muir Trail

The John Muir Trail passes through the best of what the inland Northern California wilderness is all about. Most backpackers like to start their trek in Yosemite, then head down through the Ansel Adams Wilderness, the John Muir Wilderness, Kings Canyon National Park, and finally down into Sequoia National Park to end atop Mount Whitney. Yes, you’re ending a 210-mile hike at the summit of the tallest mountain in the contiguous United States—which means you’ve still got 11 miles to go until you can finally hit the showers and feast on something that’s not dehydrated.
Even if backpacking anywhere from 20 to 30 days (depending on how heavy your pack is, how far you travel each day, and how long you spend admiring your surroundings) isn’t necessarily on your bucket list, the payoff of the John Muir Trail arguably makes every blister, sunburn, and freezing-cold soapless lake bath absolutely worth it. Highlights include spending the hottest parts of the day relaxing on the shores of the best-looking lakes in the Sierra, a visit to the geologically bizarre Devil’s Postpile National Monument, three solid weeks with no cell service anywhere, and sweeping views of mountain peaks in every direction.