This post is part of a series called John Muir Trail Journal
Show More Posts
- John Muir Trail Date Set, Permit Reserved
- John Muir Trail Planning
- John Muir Trail Packing List
- John Muir Trail Journal
- John Muir Trail Day 1: Yosemite Valley to Clouds Rest Junction
- John Muir Trail Day 2: Clouds Rest Junction to Half Dome to Sunrise Creek Crossing
- John Muir Trail Day 3: Sunrise Creek Crossing to Lower Cathedral Lake
- John Muir Trail Day 4: Lower Cathedral Lake to Tuolumne Meadows
- John Muir Trail Day 5: Tuolumne Meadows to Donohue Pass
- John Muir Trail Day 6: Donohue Pass to Thousand Island Lake
- John Muir Trail Day 7: Thousand Island Lake to Rosalie Lake
- John Muir Trail Day 8: Rosalie Lake to Reds Meadow
- John Muir Trail Day 9: Reds Meadow to Deer Creek
- John Muir Trail Day 10: Deer Creek to Cascade Valley Junction
- John Muir Trail Day 11: Cascade Valley Junction to Silver Pass to Vermilion Valley Resort
- John Muir Trail Day 12: Vermilion Valley Resort
- John Muir Trail Day 13: Vermilion Valley Resort to Marie Lake
- John Muir Trail Day 14: Marie Lake to Selden Pass to Muir Trail Ranch
- John Muir Trail Day 15: Muir Trail Ranch to McClure Meadow
- John Muir Trail Day 16: McClure Meadow to Muir Pass to Lake West of Helen Lake
- John Muir Trail Day 17: Lake West of Helen Lake to Deer Meadow
- John Muir Trail Day 18: Deer Meadow to Mather Pass to Main South Fork Kings Crossing
- John Muir Trail Day 19: Main South Fork Kings Crossing to Pinchot Pass to Woods Creek
- John Muir Trail Day 20: Woods Creek to Glen Pass to Vidette Meadow
- John Muir Trail Day 21: Vidette Meadow to Forester Pass to Bighorn Plateau
- John Muir Trail Day 22: Bighorn Plateau to Guitar Lake
- John Muir Trail Day 23: Guitar Lake to Mount Whitney to Whitney Portal
- John Muir Trail: Post Trip Thoughts
Comments (31)
Kevin,
Hello! I met you at VVR (ate breakfast with you and Ryan). I take it you made it, congrats. Nice journal posting of your first two days.
I too made it. Had an excellent full moon hike up Whitney for the sunrise. What a trip. Steve
Hi Kevin -any chance of you continuing with your journal? I hope so cos I love reading it! Thanks so much – Barbara
Hi Barbara. Thanks for reading my journal and I’m glad you enjoy it. I know I’ve been very slow at finishing it. I’ll post Day 9 today and I hope to finish the whole journal by the end of the year 🙂
hiking the JMT in 2010, july. looking forward to reading the rest of your journal…great site!
Hi Chris. Thanks for reading. You’ll have a great trip this summer.
Hi Kevin, I can’t tell you how much I’ve enjoyed your blog. I’ve passed it on to a bunch of friends who plan on doing the same hike. Thank you for sharing your experience with the world! I’m sure it was life changing. My wife and I are doing our first section (technically second) if you count hiking to the summit of Mt Whitney which I guess you don’t. On June 17th, we’re hiking from Tuolumne meadows to Happy Isles (reverse) cause it was easier to get the permit. We are syked. Can you tell us where you’re first campsite was near the clouds rest junction? All the best Kevin and please keep updating your adventure!
Craig & Pilar Irvine, CA
Hi Craig, I replied to your campsite inquiry in the comments section for my Day 1 entry 🙂 Go here:
http://kevinstravelblog.com/john-muir-trail-day-1-yosemite-valley-to-clouds-rest-junction
and scroll to the bottom to the comments. Let me know if you have other questions. I’d be glad to help.
Hey Kev,
Your journal entries and pictures are great!
Please finish soon!!!!
-Dave
Dave, thanks for the compliments.
Hi Kevin–I lost your site for a while (changed computers). I looks like Lucky Dog and I where heading out over Kearsarge Pass for a resupply the day you got ahead of us. Glad to see you finished and all went well.
I received and email from your sister today regarding my journals. Nice of her.
To more great hikes!
Don
Hi Don. My sister is a big fan of your journals, and she doesn’t even like hiking. I read that you will be doing the JMT again this Summer with Tom. Enjoy your time and send him my regards.
Hi Kevin,
Just read your journal of your JMT thru-hike and really enjoyed it! Thanks for posting it! I am starting my JMT thru in another few weeks and reading about your adventure has gotten me even more excited about it. Enjoy your upcoming trek on the West Coast Trail. I did that a few years back and it’s a spectacular walk! Keep your fingers crossed for some dry weather.
