When I arrived at the parking area, at about 10:30 AM, there were two young fellows standing outside an SUV with some nice looking backpacks apparently ready to head out on a trip. Difficult. Whether you’re looking for crystal-clear lakes, adrenaline-pumping peaks, or … It can be used in conjunction with several other trails for a backpacking trip with shuttles. Mineral King to Whitney Portal, July 2014 Day 1 - 2 I've always liked trans-Sierra crossings. Mosquito Lakes, Mineral King, Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park, California. The trail can be used in conjunction with other trails in the park to create a long-distance backpacking trip. Difficult. The valley lies at the headwaters of the East Fork of the Kaweah River, which rises at the eastern part of the valley and flows northwest.Accessed by a long and narrow winding road, the valley is mostly popular with backpackers and hikers. The adventure described below is an extended version of this traditional hike, which includes part of the famous scenery of the High Sierra Trail, while still maintaining the … The Paradise Ridge Trail begins on the northern side of Mineral King Road at Atwell Mill Campground. Day hikes of varying length can also be enjoyed along this route. 1.4 mi 2.2 km #1 Eagle Lake Trail. Mineral King is a good place to start a hike high up into the magnificent back country of Sequoia. The view up Mineral King Valley. The trail begins at the Mineral King Pack Station. Day 1 - Monday, August 26, 2019 - Trailhead to Pinto Lake via Timber Gap The hike begins with a 1,500' climb out of Mineral King. Lakes ? There are often cows on it and a steep dropoff, so race car drivers beware. I also wanted to see Kern Hot Springs for the first time, and ending at Mt Whitney is always fun. The resplendent Mineral King Valley, as seen from the trail returning to the valley from Timber Gap. Three Rivers, CA 5 4.1 mi 6.7 km #2 Sawtooth Pass Trail. Read reviews from world’s largest community for readers. It is the only trail in Mineral King that has relatively little elevation gain; about 300 feet. When Ezra went to Mineral King, he and his friends hiked to a place called Franklin Lake. Since it's s 5+ hours from Palo Alto and we left at 10:20, this didn't leave us a lot of slack, especially with the last 23 miles being on a winding, blind, one-lane road where I wasn't able to go faster than about 16 mph. Think of this as a heatmap, more rides = more kinetic energy = warmer colors. Its focus is the glacier-carved Mineral King Valley, which is bordered by high mountain peaks; a number of hiking trails radiate from the valley. This place is far from the crowds in Sequoia National Park. The infamous Mineral Kings Road, unavoidable for hikes out of the Mineral King trailhead, lived up to its reputation as a twisty, seemingly endless road. The route leads north into the Middle Fork Kaweah drainage. Download the free, full-sheet USGS 7.5 Minute (1:24,000 scale) Mineral King topo map as an Adobe PDF. The trailhead is located at the end of Mineral King Road in a parking lot/staging area. Author’s Note: In the late 1960s, I was attempting to fashion a made-up general studies degree in natural history and conservation at the University of Washington. Surely Mineral King will change in some ways, some year, no matter how the current development controversy would be resolved. Atwell Mill and Cold Springs Campgrounds serve as outstanding base camps. The trail begins at Atwell Mill and immediately ascends the Mineral King valley wall. Mineral King is known for its breathtaking views on its multitude of hikes! *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Mineral King became part of Sequoia National Park in 1978. Mineral King Road is a long and twisty twenty-five mile drive from the city of Three Rivers (which can take well over one hour). Trails are compared with nearby trails in the same city region with a possible 25 colour shades. Back at the campground, they had a low-key night and made dinner, drank a few beers, and went to sleep. It's 13 miles round-trip. The trail gained about 1,700 ft in a little over two miles. Vandever Mountain (11,947 feet) is the mountain on the right side of Farewell Gap. Today, Mineral King Valley is home to three major trailheads and a handful of other trails, two campgrounds, and a summer-run ranger station. Leave Hwy 198 on the Mineral King Road (waypoint 198MIN). The Nature Trail, also known as the Iron Springs Trail, is an interpretive trail that offers first-time Mineral King visitors the perfect opportunity to familiarize themselves with this high country valley. Marmots crawl up under the vehicle and chew electrical wiring and radiator hoses, and they even drink anti-freeze that […] Mineral King Trail Map book. The ascent relaxes over the next leg of the trail, a series of near countless switchbacks. Download its GPS track and follow the route on a map. The road now becomes amazingly winding and slow. Record your own trail from the Wikiloc app, upload it and share it with the community. The trail up to the peak is 11.5 miles round trip and is rated difficult. Trails in Mineral King - 36. What do you do when the trails in Mineral King