Hikes in Calaveras County

Made famous by one-time resident Mark Twain's short story, The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, this one thousand square mile swath of the sierra foothills has a lot to offer to present day visitors. In addition to the famed jumping frog jubilee and a popular wine-tasting town, Calaveras County has several areas for hiking. Not far from Yosemite National Park on the west side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the sparely populated county is covered with rugged subalpine woodlands largely protected by Stanislaus National Forest. ... Read more.
Latest reports in the Sierra Nevada Mountains (page 15)
Sierra Nevada

Cottonwood Lakes Trail to New Army Pass
in the John Muir Wilderness

Inyo NF | Trails
Trail Rating:
Cottonwood Lakes Trail to New Army Pass in the John Muir Wilderness
Cottonwood Lakes Trail provides a scenic romp through the Southeastern Sierra with alpine lakes and mountain views. Located south of Mount Whitney and west of the city of Lone Pine, the trail travels through the Golden Trout Wilderness and the John Muir Wilderness to end at the border of Sequoia National Park. This is a superb trail for day hikers and backpackers alike. ...Read more.
Tagged with · Creeks · Free Trails · Golden Trout Wilderness · John Muir Wilderness · Lakes · Lone Pine
Distance: 15 miles · Elevation change: 2350 feet
By: Seth Smigelski Published: September 21, 2010 Last updated: April 9, 2026
Sierra Nevada

Chicken Spring Lake
in the Golden Trout Wilderness

Inyo NF | Trails
Trail Rating:
Chicken Spring Lake in the Golden Trout Wilderness
This mountain lake is 0.6 miles from Cottonwood Pass, making it an easy 8.2-mile round trip hike from Horseshoe Meadow. With just 1,330 feet of elevation gain en route to the lake, this is a desirable destination for day-hikers and a good first camp for backpackers. Follow Cottonwood Pass Trail to a junction at the pass with Pacific Crest Trail. Turn right and continue through a rocky forest of Foxtail Pines. ...Read more.
Tagged with · Free Trails · Golden Trout Wilderness · Lakes · Lone Pine · Pacific Crest Trail
Distance: 8.2 miles · Elevation change: 1330 feet
By: Seth Smigelski Published: September 17, 2010 Last updated: April 9, 2026
Sierra Nevada

Horseshoe Meadow Campgrounds
in the Golden Trout Wilderness

Campgrounds | Inyo NF
Horseshoe Meadow Campgrounds in the Golden Trout Wilderness
Cottonwood Pass Trail and Cottonwood Lakes Trail provide great portals into Inyo National Forest and Sequoia National Park. Hiking begins at an elevation of 10,000 feet, providing a launch pad into the high sierra. Because you start so high up, acclimating is a key to avoiding altitude sickness. For this reason, a pair of first-come first-serve campgrounds offer a valuable resource for hikers. ...Read more.
Tagged with · Golden Trout Wilderness · Lone Pine · Tent Camping
By: Seth Smigelski Published: September 16, 2010 Last updated: April 13, 2026
Sierra Nevada

Cottonwood Pass
in the Golden Trout Wilderness

Inyo NF | Trails
Trail Rating:
Cottonwood Pass in the Golden Trout Wilderness
At an elevation of 11,200 feet, Cottonwood Pass serves as a gateway to the Golden Trout Wilderness and Sequoia National Park. The pass is reached via a 3.5-mile one way trail from Horseshoe Meadow, which has an elevation of 10,000 feet, making this is one of the easiest passes for hikers to reach in the Eastern Sierra. A view of Trail Peak from Horseshoe Meadow Pick up the trail at Horsehoe Meadow Campground and begin hiking east over packed sand along the northern edge of Horseshoe Meadow. ...Read more.
Tagged with · Free Trails · Golden Trout Wilderness · Lone Pine · Pacific Crest Trail
Distance: 7 miles · Elevation change: 1200 feet
By: Seth Smigelski Published: September 16, 2010 Last updated: April 9, 2026
Sierra Nevada

Natural Water Slide
in Giant Sequoia National Monument

Sequoia NF | Trails
Trail Rating:
Natural Water Slide in Giant Sequoia National Monument
On a hot summer day in the Sierra, what could be better than a cool water slide? Answer: a natural water slide. Fortunately, Giant Sequoia National Monument is nice enough to offer one. However, you wouldn't know it from the park literature. Nature's slip-n-slide goes unmentioned in handouts and websites. For that reason, many visitors miss out on this unadvertised attraction. ...Read more.
Tagged with · Creeks · Free Trails · Giant Sequoia National Monument · Springville · Water Slides · Western Divide · Western Divide Ranger District
Distance: 1.5 miles · Elevation change: 150 feet
By: Seth Smigelski Published: June 21, 2010 Last updated: April 8, 2026
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