Hello everyone! we went to Four Jeffery again this year. The last week in July and what great time…read more The weather was hot during the day and cool at night. The fishing was great! South lake was not so good. Maybe because the lake has been drained by SCE it is so low that it was just to warm to fish. However, everything else was good. The creek fishing was almost like cheating. Throw in and out comes a fish, really great. No generators to deal with this trip. The camp across from us did turn on a generator but turned it off when they finished using it. Much appreciated.
I decided to take a hike this year up to Blue Lake, about 3 miles above Lake Sabrina on the John Muir Trail. The hike is great! your climbing up a thousand feet however and that's the drawback but its worth the hike. Really a spectacular ending to the hike when you reach Blue Lake. We didn't fish this trip we wanted to get a feel for the hike before we carried our gear to fish the lake. We saw Brown Trout the size of hatchery trout in the lake. We are definitely going back next year.
I will relegate this review to the hike to Blue Lake as you can read my other reviews which there is not much to add other than the campground is starting to get "known" lots of campers this time. I had to advise campers who were fishing at the creek behind our campsite to go around and not bring the dog and family through my campsite to get to the road.
The hike on the John Muir Trail is good but not easy. The whole trail has been improved. the forest service has improved the trail with stepping stones and stone stairs. No problem staying on the trail. We met a lot of hikers coming both ways. I was kind of surprised to see people going up the trail late in the afternoon. The trail takes about 3 hours to get to Blue Lake and about 2 hours to get back to the trail head. Most of the people had not been on the trail before. I hope they brought some flashlights.
Blue Lake is beautiful. When you get there you feel like you are the only person there and you are. The water is pristine, calm and crystal clear. I am very happy I made the hike with my son. Its an adventure we will remember for the rest of our lives. Its Gods country up there. Just immaculate! You are allowed to take the dog on the trail which we did. He pulled me along about half way up the trail. Then I had to encourage him the rest of the way. We took many breaks and ate lunch at one of the waterfalls on the trail. I took the lead as I am not in the best of shape and my son followed behind. I think my son could out run a mountain goat as he is in the best of shape, I kept him the back following behind just in case i had a heart attack. But we made it even though I huffed and puffed the whole way up. The altitude is from 9000 feet at the trail head and you climb to10000 feet, so acclimate before you decide to hike. We did and I was better off for it my son the stud probably didn't need to but he was a good guy and was patient.
The camping trip was great again and I had a great time. No bears and the rodents were less than I had seen in the past. It did shower in the afternoon for a couple of days. Good food and great company and a another unforgettable family experience!
Now, this comment is for those who do not camp regularly. Do not cross through another campers campsite. It is not only rude, you may be attacked by the campsite dog. Walk around. There is always a way around a campsite. Keep your dog on a leash. I had a big brown dog come into my campsite twice. At which point I had to ask the camp host to advise the campers to control their dog. Dogs are one of Gods greatest gifts, but keep them out of other campers campsites. If my dog had seen that brown dog he would have tried to protect us. And that would have been anything but good.
Okay, Four Jeffery is a jewel in the Eastern Sierras. Always a great time and the fishing has never been disappointing.
Hope this helps you with planning your next trip.
Happy Camping from the Master Camper!