Backpacking the John Muir Trail
Written in February 2024, last updated on February 14, 2024.
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About this trip
The John Muir Trail (JMT) spans approximately 343.9 kilometers (213.7 miles), from Yosemite Valley to Mount Whitney, traversing through the heart of the Sierra Nevada. This high-altitude journey averages over 2,400 meters (8,000 feet) and peaks at Mount Whitney, the highest point in the contiguous United States, at 4,421 meters (14,505 feet). Hikers face a cumulative elevation gain of about 14,300 meters (47,000 feet) across the trail. Designed for the ambitious adventurer, the JMT challenges and rewards with its vast wilderness, requiring careful planning for resupply and wild camping.
It's truly remarkable that despite the proximity of 40 million people living within a few hours' drive, the wilderness of the John Muir Trail offers an escape where one can embark on a three-week journey without encountering a single road or building, preserving a sense of untouched wilderness and solitude amidst the vastness of nature.
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