WELCOME HIKERS! (I would prefer this as a backpacking trip). General Grant) don't even compare to some of the spectacular specimens in the forest. There were some pretty meadows and lots of wildflowers. Fees are $35 per vehicle or $30 per motorcycle. Wish we could have kept going and going. There little kids as young as 7 who were hiking to the lakes. We were in a spot on Ranger Lake that had beautiful 360 views of all the ranges in the area. Next time our packs will be much lighter. Summit Lake, Twin Lakes, Maggie Lakes is a 26.1 mile out and back trail located near Johnsondale, California that features a lake and is rated as moderate. Water level very low throughout but you’re still never far from a filterable source. This park is full of hidden sequoia groves, crisp lakes fed with snowmelt, and over 1,000 miles of hiking trails. Twin Lakes Trail Backpacking We stayed at the Lodgepole campground for the first night then hiked up the grueling seven mile trail to Twin Lakes, which is mostly uphill, with our 35 pound backpacks. Took us probably 3 hours from general Sherman tree back to Fresno. Overall, amazing hike. My first experience backpacking in winter and colder temperatures turned out to be awesome! my Samsung Galaxy was able to hold a GPS signal the whole way and so alltrails was able to record my progress. Sequoia National Park charges a fee to enter. Resuming the trail, you'll start to climb - at some places strenuously - until you reach the Twin Lakes area after another 4-4.5 miles, crossing streams and tackling switchbacks along the way. We loved visiting the "giants." The MOSQUITOES were some of the worst I’ve ever seen (July), so bring a bug net and repellant if you go in summer for sure. Then it changes and gets rocky and tree roots abundant so you have to watch your footing. Length: 34.5 mi • Est. Ended up using a gps to get back to the trail. Saturday- Explore and day hike. the trail is very well-marked but as with all trails when snow covers the ground that's hard to follow. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from May until November. The first 4/5ths of this trail are moderate, but the last mile before the lakes is a pretty challenging incline. Did one day hike to Lost Lake. Trail distances are 7 miles (11 km) to Twin Lakes, 8 miles (13 km) to … I did this trail November 25th 2018 started at lodgepole campground and when all the way up to Twin Lakes. Youll pass over Farewell Gap into Mountain Yellow-Legged Frog habitat. Whitney, the highest peak in the Lower 48, stands on the park’s eastern border. I was visiting the park for 7 days with two young children one of whom was a quadriplegic. Recommended experiences in and around Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park. Luckily the views on the way up were spectacular and made it worth the climb. However, the first half of the hike consisted of so many mosquitos! Next time I'll pack less snacks. What’s not to love? Same campsite. We camped at the lakes and it was a very cold weekend! The trail is hard to find at times due to the snow. You just don't get the true impression of the size of these mammoths. It also took us ~3,5 hrs to go down. Those were fun but the real treat is seeing living growing trees that are thousands of years old. Be sure to check road closures before going, as this road is closed every winter/spring with variable opening dates. They can be reached at (559) 784-1500. The only reason why I’m giving it a four-star because at the top there was so many dang mosquitoes. 1) Take the High Sierra Trail 10.6 miles east, threading together lodgepole pine forest, alpine meadows, and big views of the Great Western Divide high above the Middle Fork Kaweah River gorge, to Bearpaw Meadow High Sierra Camp. Portions of the Sierra Nevada Range run through Sequoia, and most of the park is backcountry wilderness. If you’re taking this trail make sure to take plenty of repellent. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from May until November. and bear boxes are all present as needed. We hiked towards the southwest shore and enjoyed a lunch while sitting on a boulder (see my recording). Save pace because the last mile was an ass buster, cutbacks and the hardest climb of the day await you. On my birthday which was also a long weekend we decided to go up to Sequoia … We just got back from our trip to Twin Lakes area on Sunday. Cross the log bridge and look for the trailhead sign. The area is absolutely beautiful. Long and difficult but very rewarding. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Wanted to hike up to the peak but to much snow. Lots of hiking opportunities. I wish we had much more time for this park, there were several roads we din't get to take. Was enjoyable but I would wait a couple of weeks to go if you want to stay on trail. Ideally, it would be best to hike up to Franklin Lakes and set up camp on day 1, and hike to and explore Franklin Pass on day 2 before heading back down on day 3. I also recorded 7.0 miles to reach the bigger lake, which is a little more than stated in the description. I passed two sets of hikers coming down from Twin Lakes and one lady who passed me on the way up. The story is that long ago, rangers on horseback planted the lake with trout. We camped one night at Twin Lakes, then two nights at Ranger Lake. The trail is tree-shaded for about 90% of the hike. Camping at both lakes are within the Golden Trout Wilderness in Sequoia National Forest. If you carry a filter, you can get away with carrying only 16 oz of water. We will lunch at Calhoun Meadows and set up base camp at Clover Creek. A nice, fairly easy and quiet uphill hike through quiet forests and past bright meadows. Private Guided Hiking Tours - Sequoia and... Sequoia National Park Adventure from Tulare. Evan Onstot 673 views. The trail to the lake was mostly forest and a view of the trees. We took extra food because we knew we were only planning on camping at Twin Lakes for two nights. It’s a steady uphill climb for the most part, some enjoyable straights through the meadows. Extremely well maintained trail, and not as steep as I expected. The forest gradually thins as the trail climbs but never disappears completely. Great views easy hike up five hours lodge pole spend the night up at the lake. There is an abundance of natural springs, water crossings, meadows, and wild flowers. We took extra food because we knew we were only planning on camping at Twin Lakes for two nights. Wandered up Twin Peaks in the morning real quick (2 hours) for some great views before packing out. SEQUOIA Landslide Tenmile / Roads open summer only. The terrain gets rocky at times. Not your average Joe hike. This is a very well maintained trail among a dense forest. There was a nice breeze and no mosquitos at the lake. No photo could do justice to the ancient trees. We also spotted a Bear in a meadow!! this was one of the more rewarding hikes I have had the pleasure of taking. I rated this hike a 4 in that it was a challenging hike, but there weren’t many amazing views and it was a long walk in the woods to visit a lake. Once turning north from Highway 50, you’ll be heading up the side of a mountain on a very windy road for about 30 minutes to get to the main lot. The Lakes Trail, one of the most popular hikes in Sequoia National Park, climbs through dense forest to a landscape of polished granite dotted with four beautiful lakes and set amid a backdrop of rugged ridges anchored by Alta Peak (11,204-ft.). The trail head says it is 6.8 miles there and then 6.8 miles back, but my group’s health apps all said we went about 17-18 miles. Jennie Lake is a beautiful subalpine lake located in the Jennie Lakes Wilderness just outside of Sequoia National Park. Hike through sequoia groves, flowered meadows, high peaks or just a lonely corner of forest where you can hear yourself think. I wish we had more time to do some hiking but we were able to stop at several spots along our drive through the park. At the top, instead of following the trail back down, you'll go up the mountain to Mount Silliman. It snowed during the night. The hike itself is not very strenuous and I would consider it moderate. It was amazing! Multi-day Nine Lakes Basin is located on the High Sierra Trail in Sequoia National Park. If you are entering on foot or bike the fee is $20 per person. Our hike to Twin Lakes. Some wild life, on the way nice trees, the trail eventually offers different terrain, flat, rocky, and flourished, the lake is pretty, high view not much but eventually you get the high view, I rated 5 remember to bring mosquito repelente , just in case jajajajaja have a good hike. Twin Lakes Trail is a 21.1 kilometer moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Stony Creek Village, California that features a lake and is rated as difficult. ... Twin Lakes Backpacking 2016 - Duration: 4:07. Four hours down. One giant sequoia known as the General Sherman Tree, is among the largest trees on Earth. If ever driving thru California, be sure to take in this park and Yosemite. We stayed at the Lodgepole campground for the first night then hiked up the grueling seven mile trail to Twin Lakes, which is mostly uphill, with our 35 pound backpacks. The Twin Lakes Trail connects to a wealth of long-distance hiking routes and is mostly used by backpackers to access Ranger Lake and the Jennie Lakes Wilderness. Almost all of the water by now is from the many natural springs along the trail. There are two bear containers at the campsites but the Rangers also recommend that you bring your own bear canisters in case they fill up. I was glad I carried the extra jacket, hat and gloves because it got very cold at night. But alas it was