Highs 44 to 54 at 5000 feet. Let’s all be better about treating gorgeous places like these with the love and respect they deserve. The permit is only for overnight backpackers, day hikers do not need a permit! Located 37 miles east-northeast of Visalia California. The advanced level ski/snowshoe trail offers a chance to explore the beautiful wilderness of the Sierra Nevada mountains during the winter months with a cozy cabin waiting for you at the end of your day. Although there are two large parking lots, this trailhead is very popular not only among backpackers, but especially among day hikers and even fishermen! Pear Lake is located in about 4-mi (6.4-km) from the Wolverton trailhead in Sequoia National Park. Type of Hike Day hike. Sequoia Parks Conservancy, the official 501(c)(3) nonprofit partner of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks (National Park Service) and Lake Kaweah (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers), uses tax-deductible contributions to support these parks. About 1.5 miles from the split, we reached a clearing in the forest and suddenly found ourselves on the edge of a large cliff and an insane view of the mountain range in the distance. Lakes Trail in Sequoia National Park: Pear Lake Backpacking - See 159 traveler reviews, 109 candid photos, and great deals for Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park, CA, at Tripadvisor. After we warmed up under the sun a little, we started our journey back out. All three major water basins on this route—Pear Lake, Emerald Lake, and Heather Lake—are surrounded by stunning alpine scenery. As it was pretty late in the season, the air got quite chilly once the sunset, and we were already in our tents by 8pm! Nestled up in the mountains at 9,200 feet, the Pear Lake Winter Hut offers access to the pristine winter wilderness of Sequoia National Park. Beautiful Pear Lake, a 1.1 miles past Emerald, is set amid a world of glacial polished granite slabs and cliffs framed by Alta Peak to the south. A spur trail to the left descends to the ranger station, which is another handsome stone structure set next to a sort of mini-waterfall where a creek cascades over some low step-like rock formations. The scenery gradually improves as a rushing creek comes into earshot and the the trail crosses a small meadow. July and August are the b This Sequoia winter hike is extremely difficult and should only be undertaken by highly experienced winter hikers and never alone. The Lakes Trail shortly before Heather Lake. The trail then descends toward the Emerald Lake campground, which has an exceptionally picturesque outhouse, a handsome stone structure set on a low rise among the alpine scenery. Here are some of my favorite snacks, breakfasts, lunch, and dinner meal ideas for your next backcountry trip, Outdoor gear is not cheap, so here are a couple of tips I’ve found that have helped me save a little on gear, Here's our 10 day road trip itinerary along with things to do on New Zealand's south island to help you plan your trip. This means packing out all your trash, only camping in designated sites, and not cutting switchbacks. Award-winning Sequoia - Kings Canyon Hiking Tours: Alta Meadows and Pear Lake backpacking trip! Share. After shooting plenty of pictures and exploring the area, we noticed the low-lying clouds drifting in quickly and decided to get moving towards the lakes. Summary: I went on a solo backpacking trip in Sequoia National Park. 9/8/2015 Destination: Pear Lake (via Watchtower Trail) Elevation: 9,600 ft Distance: 13 miles round trip Elevation gain: 2,200 ft They can be reached at (559) 784-1500. I can see why this Sequoia National Park trail is so popular - you get four alpine lakes and the Watchtower views all in an overnight trip. Day one From the trailhead at the end of Wolverton Road, ascend concrete steps to the well-signed Lakes Trail, heading north. Wildflowers, granite peaks, and a vast, sweeping landscape, made this section of the hike one of my favorites in recent memory. The next part of the hike is one of my favorites, as the trail hugs the side of the cliff and continues climbing above the valley below. All-inclusive trips, expert guides, Top-rated hiking company on Trip Advisor! Make a right .1 mile later at the Lodgepole Trail junction to continue on the Lakes Trail. Early on in the trail we walked right by a group of five deer grazing calmly only about 15 feet from the trail! Pear Lake Winter Hut. You can only see the back of the watchtower and it’s nothing special; of more interest is the expansive view of Tokopah Falls from above. As you begin your ascent, there are phenomenal vistas over Aster Lake with views of the Watchtower in the distance. Price. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from June until October. 