The stars up there were surreal. Though ruled by an evil mosquito king that keeps his troops busy, Big Pete Meadow (the meadow part should have been our clue) was a delight. My two recommendations. Quite a few creek crossings which were hard to avoid getting feet wet, but easily done. The ferry is worth it if its running. Dinners were instant potatoes with packaged salmon or tuna along with instant soup or couscous. Hike down 6.6 miles to LeConte Canyon, which is a very beautiful, deep canyon with lush meadows and forests. Location: Northern Kings Canyon National Park Day Zero Travel day. Explore Evolution Valley - view hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos from hikers, campers and nature lovers like you. This was an absolute must do trail! The first thing the trail did was cross the river on a wooden bridge, far upstream from its merging with Evolution Creek, so it was still relatively small. About two miles after leaving camp, we exited off the PCT/John Muir trail and started up to Piute Pass. Up until Sep 11th there was a shuttle service that we could have used to get from South Lake to the North Lake trailhead -- running a couple of times a day and costing $20. Or bag flattopped Mt. Reach a footbridge over Jeffrey pine-lined Piute Creek, and camp on designated pads nearby. The trail is quite rocky in most places so slower than you might expect given the elevation profile. Day 2 Dusy Basin to Big Pete Meadow The mosquitos were relentless though. 110 Piute Pass Trail junction, 17 mi. I should just quit messing around and tape the thing to my face. Then got up and hiked to the ferry to see if it was running and what do you know it was! Good campsites can be found there also. Laura Manina, my sister and fellow backpacker, shares her experiences and tips on backpacking a 57-mile loop to the Evolution Valley. Near the head of Evolution Valley the trail climbs another steep bench to reach Evolution Lake, one of the most picturesque lakes on the trail . this is the one backpack trip I remember with my dad, friend and his dad.. in 1959.. A mother deer plus two babies. Loitering encouraged! No mosquitos. Piute Pass going in is a bit of a doozy so push on over and head for lower altitude camping or you may be whacked by the elevation. Evolution Valley was flower-filled, even in this drought year. Then I hiked north, paralleling the water. We went north to south. In August we did North lake to south lake direction which avoided the climb up to Bishop pass. Darwin/Bench. I have done it over 4 days - 3 nights and my backpack was around 42 pounds. They are past the Muir Trail Ranch. A couple of mosquitos came out in the cooler air as the shadow of the mountain came into camp. I woke up before dawn, as usual. This was the most difficult day as we ascended over 3200 with 30+ & 40+ lb packs. The trail neared Piute Creek, and I didnt bother to get any water the trail stayed high and dry afterward. beautiful. Next time will have to aim to go under 30 pounds. Im a layman, what can I say? Hike through spectacular Evolution Basin Marvel at views from Muir, Bishop and Piute Passes Explore remote lakes and ridges Includes Group cooking gear and bear-proof food containers Vegetarian-friendly meals and snacks Campsites and all permits Overview The Trip "How glorious a greeting the sun gives the mountains! Now that the best parts of the trek were over (quite possibly), I was beginning to yearn for home. One bite of the Evolution area is Evolution Valley has always been high on my list of things to do. Also included are North Lake, South Lake, Piute Pass, Evolution Valley and Lake Sabrina. Day 5: Cushy Day was followed by Payback Day. When Hikers Die, Why Are We So Quick to Judge. Push to camp spots near the McClure Meadow ranger station; you will be rewarded with the best breakfast scenery the next day (night 2). Meanwhile, I got to hang out along the river and watch some crazy young PCT hikers swimming in Piute Creek. In other words, I was probably dehydrated. Completed end of July 2022. The ferry was not running this early in the season. Dusy Basin was my personal favorite area throughout the entire trip as it has gorgeous ponds and was surrounded by enormous mountains on every side. This was an epic backpacking trip and I would do it all over again to see evolution basin, and everything in between. Thanks to Covid regulations, the signs posted trailside asked people not to visit unless it was an emergency, One of the signs mentioned a Bold, Aggressive, Large Bear that had been raiding food at the Piute Creek area exactly where I planned to stay that night! The trail on the right leads north into French Canyon. On the way back, check out the Blayney hot springs - they are magical! Hundreds of feet of granite on one side, and beautiful open meadow on the other. I kept hoping to find a side stream, but all of the obvious places were dry as a bone. Our group of six left a vehicle at the termination point (South Lake trailhead) then drove to the North Lake overnight parking lot and we started our journey in the late afternoon. I also crossed Evolution creek at the alternate, which was swampy but looked