For a decade, I’ve traversed the Sierra Nevada, conquering iconic trails in beautiful Wilderness areas like Ansel Adams, Hoover and Desolation. But for those seeking a taste of solitude and untouched wilderness, the true magic lies beyond the well-beaten paths. Here, I unveil a collection of hidden gem backpacking adventures, perfect for seasoned explorers and those yearning for a unique Sierra experience.
The Sierra Nevada is home to three national parks, so it has no shortage of spectacular backpacking and dream adventures to explore. And nothing against the storied trails of the Sierra, but explorers and backpackers to this region (including yours truly) need a refresher on how to discover the backwoods feelings of the Sierra.
Trails that, unlike the Half Dome, Clouds Rest, and John Muir Trail, are not saturated with casual hikers taming the beaten paths.
So pack your packs, book your permits, and let’s make plans to see a new side of the Sierra together. Join us as we look at some of the less traveled, hidden gems perfect for your next backpacking adventure in the Sierra Nevada.
Jennie Lakes Wilderness: A Hidden Paradise
Jennie Lakes Wilderness is in the Sequoia National Forest and has 26 impressive miles of hiking trails. The lake offers various swimming spots with a stunning mountain backdrop and crystal-clear waters. For more thrills, the area provides the following backpacking trails:
Jennie and Weaver Lakes Loop, including JO Pass Trail
This stunning yet strenuous 16-mile trip takes explorers to Jennie Lake from the Fox Meadow Trailhead in the Jennie Wilderness. From there, the trip continues up and over the JO Pass to stunning visuals of Sillman Peak and along Boulder Creek Canyon to the Kaweah Divide before crossing back to Weaver Lake. This is a poorly signed area, so you are really going to want to pay close attention to the trail directions.
After crossing Boulder Creek, backpackers climb to Weaver Lake for a wonderful evening in the High Sierra before descending back to the Fox Meadow trail region on the loop.
Rowell Meadow to Seville Lake, including Sillman Pass and JO Pass
This adventure trail takes you through woodlands of mixed conifers, flora, and wildflowers. It makes a great three- to four-day adventure showcasing the Kaweah Divide and Sierra High Country north of Sequoia National Park.
Day one of this trek is an easy six-mile hike through the backcountry with 1100 ft elevation to Seville Lake. Or, if you are feeling up to it, make the day one trip a bit longer with a 10+ mile excursion with 200 feet elevation gain to stay at Lost Lake.
On day two, stop at Ranger Lake and Beville Lake before climbing up and over Sillman Pass, taking in the full grandeur of the high Sierra as you cross over to twin lakes in Sequoia National Park.
You can stay here for the night or head over to Jo Pass and camp in the backcountry. This 26-mile loop is a fantastic experience with two mountain passes, several lake excursion options, and 5,000 feet of elevation change throughout your trip.
Dinkey Lakes Wilderness and Tranquility
Dinkey Lakes offers a more remote locale for backpacking to avoid crowds. The area offers nine backpacking trails, including a lollipop loop hike, alpine lakes, and side-trip opportunities. Dinkey Lake Trail is probably the most used trail in the area.
Hiking clockwise, hikers and backpackers get to experience the great lollipop loop, capturing several high alpine lakes in the Wilderness area. You may also visit several alpine lakes, such as Cliff Lake, Rock Lake, Second Dinkey Lake, South Lake, Swede Lake Mystery, and First Dinkey Lake. Backpacking camping is available, particularly on South Lake and Swede Lake.
Try these three backpacking trips to get started in Dinkey Lakes Wilderness:
Mystery Lake Trail
The Mystery Lake Trail offers a short 3.2-mile-long hiking adventure. This short moderate hike is considered a great first-time backpacker trip and can be easily done as a day hike from the Shaver Lake region. The lake sits on and is surrounded by granite, so the water is clean and refreshing, perfect for a swim.
Three Sisters Peak trail
Three Sisters Peak Trail to Cliff Lake, Rock Lake, and Island Lake is an 11.4-mile out-and-back trail considered challenging but highly scenic, so you’ll likely see a few people along the way. You’ll walk through a forested trail area early on before it opens into stunning scenic views. Be prepared for stream crossings!
