Whoa. I've been into the Sierra Nevada mountain range all my life, so I'm well aware of how rugged and gorgeous it all is. But it seems that the Emigrant Wilderness takes this up a notch. I didn't think this was possible. I bought a backpack last year to take to Channel Islands. Why not use it this year for a semi-major backpacking trip. Of the places I was considering, I narrowed it down to the Emigrant Wilderness. Got my route planned out, and off I went to Kennedy Meadows. I ended up using two trailheads. When I got my wilderness permit, the ranger warned me that snow was blocking a lot of my itinerary. It certainly was. My four days out of Kennedy Meadows turned into only 26 hours. In that 26 hours was jaw-dropping scenery ranging from vast canyons and mountain ranges to pretty seasonal creeks and wildflowers. I camped near Summit Creek, going to sleep with a raging waterfall close by. By now, you're probably thinking of the first few minutes of "The Sound Of Music", and saying "Aw, I wish I was there!" I wish you were too. Be warned that it is pretty strenuous, and you start at 6500 feet. Okay, my second trip: the Crabtree trailhead. I did much less hiking this time, only five miles to Grouse Lake. I didn't need to go any further. The area around Grouse Lake has a lot to see and do: a smallish lake divided by a peninsula, lots of fishing and swimming spots, birds flying and singing, glaciated granite to climb and run on. (And plenty of mosquitoes; bring lots of repellant.) There are other destinations from this trailhead, too; hikers I saw said that they were going to Camp Lake, Bear Lake. It's a remote trailhead, but it filled up on a Saturday afternoon, so beware! A big part of the attraction of the Emigrant Wilderness is that the only "improvements" we've made are trails and the occasional reservoir. Everything else is just as it was when California became a state. It's wild. It does take a bit of effort to get back here. And when you do, you're not disappointed. It's an immersion into the mountains, a place with just you and the Lord, and He rejuvenates your spirit among His handiwork. Dick Proenneke, who lived in solitude near Alaska's Lake Clark, told John Kauffmann for National Geographic, "Mountains are a man's best friends if he only knew it. You hike and climb every day and you don't grow old." (He was 63.) The same can be said for the Emigrant Wilderness. If you get the food situation figured out, you could live here for an entire summer and still not see it all, and still wish you had more time. read more

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Beautiful! We did the Kennedy Lake trail (15 mi) and camped overnight. It was so peaceful! Beautiful mountains, streams, trees, and wildlife (deer and rabbits). We tried to get to the lake but it was super swampy. It was very cold (30 F in late June so be sure to pack warm stuff! Happy Hiking! read more

