piute lake emigrant wilderness

The Department of Fish and Game estimates that 42 lakes in this basin have rainbows, 28 have brookies, 6 have goldens, 2 have rainbows and brookies and 1 has rainbows and brown trout. Piute Creek is down to to pools of standing water that don't look great. Ended up meandering around the meadow before trail blazing back up to the higher trail we went out on. We went counter clockwise and there was no flowing water until we were about 6-7 miles out so definitely pack plenty of water. Also to find the trail after crossing (and to know you're supposed to be crossing without a bridge), All Trails was a savior. Day hike to Hidden Lake, started with some gravel and longer than we thought; had to ford a river/stream taking boots off and using hands on the mid-stream rocks for balance. Emigrant is the show stopper of all the lakes, but all are wonderful. We encountered a group of hikers on our way to the lake that were abandoning their search for the lake. Arrived on a Thursday evening and the parking lot at the trailhead was almost full so it definitely gets crowded. Otherwise, trail was dry. The Emigrant Wilderness of Stanislaus National Forest is a wilderness area in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, USA. We had read bear canisters were required, so those worked well for keeping our food safe. › Emigrant Wilderness. I got destroyed despite wearing long sleeves and long pants. - the side-hike to Poore Lake is really not worth it unless you want to descend a considerable distance to the lake shore, there really isn't a good view point. Your adventure begins on a trail-trail in the forest. We got lost after Lane Lake, and took some time to find the way to pass around the secret lake. Passed so many lakes I can’t remember them all. From the south, the wilderness is accessible from Cherry Lake, along the border with Yosemite National Park. But it’s much less crowded than its neighbor to the South, offering more solitude for backpacking. The grandeur sights of the granite valley still made it a worthwhile trek. Amazing hike!!! So much fun swimming in the lakes and lots of water to fill up! ... Trip 1 (Loop): Crabtree trailhead to Camp Lake, Piute Meadow, Grouse Lake, and Pine Valley. Alternatively, if you'd really like to capture the view of the valley, hit the crest first while the sun is shining on it. More photos from the hike: https://csgirllife.wordpress.com/leavitt-meadows-hoover-wilderness, Leavitt Meadows to Millie, Secret, Roosevelt & Lane Lakes, Aspen Meadow Road, Crabtree Camp and Buck Lakes Loop. The water at Gem clogged our filter very quickly; Piute seemed better. This trail (“trail”) is not for the faint of heart. Walker River Headwaters: Lake Hopping Sept 18-21, 2012 Last week I did a 40-mile lake-hopping loop from Leavitt Meadows up into the headwaters of the West Walker River, in Emigrant Wilderness, CA. Thank the late snow melt lol. Very crowded up to Camp Lake but pretty clear after that! We (2 adults and 2 dogs) backpacked from Crabtree to Gem Lake on July 31, did a short day hike to Deer Lake and then broke camp and moved to Piute Lake on Aug. 1, and packed out on Aug. 2. A little ways upstream of this camp was a shallow and slow-moving area we chose to ford the river. Also, don't follow this GPS track exactly. We got good campsites by arriving early but folks who arrived late might have had trouble. The 1400' Elevation Gain stated must be cumulative vertical because I did the loop and elev. We much preferred our return route where we immediately descended the saddle and then stayed low (find my Day 2 GPS track for reference). Beautiful eastern Sierra hike. It is bordered by Yosemite National Park on the south, the Toiyabe National Forest and the Hoover Wilderness on the east, and State Route 108 over Sonora Pass on the north. - if you are starting late in the day consider leaving the crest part of the trail for the second half as it remains in the sun longer than the valley. Elevation gain: 1,200 feet. We're going to drive up Friday AM to the Crabtree Trailhead. While the navigation is easy, you will need to be proficient with a map and compass and/or GPS, and the route finding through the boulders can be very tricky at some points. Stayed at a different lake every night (6). There are several ways to get to the headwaters. All in all a bucket list 40 miler plus with great friends. It is an elongated area that extends northeast about 25 miles in length and up to 15 miles in width. Complete this one counterclockwise for best view progression. - Poore Lake side trail has a side trail to the Secret Lake -- that allows you to avoid climbing up and down on the way to the ridge Piute Creek was rock-hoppable and Lily Creek looked like it might be but we opted to remove our boots and wade. Route finding is required, but this is gentle country. Distance: 5 miles. We loved the views and the lakes were warm for the sierras and great for a dip after hot hikes. It is bordered by Yosemite National Park on the south, the Toiyabe National Forest and the Hoover Wilderness on the east, and State Route 108 over Sonora Pass on the north. Tons of wildflowers right now. We camped on the far side of Lane Lake in maybe the third-best site on both lakes, right at the junction with the trail to Hidden Lake but traffic was not an issue. Has anyone been up here since mid - June and can speak to how the mosquito issues are? For trips entering Yosemite National Park Wilderness from Cherry Lake, Kibbie Ridge, or Lake Eleanor, visit any district office or call the Groveland Ranger District by phone no more than 24 hours in advance of your trip. Mosquitos at Gem Lake were so bad we had to spend our evening in our tent. The next morning at first light there were hundreds of the little bloodsuckers perched on the tent waiting to pounce on the first mammal to exit. Spend eight days backpacking deep into the heart of the Emigrant Wilderness, the High Sierra’s best-kept secret just north of Yosemite National Park. Explore Emigrant Wilderness - view hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos from hikers, campers and nature lovers like you. My 14 year old son and I attempted Hyatt Lake as an overnighter but came up a little short on time and camped out along the trail about a mile from the lake. Stay above creek-level unless you have a strong desire to bush whack. At one point we went over 24 hours without seeing anyone. The plan was to start at the Crabtree Trailhead and spend three nights hiking to/around Gem Lake. Beautiful views but be warned as you hike in the bugs get worse and worse! It was a good idea but was beautiful and we enjoyed our rest.Can’t wait to return I highly recommend this. We took a half zero day due to inclement weather. There were plenty of cars parked along the road in as well. I highly recommend taking the Northern route first and camping at Piute Lake along the Southern side. The Emigrant is most easily accessible from Hwy 108, with many visitors entering from near Pinecrest Lake or Kennedy Meadows. Piute Lake in the Emigrant Wilderness. A couple of pro-tips for those who want to brave this hike themselves: Gorgeous hike in with buddies, and camping at Piute. We had planned a 2-night backpack trip with both nights at Piute Lake and taking a day hike from there to Gem and Jewelry Lakes and beyond. Looks like this on the way: Grouse Lake: Second Night: Grouse Lake is small. It is an elongated area that extends northeast about 25 miles (40 km) in length and up to 15 miles (24 km) … Trail is very exposed, in particular on the climbs and descents (there is some forest cover over the flat areas along the lakes and meadows), which made it extra tiring to hike this time of year. Cherry Lake and Lake Eleanor Roosevelt, Emigrant Wilderness and Yosemite National Park, California (21581655081).jpg 4,000 × 2,430; 2.12 MB Cherry Lake and Lake Eleanor Roosevelt, Emigrant Wilderness, California (21546624476).jpg 4,000 × 3,000; 3.85 MB One afternoon we had thunderstorms and hail for a copy of hours so don’t forget the rain gear. Water was not an issue at all, started everyday with 2 liters and easily filled throughout the day. I had time for one last weekend trip to the Sierra before winter. Nice breeze, some bright yellow birds, but when crossing little streams to get there and right by the water there were some mosquitos; I say this only to suggesting bringing bug cream, because that did the trick. Nope! Elevation loss: 1,500 feet. I did backpacking at the beginning of Oct. This is a great hike. The water was the perfect temperature for swimming. It has it all: mountain valley, mountain lakes, mountain crests and very few people! The trail is primarily used for hiking, camping, nature trips, and backpacking and is best used from April until October. Coming back trail sign was confusing. Had so much fun on this trail! Itinerary. I don't run there in summer months the trail is all dust and deep sand from horses. Mosquitos were extremely intense in a couple of areas (in particular, between Deer and Upper Buck Lakes and along Woods Lake, where I was bitten maybe 15-20 times in the time it took me to take out and spray on the DEET), and tolerable in most other areas. Otherwise it was beautiful and the lakes were amazing to swim in! The following day saw swarms of mosquitoes around Gem and Piute lakes (and again at Cherry Creek). Only thing we weren’t prepared for was how dry the creeks were! Great trail in good condition but Cherry Creek is flowing almost waist deep and from the creek on, the mosquitos are out in force! We didn't even bother with breakfast, but just broke camp and got out of there as fast as possible. We're going to try this again, but not for another couple of weeks! Great trail through a very scenic canyon, ending at one of the most beautiful lakes in the Sierras. I got destroyed despite wearing long sleeves and long pants. During the trip we will also learn about the history of the Emigrant Wilderness and the impact of drought and climate change on this rugged American landscape. Lots of the smaller creeks still had some water for our two dogs. ~14 miles. A beautiful trail that crosses Piute Lake, Piute Meadow, Lily Lake, and Camp Lake along rolling terrain with a nice final section into the Crabtree Trailhead on the western edge of Emigrant Wilderness. Trail was very easy to follow for the most part - it was a bit washed out in parts of the section between the Buck Lakes, but wasn't hard to find with a close eye. People go off the trail to the south side. Download the map, follow our cairns, and that will not be you! There is also an off trail path to get to the south tip of the secret lake - you will find a nice area to camp. ... We headed back up to the main trail then turned left towards Deer Lake, then Gem Lake, then Piute Lake, Piute Meadow, and finally Camp … From scat to multiple prints large and small. Definitely the deeper you go in the less people you see. The second half (valley hike) was beautiful and had a few nice streams to dip your feet in. Emigrant Wilderness is in Stanislaus National Forest, North of Yosemite. Third day we hiked out on the 'high road' past Secret Lake (slightly a challenge to find the trail from the Lake back to Leavitt Meadows). Descend the granite face to the creek. I ran the loop and the fall colors were beautiful. I probably would *not* follow these GPS tracks again. We hike between seven and 9 miles a day and was it no rush. We built a number of cairns on our return route since we didn't see any on our way in (and we would have appreciated it). The secret lake is not marked on the Alltrails map. 3 days, 2 nights. Excellent trail. We travel about four miles, with 1,000 feet of elevation gain and 700 feet of elevation loss, into an area of granite slabs, granite domes, and expansive views. Miles a day and was it no rush swim in views and a spectacular starry moonless sky from the.... Around the secret Lake the end of Woods Lake where the Meadow before trail blazing back up to Lake. So beware and luckily there were plenty of water to fill up scenery. 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