Dinkey Lakes Loop Trail
The Dinkey Lakes Loop Trail is best done clockwise. It’s about 6.9 miles, taking about 2 hours and 55 minutes to complete. It starts at the Dinkey Lakes trailhead at Willow Meadow and passes through a snow-melt cascade and refreshing forestland. You will probably need a 4×4 vehicle to get to the trailhead on this loop. It’s a stunning trail and perfect for backpacking.
Ansel Adams Wilderness: Where Beauty Knows No Bounds
Ansel Adams Wilderness was named after a landscape photographer, Ansel Adams. He was honored for his photography of the Sierra Nevada and Yosemite National Park. If you’re on a Sierra Nevada backpacking adventure, consider exploring these trails:
Koip Pass Trail Yosemite National Park to Reds Meadow
Ready to be challenged by the Sierra like the original explorers? This route will test your stamina as it climbs out of Yosemite National Park over Mono Pass to Koip Pass, crossing into Ansel Adams wilderness before climbing to over 12,000 feet at the top of Koip Pass.
You’ll get incredible views of the Mono Basin, June Lake Basin, and the Thousand Lakes Basin and options for the number of lakes and days spent in the wilderness on this route. Eventually, you reach a network of trail options near the JMT and travel down to Reds Meadow, completing the first leg of a standard trade route taken by early settlers and the Mono Lake Kutzadika’a Tribe.
John Muir even crossed this route coming up from Mono Lake via the Bloody Canyon during the winter, lowering mules by rope over snow drift cliffs.
Rush Creek Trail
The Rush Creek Trail’s name is derived from the speed with which water rushes down the steep canyon into Silver Lake. The trail climbs Rush Creek Canyon, giving access to a series of stunning Sierra lakes and rugged granite croppings.
Once at the top of Rush Creek, travel by Agnew and Gem Lake toward Waugh Lake. This area is well known for great fishing. Later, explore further west and southwest to Thousand Island Lakes and Garnet Lake along the JMT to the south before crossing back over to the east.
Here, you’ll find the Clarks Lake Trail, where you can loop back around or take a more direct route over the Spooky Meadow Trail, dropping you down on the other side of Agnew Lake and the trail back to the June Lake loop. This mountaineering route will require good navigation, climbing, and planning, but it’s the kind of route you have probably dreamt of for years, and is definitely something to add to the old bucket list.
Iceberg Lake Trail
Iceberg Lake Trail is slightly under 8.5 miles, passing the popular Ediza and Shadow Lakes. Ediza is surrounded by some of the best peaks in the Eastern Sierra. There are a lot of creek crossings and wood bridges along the way. You will also find yourself passing (and of course stopping to visit) mushrooms, a giant Devil’s Club, and lovely waterfalls.
After arriving at the meadows, the trail features a last tough slog up the logs to the lakes, where you’ll find patches of snow in the shade. It’s the perfect place to take a bit of a breather before surging forward on your backpacking trip.
California’s Best-Kept Secret: Sierra Backpacking
So, there you have it! Eight fantastic trails to add to your list of spring and summer adventures!
The Sierra Nevada really does stand out as a true gem, and is celebrated for its national parks and monuments.
While popular backpacking trails like the John Muir and the Pacific Crest trail have garnered well-deserved recognition and are great to experience, it’s essential not to overlook the lesser-known loop backpacking trails.
Experience a side of the Sierra that will blow your mind as the forest and vegetation still rage war on the granite in an ever-evolving evolution of the Sierra.
As you can clearly see at this point (I hope), the Sierra Nevada offers some of the best backpacking trips in California. Each trip allowing you to experience breathtaking nature and untamed wilderness.
Venturing onto these lesser-known paths allows you to discover new terrain while experiencing a sense of fulfillment that is often lost in the crowds of people fighting for footing on the same trails and paths. Just can’t get enough? Well, for more information on Sierra Nevada’s offerings, explore our website.
Better yet, don’t hesitate to share your memorable adventure with us! Share the photos of your experience backpacking the Sierra Nevada region on our socials! We love to see the smiles the region never fails to plaster on people’s faces.
Happy hiking!