Take care,
Jenn
Jenn, thanks for reading my journal. Have a great JMT experience!
Nice. I am going to do the JMT this summer sometime in July or early august. Any remnants nets of snow while u hiked in August?
The only slow I had to step on was a tiny 4 or 5-feet stretch while coming down of Muir Pass (if I remember correctly). Other than that, no snow at all. But I think it is different every season depending on winter snowfall.
I like the photo of the John Muir Trail sign! Would you email me about my possibly using it in a book?
Kevin, I have used and enjoyed your blog so much. I am planning my JMT trip this summer and cannot wait. I have to laugh, because we live relatively close. I have been in REI quite a bit lately, and could have sworn I saw you. Too funny. I was raised in Fullerton. Anyway, now I am in Corona. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Diana. The last time I was at REI was in November I think, in the Arcadia store, so whoever you saw was probably not me 🙂 I’m really considering doing the JMT again this summer. Just trying to decide if I want to spend all my vacation time in one place.
Hi Kevin,
I really enjoyed reading your JMT journal. I hope to start planning my trip to the JMT in the next few years. Can you please tell me what type of camera you took with you? The pictures were amazing. Thanks!
Becky
Hi Becky. Thanks for the comment about my pictures.I used the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ-5. I really didn’t know much about photography back then, but that camera was able to take decent pictures despite of that. It has been discontinued. The newest version of that same camera is the Lumix DMC-ZS30. You might want to look into the older ZS20 as well, which is much much cheaper.
Kevin, thanks for putting together this journal. It was a great help in planning campsites and daily hiking distances. This was the best journal I’ve found. I’m starting from Happy Isles in two weeks and plan to complete the trail in 22 days. My schedule is slightly different from yours up to MTR, but after that, I hope to be following the same timeline as you did.
Ryan
Hi Ryan. Thanks for the message and I’m happy you found this blog helpful for your planning. I’m sure you’ll enjoy your time out there.
Hey Kevin! I read you trail log months ago in preparation for my own JMT experience. I just wanted to let you know my husband and I hiked the entire JMT, in 18 days no less! Your blog was extremely helpful! It helped paint a picture of what to expect. Thank you so much for all of your details and pictures, they were very, very helpful. I hope you’re doing well 🙂
Hi Jessi, thanks for your kind comment. Congratulations to you and your husband on finishing the trail. I’m sure you had a wonderful time on the JMT 🙂
Thanks Kevin. I used your site to help me plan for a JMT trip I just completed. Check out my site at http://www.calikota.com. Hope the round-the-world trip is going great!!!
Thanks for the comment. I checked our your great blog and your journal. The JMT in 10 days is really a great accomplishment!
I’ve learned about PCT about 2 years ago, but about JMT just recently and I just found your site! I decided to hike JMT in the coming year or two. While looking at the topo map I’ve noticed that PCT and JMT split at Thousand Island Lake and they come together later on (just before Devils Postpile Monument). Which way would be more spectacular, any pros or cons?
Hi Peter. I’ve only done part of the PCT (from Thousand Island Lake to Agnew Meadows) in that region, but I think the JMT should be way more scenic since it passes through Garnet Lake, Shadow Lake, and a bunch of other smaller lakes.
Hi Kevin
I’m impressed of your blog. It’s very interesting what for beautiful places you’ve seen. My worldtrip will start soon. Im’ going on the west coast trail july 3rd.
Unfornuatley I got 7 times denied for the john muir trail for august or september.
Now I’m looking forward for some backpacking trips in Yosemite in september. 1 to 3 days backpacking trips like the ansel adams wilderness or just in Yosemite.
I’ve seen that I need a permit for backpacking trips.
So my big problem is: Do I need to book a permit in advance or can I just go to Yosemite and do First-Come, First-Served Permits ?
What for 2 days, 3 days trip can you recommend me in Yoesmite?
Hi Rene. I heard of many people successfully getting permits for the JMT on standby. You need to go to Yosemite Valley and stand in line very early in the morning. You might have to wait 1-2 days and camp in the valley in the meantime, but if you really want to do it, that’s the way.
Unfortunately I don’t know many trails in Yosemite. I’ve only done the Mist Trail (a day hike) which is also the beginning of the JMT. Always try to book in advance if you can. Yosemite is incredibly crowded, but as a last resort you can always try to get permits once you are there (from other people’s cancellations). Also, you could base yourself in Yosemite Valley and just do day hikes each day (also as last resort). It’s also hard to get campsites there, but Camp 4 gives spots on a first-come-first-serve each morning. You just have to show up very early.
Good luck, and let me know if you have other questions.
Hi Kevin
Thank you very much for your help!