Arguably the best scenery — and fishing — in the eastern Sierra requires long hikes and a significant gain in elevation.
If your thing is to stay a couple of days in the wilderness and you’re not prone to taking everything you need in and out strapped to your back, there’s a way to do so. All you need is to book a multi-day horse packing trip.
There are even all-day trips that get you to places you may not be able to reach under your own power for incredible trout fishing experiences or to soak in scenery that gives heaven a run for its money.
Pack trips as well as day rides and shorter jaunts are available June through September throughout the Sierra.
If you are interested in pack trips, it is best to reserve them now as they fill up fairly quick and require you to match your vacation time to when they are offered.
And even if you are only adventurous for a day ride or less and you’re inclined to check out the Eastern Sierra, you might want to look at various trip options now so you can schedule vacations around the day ride season.
While the bulk of horse and mule options are in the Eastern Sierra, in fairness there are pack stations on the western slope of the Sierra most notably operating in Yosemite National Park.
The only day trips — and even hour-long rides — offered in Yosemite are out of the Wawona Stables at the lower elevations.
Pack stations from
Bridgeport to Bishop
And while I’m the last person to talk trash about the beauty of the Yosemite high country, you can do much better by heading to the Eastern Sierra.
There from Bridgeport to Bishop you’ll find pack stations offering horses as well as pack mules for equipment.
The offerings vary.
Some offer trips are an hour or two long, half day trips, day trips, multiple day adventures including into Yosemite from the Ansel Adams Wilderness to options where only your equipment — and perhaps a member or two of your party — arrive to a wilderness spot while everyone else hikes in and are then retrieved a few days later.
There are options for camping overnight, fishing, and deer hunting.
If you really want to see the Yosemite high country where only backpackers trek and don’t have to have all the trappings of tent cabins and such, there are options out of June Lake via the John Muir Trail.
It goes through the Ansel Adams Wilderness that takes you into Yosemite via lofty Donahue Pass and ultimately Tuolumne Meadows for $1,675 per person for a five-day excursion offered by Frontier Pack Train from Aug. 12-16.
Information on that trips and others can be found at frontorpacktrain.com
For a tantalizing — and more affordable — taste of seeing the majestic peaks of northern Yosemite, a safe bet would be Virginia Lakes Pack Outfit based out of Bridgeport.
The cost is $185 for a six hour trip. It takes you to Burro Pass at 11,100 feet where you have lunch in a grassy meadow overlooking Summit Lake.
I’ve never reached Burro Pass on the back of a horse but I have on foot and the view is well worth it.
The day trip — and others on horseback that are shorter or longer — are offered daily from July through September.
They also have multiple day trips.
More information can be found at virginialakes.com
Going further south to Bishop there are several pack outfits that takes advantage of the multitude of lakes and meadows below Bishop Pass.
The same is true of Glacier Lodge above Big Pine where you will find some of the best fishing in the Sierra along Big Pine Creek and at the lakes that feed it.
June Lake pack &
ride options are
three hours away
But if you want varied options from an hour or two rides soaking up the high Sierra to half day or day long rides that are closer to home, then head to June Lake.
The turnoff to June Lake, aptly called the American Switzerland due to how glaciers carved the terrain, is off of Highway 395 just a couple miles north of Highway 120.
It’s a little over a three hour drive there through Yosemite.
Frontier Pack Train operates out of June Lake.
Having hiked a number of times in the June Lake area, I’m familiar with the routes they take.
First, you need to have an understanding of June Lake.
It offers four lakes, village area with motels and room rentals, a world-class spa resort, campgrounds, and RV camping under dusting aspens all in what is a horse-shoe carved expanse of relative flatness below towering mountains.
There are hour long rides along Rush Creek at $60 per horse. There are half day horseback rides to the top of Parker Bench with great views of Mono Lake and Mono Craters for four hours at $120 per person.
Frontier Pack Train also offers a full day, 9½ hour trip past Agnew Lake and to Gem Lake for fishing, picnicking, or relaxing for $175.
I’ve had pack trains going to and from both Parker Bench and Gem Lake Pass go by while I’ve hiked those trails.
Frontier Pack Train operates this year from June 24 through Sept. 6.
Information on day, half day, hour, and multiple day rides can be found at frontierpacktrain.com
Pack trip to Thousand
Island Lake is tempting
Then there is the only multi-day trail ride I’m tempted to take one day. It’s not because every ride is lame in the Sierra. They’re not.