aren’t accessible? This trail follows the path to Eagle Creek for the first 2 miles and then crosses Miner’s Ridge to the Mosquito Lake #1, a small, shallow lake surrounded by red firs. After passing a taxi in the opposite direction my thoughts turned to the many stories of trailhead cars disabled by marmots with an appetite for auto parts. The trailhead up to Sawtooth Peak starts in Mineral King, 23 miles off of the 198 on Mineral King Road. I didn't realize that the ranger station closed at 4 and there's no after-hours way to get a wilderness permit. The last half-mile of the trail is mainly loose gravel and steep switchbacks. Trip Overview: The Mineral King Loop is a ~45 mile loop in the Mineral King area of Sequoia National Park that traverses 10 miles of the famous High Sierra Trail and climbs over Sawtooth Pass, Kaweah Gap and Timber Gap. Hiking, camping and backpacking. Hiking up toward the junction with Crystal Lakes Trail Every hike from this trailhead starts with a climb to some pass, and Timber Gap is probably the easiest. After another descent and climb, leave the trail and follow steep class 2 terrain up a short distance to the eastern summit. Mineral King Hiking Map [Tom Harrison, Tom Harrison, Tom Harrison, Tom Harrison] on Amazon.com. Find the best Hiking trails in Mineral King, California (United States). The traditional Mineral King Loop includes Pinto Lake, Black Rock Pass, Little 5 Lakes, Columbine Lake, and Sawtooth Pass. Mineral King Hiking Map The views of the Mineral King Valley were just amazing though. I'm planning to be there in less than 14 days. A use trail leads to Lake # 2, a beautiful alpine gem cradled in a granite basin. The trail drops and then contours along the Western Divide until climbing again to reach Coyote Pass 8 miles from Farewell Gap. Answer 1 of 2: Hi, Have you been to Mineral King recently? This was heading to Spring Creek, where the water is still too high for … The scenic Mineral King area in the southern part of the park was added in 1978. Mineral King, California topographic map and nearby trails. From Mineral King ascend 3,000 feet in 5 miles to Farewell Gap and the national park boundary. Three Rivers, CA Difficult. Are the trails doable without snowshoes? Just getting to Mineral King was actually somewhat challenging. White Chief Trail The White Chief mine, claimed by James Crabtree in 1873, made Mineral King a household name among miners of that time. Try to score a campsite on the eastern slabs just above Lower Franklin Lake if you want the best view (peakbaggers may … Mineral King Valley from Timber Gap trail; Farewell Gap is visible upper frame left, August 24, 2012. “ A challenging yet rewarding loop in the Mineral King area of Sequoia National Park, ... Once you arrive at Timber Gap Creek and the junction of Blackrock Pass, take a right and follow the trail towards Blackrock Pass. By tradition, backpackers leave a vehicle there for a few days, and when they return, the vehicle has been completely disabled by marmots. Since I took a High Sierra Trail shortcut (Pants Pass) and skipped the hot springs two years ago, this was a good time to cover that section. Wilderness permits are required year-round for all overnight trips in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks' wilderness. Since the trail is only six miles long, you’ll have ample time to take it slow and enjoy the towering, rust-colored peaks of the Mineral King Valley as you ascend. Outside the quota season (September 20, 2020 – May 28, 2021), Wilderness permits are free, self-issued, and are not limited to daily entry quotas.Self-issue wilderness permits are available at the nearest permit-issuing station.There is no fee for self-issue permits. Sawtooth Trailhead, Franklin Trailhead and Eagle-Mosquito Trailhead host trails leading up steep grades into the peak-studded and lake-rich alpine. Record your own itinerary from the Wikiloc app, upload the trail and share it … Mineral King Hiking trail in Mineral King, California (United States). The trail that leads to Franklin Lakes begins at the end of Mineral King Road and leads eastward through Sequoia National Park to Kern Canyon. Follow Monarch Creek to a small meadow where the trail turns right, crosses the creek, and enters a pristine forest of firs and pines. We noticed that a lot of people who stay overnight at the two campgrounds in Mineral King tend to stay just one or two nights before they head out on longer expeditions into the higher elevation. Farewell Gap is visible on the left, at the end of the valley. Discover the most beautiful places, download GPS tracks and follow the top routes on a map. Mineral King is a subalpine glacial valley located in the southern part of Sequoia National Park, in the U.S. state of California. When you stay with us at Silver City you are just a few short miles from all of the trailheads in the Mineral King Valley. Mineral King is a trailhead/campground in the southern part of Sequoia National Park. This turn is marked by a small green sign reading 'Mineral King 25 miles', but just after you make the turn there is a much larger brown sign next to a fire station. 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