only 3 days. Trip Report: ... What was fun about doing this trail was that it was the same trail we all did on our very first backpacking trip in 1993. Visited here on July 13th. Your journey starts at the Big Meadows trailhead on paved Forest Service Road 14S11 located just off the Generals Highway. Enjoy the lush Sequoia forests, creeks, lakes and amazing granite views on the Lakes Trail on the overnight trek to Pear Lake in the glacially carved Tokopah Valley. The next day, we day-hiked to Twin lakes, explored a bit, then went back to camp, packed up, and headed back to the car. They seem to be really hungry because if you throw a pebble in the lake, they will dart towards it to see if it’s food. Backpacking enthusiasts with a sense of adventure welcome. Just make sure you prepare for the cold weather if you're going to camp overnight. Twin lakes was better than I expected. Serene silence except for 3 nice howling sessions from coyotes(?) The second day we hiked to Stillman Pass for more spectacular views. But overall a lot of beautiful views. Go over the bridge and about 50 ft. past the Tokopah trailhead. It was refreshing to dip my feet in the water. Besides the root was covered in icy snow and I didn't have any crampons and didn't want to risk it. Overnight Backpacking With over 800 miles of maintained trails designed to help you experience over 800,000 acres of designated Wilderness, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks offer incredible opportunities for wilderness recreation. You can also purchase a park specific annual pass for $70. I finally got the chance to backpack to Pear Lake, the final destination six miles in on the Lakes Trail. Anyway, I highly recommend this trail for anyone visiting the area. One water bottle was fine. course correction is a breeze that way. Once we set up camp we noticed deer all around us, they didn't seem bothered by people at all. However, I didn't realize the trail would be mostly uphill. The coolest part to me was the many fish in the lake. I recommend this hike if you are looking for a challenge. Speaking of water crossings, there are two calf-deep crossings that you could choose to rock-step across and stay dry as I did. We will drive from UCSB to Sequoia National Park, with a lunch stop along the way. Trip Report: Backpacking Desolation Wilderness, Twin Lakes. It took us 5.5 hours to get up there, including lunch break. If you want more of that - keep going over to Ranger Lake and camp there instead. The Lakes Trail is between 12-14 miles and 2,800 feet of elevation gain (depending on if you take... We stayed at the Lodgepole campground for the first night then hiked up the grueling seven mile trail to Twin Lakes, which is mostly uphill, with our 35 pound backpacks. Mostly, it was a climb. Twin Lakes Trail Backpacking Review of Lakes Trail in Sequoia National Park Reviewed August 2, 2015 We stayed at the Lodgepole campground for the first night then hiked up the grueling seven mile trail to Twin Lakes, which is mostly uphill, with our 35 pound backpacks. BACKPACKER INFO Continental Divide Trail thru-hikers relax outside after a resupply. Tough last couple of miles, otherwise very pleasant trail and beautiful lakes. Nice trail to hike on to get more experience for harder hikes! That was our first mistake. This was a great backpacking trip. 7/28/19 While it was 110 degrees in the Central Valley, the high this day was only 78. It was a cool adventure, definitely bring a map and compass or gps if going in the next week. You will have incredible views on the way up including lots of beautiful streams and flower beds. Mt. more. The Twin Lakes Trail (not to be confused with the Lakes Trail) climbs for 7 miles through typical if somewhat mundane Sierra pine forest before reaching its namesake glacial lakes. Length 26.1 miElevation gain 5767 ftRoute type Out & back Backpacking Camping Hiking Nature trips Bird watching Forest Lake Views Down to the high 30s so make sure you have a warm sleeping bag. the views from the lake are beautiful but the tree line is high enough that you cannot see much of the surrounding territory. Overlook Sentinel Dome 9115ft 2718m HORSE 'CORRAL ... Twin Lakes LOST GROVE Dorst Creek 6720ft 2048m Montecito 1 -Sequoia „ Lodge Big Baldy 8209ft ... for Sherman Tree trail General Sherman Tree Pear Lake 9200ft 2804m Alta Peak 1 1204ft '3415m River Tokopah Falls —Heather There was also a ton of deadfall. That sign that says you’re 2.6 away, and you get this lovely straight with a slight downhill so you’re second wind kicks in so you start hauling butt.....but oh no sweet child. The elevation at the top is 11,188 ft. From there you can see down both ridges of the mountain, looking down on Twin Lakes & several other lakes. The tree called "The President" was a favorite. 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