37 to 47 at 8000 feet. Admittedly it’s a somewhat challenging four miles, but this is still the most … From here, you’ll climb nearly 1,000 feet along Wolverton Creek and a million-year-old moraine deposited by the Tokopah Glacier. FILE: Skiers on their way toward the Pear Lake cabin in Sequoia National Park in 2015. The Zebra Slot Canyon is one of my favorite hikes in the Grand Staircase-Escalante area. The trail is about 4 to 6 feet wide so it doesn’t seem especially dangerous on dry late-summer days, but you wouldn’t want to be here when it’s covered with ice or snow. What to eat while backpacking? Pictures of the Lakes Trail, Sequoia National Park, California: Wide view of Pear Lake The trail continues to be cut into the hillside, although the hill isn’t quite as steep. The beginning portion of this trail is nothing particularly special, but the forest did have that distinct dry and brown Sequoia forest feel, and I love the way forests like these smell - dry and cedar-like! The expansive granite basin views surrounding each lake made it worth braving the brisk late-season temperatures! Click map to show all roads and trails Hike past three stunning alpine lakes and take in expansive granite views before reaching your prize, Pear Lake. The final 0.6 miles to Pear Lake climbs a little, passing over a field of boulders to the edge of the water, at elevation 9,550 feet. It’s a nice location but I’m not sure why it’s called a ranger station, since there aren’t any actual rangers there. The one-room (maybe two) hut is closed in the summer, but from December 15 to April 9 hardy skiers can apparently stay overnight by reservation. FILE: Skiers on their way toward the Pear Lake cabin in Sequoia National Park in 2015. Amazingly there are still trees, though, especially around the campsites. Pear Lake. Some of the pines that manage to grow on the rocky hills are Foxtail Pines, a rare treeline species that can live for thousands of years and is related to the Bristlecone Pine, the world’s oldest tree. However, it’s often closed as late as July due to persistent snow on its shady north-facing slopes. No wonder this trail is so popular that it’s the only backpacking route in Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park that is only first-come-first-serve and doesn’t accept reservations. My favorite view of the lake is actually towards the southwest shore. Since we were coming from the Bay Area and Los Angeles that morning, we didn’t get hiking until 1pm. The Lakes Trail (also known as Pear Lake Trail) in Sequoia National Park, California - 6 mile route leading to Heather, Emerald, Aster and Pear Lakes, in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Aloha Lake is one of the most popular backpacking trips in Desolation Wilderness, CA. Read About these trails in our Hiking Guide We had a fantastic 5 night backpack trip in Sequoia National Park. Wilderness permits for the following trails are issued by Sequoia National Forest. Gusts up to 45 Mph in the morning. Contact me here and say hi :). The Watchtower Trail is closed in the winter and the trail can be covered with snow well into summer. Pear Lake cabin is available to the public from December to April (weather, snow and trail conditions may change closure date). The Lakes Trail to Pear Lake can be done as either an overnight stay or a day hike. For some reason there’s no camping at Heather Lake. The Lakes Trail between Emerald and Heather Lake, Trail Map of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks: Generals Highway. During our 3 day trip, we also hiked up to the summit of Mt. Climbing into a stark granite landscape studded with glacially-formed lakes, the Pear Lake Trail offers some real alpine scenery that’s only about four miles from the Wolverton trailhead. It’s the most stark and otherworldly of the lakes on this trail and although it’s actually a fairly popular destination, it feels very remote. Most people hung out around the right cliff, shooting photos from here, but a few walked around the rim and out onto the spine of the Watchtower itself! First campsite - Summit Lake (7.6 miles). As we started to see Pear Lake (9,544’), the clouds also happened to clear, and we were finally able to see the tops of the surrounding mountains, … Those 6 days in remote backcountry absolutely blew me away. The trip to the hut is for experienced backcountry skiers under potentially dangerous, winter conditions. This time we got to take our time and enjoy the views of Tokopah Valley from this exposed section of the trail. ), Click here for a list of all important CA backpacking permit deadlines you won’t want to miss. Tagged: Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park, backpacking, trip report, Sierras, lakes, SoCal, I'm Alice, a weekend hiker and outdoor adventurer based out of the Bay Area in California. We started off on the trail, which made switchbacks through the forest and slowly gained elevation. The shortest and easiest route to the lakes is via the Lakes Trail, which shares the same parking lot as the Alta Peak Trailhead. Permits are only first come first serve, and they are available beginning at 1pm the day before your hike at the Lodgepole Visitor Center (I suggest arriving a little earlier to get in line! For overnight, you'll need to get a permit but there are beautiful camping spots available at both Emerald Lake and Pear Lake. GADS Hiked Aug 6, 2004. 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