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The Emigrant Wilderness is a vast and stunning wilderness area of Stanislaus National Forest located in the Sierra Nevada. A true California treasure, it features spectacular scenery that will eclipse any adventurer's wildest dreams. My partner and I backpacked here over Labor Day weekend. For our first backpacking trip, we couldn't have asked for a better experience. The Emigrant Wilderness is a hiker's paradise, home to striking unspoiled nature: pristine alpine lakes, staggering granite peaks, towering sequoias, and rugged, mountainous landscape. There are few crowds and tremendous beauty. Backpacking is the best way to explore and truly immerse yourself in this majestic setting. Note, this untapped nature comes with serious precautions. This is the extreme outdoors: no bathrooms, cell service, signs, or people around (a majority of the time). Preparation is crucial, especially for beginner backpackers. I'm not going to bog you down with backpacking do's and don't's, but just do your research. A wilderness permit is required for overnight stays. You can pick up a FREE permit at any Stanislaus National Forest Ranger Station. No need for prior arrangements and there's no quota. We obtained our permit at the Summit Ranger Station in Pinecrest. My boyfriend and I did an overnight trip (two days, one night), covering the wilderness's notable lakes. Here's our route and trip details: http://www.hillmap.com/m/ag1zfmhpbGxtYXAtaGRychULEghTYXZlZE1hcBiAgICI-POtCgw Days: 2 days, 1 night Mileage: ~18 miles, ~2,600 elevation gain Camp: Granite Lake Trails: Start and end at the Crabtree Trailhead (loop hike) Destinations: Camp Lake, Bear Lake, Granite Lake, Y Meadow Dam/Lake, Chewing Gum Lake We parked at Crabtree Campsite and hit the trail. We encountered several hikers and horseback riders during the first leg of our hike. Green fauna lined the dirt trail, which was well maintained for the most part. We reached Camp Lake and we were mesmerized by the gorgeous views. After a short break, we journeyed deeper into the wilderness to Bear Lake. Bear Lake is surrounded by a thick forest. It's a popular destination so we saw plenty of campers. People normally hike in from the trailhead and spend the night here. We desired a more secluded location, so we opted to camp at Granite Lake. Crabtree Trail ends at Bear Lake. The route from Bear Lake to Granite Lake is undeveloped and isolated. It is legit backcountry hiking. We scrambled over slabs of granite, huge boulders, and dense forest. My boyfriend had to use a compass to navigate through the terrain, and we checked the GPS on our phones to ensure we were heading in the right direction. We didn't run into a single soul during this stretch. When we finally made it out of the forest and arrived at Granite Lake, we were shocked to find scores of campers. I guess it was due to the holiday weekend. Granite Lake is serene and glossy with a crystal clear reflection of the surrounding trees and mountains. At night, we marveled at the glorious sky lit up by a sea of luminous stars. The next morning we embarked on our journey back. We took a "secondary trail" (which means unmarked/not maintained) to Y Meadow Dam, meandered through sprawling meadows, clambered up and down switchbacks, enjoyed lunch at Chewing Gum Lake (sensational!), and eventually made it back to our car. Since we came during the late summer, mosquitoes weren't an issue. The temperature was optimal (warm days and cool nights). One of the advantages of backpacking in the Emigrant Wilderness is a reliable source of fresh water. We brought our pump water filter so we could cook and clean with the lake water. This is one less thing to carry (and it makes a profound difference when your load is 30lbs). I can't say enough about the fantastic views and peaceful solitude the Emigrant Wilderness has to offer. Hiking here is breathtaking, highlighted by sparkling lakes and majestic forests. The sharp granite ridges of the Sierra Nevada form a dramatic backdrop. I loved being an emigrant here. read more

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Just returned 7/30/2020 from backpacking to Bear Lake. It was overrun by cattle that were defecating on and trampling over everything. Water is polluted from cow dung, and the land is eroded. It is NOT a Wilderness Area, it is a rancher's feedlot. Don't go! Demand from legislators that Wilderness Areas be for Wilderness. Now they are bought off by the cattle industry. read more

We visited in July 28 from San José and it was the best experience at Bears lake we ever had.The water level was perfect it was super quiet and it was during the weekend we had the best backpacking experience every beautiful place Love it. read more

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Just as awesome as Yosemite without all the crowds! GREAT place to backpack... and best of all FREE wilderness permits! Trip 1 (Loop): Crabtree trailhead to Camp Lake, Piute Meadow, Grouse Lake, and Pine Valley. ~14 miles. 3 days, 2 nights. Trip 2 (Out-and-back): Gianelli trailhead to Powell Lake, Lake Valley, Chewing Gum Lake, and Whitesides Meadow. ~10 miles. 3 days, 2 nights. Trip 3 (Out-and-back): Gianelli trailhead to Powell Lake, Upper Relief Lake, Granite Dome, Y Meadow Lake. ~25 miles. 4 days, 3 nights. read more

Emigrant Wilderness - Camp Lake - Parks Near Me - Pinecrest, California

The Emigrant Wilderness is a great for backpackers who love nature and hiking. I've been there a half dozen times and its been amazing every time. No crowds once you are 5 miles+ in. Lots of firewood for huge bonfires at night. The stars, shooting stars, and Milky Way are every nighters. Fishing is easy...when the water is flowing. There is a lot of mosquitos in spring and early summer. Watch out. I've had many dinners in my tent. My favorites are Bear Lake, Gem Lake, and Waterhouse Lake. Gem Lake is probably one the prettiest places to be during sunrise/sunset. Wilderness permits are free but don't go during hunting season...less fun. Oh...dogs are ok. read more

