Lakeshore, California

This spot is less than four hours from the Bay Area and offers everything you would ever want to do in the outdoors. The interesting thing about Hume Lake is that it is actually a Middle School and High School camp in the Summer and Winter. That being said, it is not the place to go if you are lo...

The Journey to your final destination can get a little tricky once you get on the dirt roads. From the Bay Area it will take you about 3 hours to get into Oakhurst, then another hour to get to the Wilderness Area simply because of the windy and not maintained roads. On that note I would suggest t...

You'll want an early start to this hike so consider camping in the park the night before. If you enter the park via CA-180 and follow it for a ways (passing Kings Canyon Visitor Center, Kings Canyon Lodge, and eventually the Cedar Grove Visitor Center) you'll come up to two campsites on the left-...

Unlike most through hikes that require two cars or hitchhiking, you can accomplish this with only one car by using a YART. Another benefit is that by entering in Mammoth, it is usually much easier to get permits as opposed to starting in Yosemite where permits can be harder to get. Then once yo...

Start from Agnew Meadows about 7 miles away. You can take the High Trail out as part of the River Trail with a long detour passing by several other scenic lakes, including Shadow Lake, Garnet Lake, and Ruby Lake. You will arrive at Thousand Island Lake a few hours after lunch, just in time to set...

Start at the Agnew Meadows Trailhead. You will need to arrive before 7:30AM or take the Shuttle from Mammoth Mountain. Start out by heading north on the John Muir Trail. You will pass Shadow Lake; walk around the south side of the lake for mountain views. Then, follow the trail up Shadow Creek u...

Located in the heart of the Ansel Adams Wilderness, Cecile Lake can be reached from a variety of trailheads. I chose to start out in Agnew Meadows. From here, the trail criss-crosses through a serene lowland environment with several crystal clear streams. After passing Olaine Lake, veer left an...

Mt Ritter is a long climb, but it is worth the effort. Start out by establishing camp at Ediza Lake prior to your ascent. The SE Glacier route (first ascent by John Muir) follows the path of least resistance up the SE side of Mt Ritter.The route first gains a broad bench below Ritter and Banner P...

There are several trailheads you can start at to get to the lake, but we chose the River Trail in Agnew Meadows because it was the only trailhead that hadn't met the quota yet. You can check on permit's and trailheads here. If the River Trail is booked other great options are Shadow Creek, Fish C...

Day one: After checking in with the park ranger and getting your required permits you will start your hike along a 1.8 mile stretch along the south fork of the Kings River. At this point, people typically go clockwise toward Paradise Valley but you can also go counterclockwise along Bubbs Creek. ...

Sunset Campground is minutes away from the King's Canyon National Park entrance. There are a total of 150 sites (2 group campsites) at this campground which can be reserved here. There are several bathroom, water faucets and even an amphitheater. Each campsite comes with a bear locker, picnic tab...

The hike to Weaver Lake begins at the Big Meadows trailhead in Sequoia National Forest (elevation: 7,633 ft.). There is roadside parking at the beginning of the trailhead and more parking available just inside the gate. At the trailhead, there is a vault toilet, trash receptacle, and map of the a...

First and foremost, to get to this trailhead you need to drive down a 2-mile, one lane dirt road that is quite steep. It is highly recommended you do this in an AWD or 4WD vehicle, especially since the road can be muddy from snowmelt or after a recent rain. We have a 2WD car but used chains for e...

LMPL (let's be honest, the full name is a mouthful) is situated just below the crest of Merced Pass, and can be accessed by hiking south from Yosemite Valley, or north from Chiquito Pass. This is a stunning and much less crowded spot to camp, or a great way to access some of the less climbed moun...

Gull Lake trail is one of my favorite hiking spots in the June Lake Loop area. It is a very scenic trail that goes through varying terrains from meadows to marshes to aspen and conifer groves.  Trailhead starts at the Mono County Community Center and winds counter-clockwise around the lake to th...

The Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest is located in Central California quite close to the Nevada Border in the White Mountains. A short drive South from Bishop, you will come to the small town of Big Pine where there are signs leading you left on HWY 168 to the forest. You will need a decent vehicl...