It’s just that the destination is a place that is high on my list to visit via day hikes. Three times I’ve tried it and twice I didn’t make it.
The third try was a success but not pleasant. That’s because temperatures part of the way was pushing 80 degrees and I was still recovering from a 16-mile hike. It didn’t add to my enjoyment that I went through 2.5 liters of water finishing the last three miles without a drop.
The destination is Thousand Island. It’s less than 15 miles round trip with 3,888 feet in elevation gain.
The reason I go there is two-fold.
It’s been described accurately by many backpackers and hikers as either the most beautiful lake — or close to it — with the Sierra background to match it. It is also the headwaters source of the middle fork of the San Joaquin River.
The route isn’t a killer in terms of length or elevation gain to tackle as a round-trip day hike.
The shortest route — 14.3 miles — out of June Lake is taking a narrow trail above the southeastern side of Agnew Lake.
Pack trips take a less precarious route that is just over 15 miles
Frontier Pack offers one Thousand Island Lake trip a year. It’s a four-day leisurely affair for $1,350. This year it’s offered June 26-29.
I’d much rather hike it as a day trip. but I I’m tempted to spend several days meandering the shores of Thousand Island Lake. If for no other reason I can take a shot at getting my own world-class photos of sunrise and sunsets over the lake and surrounding peaks.
As for trail rides they are not really my thing.
Nothing against them. Every handler and guide that’s passed me by — horses have the right of way on trails — have been nothing but pleasant folks.
That said, as a hiker, I’m not a big fan of horses and mules managing to leave their mark at the most inopportune places on steep climbs. There are also times — such as the popular trail for horsemen from Kennedy Meadows to Kennedy Lake — where you could literally close your eyes and smell your way along the trail.
That said I know a lot of people who aren’t into hiking who have told me being able to see parts of the rugged Sierra backcountry was among the best money they ever spent.
Kennedy Meadows pack
station solid option that
is little over 2 hours from
Manteca via Highway 108
I’d be remiss not to mention a lower elevation option that you can reach from Manteca in one day and back that will give you a good taste of high Sierra terrain on the western slope on a horseback.
Kennedy Meadows at 6,300 feet is just over 2 hours from Manteca via Highway 108.
It popular for pack trips as well as horseback rides.
The horseback rides range from an hour and 15 minute scenic loop that crosses the river into the upper meadow at a cost of $40 per rider to an all-day ride to Kennedy Lake where you can take in trout fishing, a hike or a picnic before you head back at a cost of $150 per person.
There are also other all day rides. The most popular option is one that’s in between — a half day ride to a vista overlooking Relief Reservoir that takes about three and a half hours and costs $85 per person.
There is more information on the Kennedy Meadows website at kennedymeadows.com
Kennedy Meadows is less than a mile off Highway 108 nestled under pines backing up to granite outcropping while sitting on the edge of the Stanislaus River.
Depending upon the cabin you get, the river is a few feet away or a short walk across the road.
Kennedy Meadows also has a general store, restaurant, a saloon plus the pack station.
There are 22 cabins including sleeper cabins (beds, small refrigerator, small microwave, and bathrooms) for $130 to $150 per night.
The cabins with bedrooms and bathroom with shower as well as a kitchen with a stove, refrigerator, basic dishes and cooking utensils, and a fire ring outside run from $230 to $286 a night.
The United States Forest Service has two first-come, first serve campgrounds on the short road to Kennedy Meadows that are along the Stanislaus River. There are 42 sites at Baker Campground (10 tent only and 33 tent or RV) and 17 at Deadman Campground (4 tent only and 13 tent or RV). Campsites are $25 a night and have running water and vault toilets.
Kennedy Meadows Resort opens the end of this month and shuts down for the season on Columbus Day in October.
Staying at Kennedy Meadows means you are a short drive from Sonora Pass at 9,623 feet where you can day hike on the Pacific Crest Trail either north of south. Just over miles heading south on the PCT you will come across what some refer to as 100-mile view looking west.
The pass area is known for its early summer wildflowers.
You can also access St. Mary’s Pass and the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness trails from near Sonora Pass as well as hike to Sonora Peak at 11,460 feet.
Kennedy Meadows is 57 miles east of Sonora on Highway 108.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