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Emigrants Wilderness is a great place for backpacking and/or day hikes. I've been here twice and have couldn't have been happier with my experiences. It's just as far as Yosemite minus the ridiculous crowds. Those times I've went, I can count the number of people I've run into on two hands. Sure, it doesn't have the falls like Yosemite, but it's got the solitude. You've got some awesome alpine lakes from runoff, granite mountain tops and cliffs, and fantastic valley views. You can hike 2 or 10 miles in and get similar experiences. In my opinion, Emigrants Wilderness and Stanislaus National Forest offers a wide range of hiking and camping activities for both the recreational and outdoor enthusiast. For those of you who do decide to go, here are a few more postives for you: no bear issues like in Yosemite and it's FREE. Of course, if you want to camp in Emigrants, it is designated wilderness so that means poop in a hole you dig, pack in/pack out, camp away from the trail and water sources, and everything else associated with leave no trace. Please, I'm begging you. Let's keep it as nice as it is. The address above is for the Summit Ranger District, which is where I tend to gravitate towards. There's tons of other places you can look into as well and have just as much, if not more fun. Look into it. http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/stanislaus/visitor/emigrant.shtml read more

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Can you say intense? This park is completely for hikers who love the wilderness and want to avoid the crowds. This place is intense because it has no bathrooms, no lodging, no restaurants...nothing. It is the wild. You got to pee behind a tree, you need to bring a tent or sleep outdoors, bring food and water....better yet bring water purification tablets if you are hiking to a lake so you can lighten your load. We came during the July 4th weekend, which was miserable and rewarding. Miserable because we didn't bring 100% DEET (didn't think we needed anything that powerful), but apparently, the mosquitoes hatched 3 days before we came so the place was SWARMING. I barely took any pictures because I would get 5 bitten on my finger. My bf and I both got 40 mosquitoes EACH after the two day trip. We hiked to a lake that was 10 mi away in the heat while swatting away the clouds of mosquitoes (wearing a long sleeve shirt DOES not help...). We got to the lake, put up our tent and slept. The bf went fishing in the morning, but I stayed put because of the little blood suckers. Overall, the trip was fun, just because we felt like we were super hardcore to hike 20 miles, to live in the wild and to fight the mosquitoes. Would go again with 100% DEET. read more

Been there many times doing solo hikes. The first time in 40 years of hiking there I get a wilderness permit and got checked by a patrolling ranger. 10 days alone in the woods is very therapeutic to the mind, body and soul.. Love the boulders and wood lake area..as a side note I was made aware by a friend of the missing 411 phenomenon. Really wreaked it for me as I will never see the woods the same again. I will still travel the wilderness, it always beckons.. read more

This place is a gorgeous example of the beauty and magnitude of mother nature. I recently took a weekend trip in to Wood Lake and the scenery is almost as good as Yosemite, but you have 1/10th the crowd. I highly recommend anyone looking for a secluded getaway in nature to consider this area. My trip started at the Crabtree Trailhead and ended at Wood Lake. read more

Go here if you want to see what Yosemite Valley would look like without glaciation. It's amazing and without all the Yosemite crowds. I like going to Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite, then driving around via 395 and 108 over Sonora Pass. Jaw dropping views along the way. Then you can backpack, car camp, or motel your way in Emigrant (which is in Stanislaus National Forest). read more

I backpacked here a while back. It was a great place to hike. I honestly can't say the scenery was too much different than other sierra hikes, but it doesn't have the foot traffic of other areas in the Sierras. All the NPs are crawling with people, but I was surprised how much we had this place to ourselves. Lots of neat technical stream crossings if you want to learn back country skills. Lots of good fly fishing as well. The mosquitos are not a rumor though! I went in late June and they were pretty intense. It can be sort of good to learn how to manage these, but if you don't want to deal with them wait until later in the summer. I hear they go down. Overall just a great place to really get into nature if the National parks feel too manicured for your tastes. read more