much easier than the main crossing. I also set an early alarm. Completed hike Aug 14. The hike up to Evolution Lake is steep, but reasonably graded. After my work was done, Id jump in the nearest river, cook, then bear-proof my camp. At least there might be shade along this section, I thought to myself. The best sites we found are located on the east side of the trail directly after we crossed the stream that feeds the lake. It tasted cold and fresh. This is a popular trailhead for approaching the Palisades. One bite of the Evolution area is liable to infect any passerby, causing even the most mileage-minded thru-hike If the John Muir Trail is the crown jewel of the Pacific Crest Trail, then the Evolution Basin and Valley are perhaps the most strikingly-sculpted gem to be carefully placed in that jewel. 34.3 mi Distance 17 hrs 56 min Time terrain 4,821 ft Elev Gain Overview This is a difficult loop trail in Inyo National Forest. Nineteen miles from the nearest trailhead, Evolution Valley is a two-day hike for most backpackers. Get surefire solitude in McGee Canyon (south about .5 mile back). Okay, I need my camera again. The map shown above is for illustrative purposes only. Our total hiking miles over 5 days was 41.8 miles then we caught the ferry for the extra couple. Get to know the winter safety gear you need in your pack. Fill up on gas at Prather or Shaver Lake. Beautifully desolate. Awesome views and an incredible variety of terrain. Then back to camp and packed up everything continuing on JMT . My understanding is that dogs are not allowed in the Kings Canyon National Park. I hung out by the creek for an hour and a half, until 3pm. Florence Lake, east of Fresno, is the most convenient trailhead for backpacking trips to Evolution Valley. The trail wandered along through the forest, not far from Evolution Creek, which was flowing peacefully and slow. On day 1, take the Piute Pass Trail from North Lake Campground, and hike six miles gaining 2,000 feet to make camp near Upper Golden Trout Lake (no camping within 400 feet). At night, Id comb through maps by headlamp, creating my ultimate ticklist for the parks. This is one of my favorite trips of many in the eastern Sierra. Id have the trail to myself for a while. Always confirm information with the service provider and check for any recent changes that Tiny bit of snow on bishop pass was completely avoidable. Front Runners List: Click to see list completion progress by climbers that log their climbs using Peakbagger.com. Overnight temps didn't drop below 40 F. I like the big vistas so I think I would do the Lamarck Col Route from the North Lake Trailhead to Evolution Lake next time and skip Piute Canyon. Such a memorable backpacking trip! We did 7 nights, 8 days with our first and last days being half days. This is about the halfway spot. The trail immediately climbed high above the creek, and stayed there, perched on the canyon wall. Video of a waterfall on Piute Creek near my campsite in lower Piute Canyon. Evolution Creek had already joined forces and the river was much larger. We hiked this trail June 5th to the 7th. Day 2: Continue on Piute Pass to reach the JMT (and enter the national park). The uphill miles to reach John Muir Pass gave quite a different landscape than we had seen so far. Beautiful scenery, abundant water, breathtaking vistas. Highly recommend spending time in McClure Meadow if possible on this hike. On our way back we crossed even more upstream, and thank goodness we did, because it was a lot shallower there (water came up right below my hips) which made it much easier to cross. Piute Pass was comparatively easy with just a few snow patches. The river and steam crossings were simple because the water level is so low at this point in the season. Do you wish to share an stories about that particular spot? Or bag flattopped Mt. $3,395: Description Itinerary Resources The John Muir Trail is one of the finest hikes to be found anywhere in the world. Historical side note: Evolution Valley was named by Theodore Solomons . There are possible campsites on Darwin Bench. To win Best in Show our site sported a ledge, floating above a yakkety brook, Mt. Continue straight at the 3-way. Completed this loop South - North May 26-29. Water was flowing on a lot of the trail down. Maybe I was oxygen-starved, but my companions said they were similarly affected. We hiked this loop from North to South Lake. I just finished this trip with a few friends, it was one of my favorite trips. The trail on the left leads to Lower Honeymoon Lake. Wanda(sorry if mistaken) is full of mosquitos, prepare mesh covering for you face. We did the alternate Evolution creek crossing this time and it was easy, water just above my knees (Im 411). Peaks north of Bishop Pass, and south of Piute Pass form two basic groups, Bishop Group and Evolution Group. Bishop Pass Trail to John Muir Trail to Piute Trail. Oh boy. Us silly girls didnt expect something for nothing did we? No smoke from the California wildfires. Didnt posthole, it was sunny and we summited at 10:30am from a 5:30am start (slower pace), stayed for an hour at the hut and headed down towards Evolution Lake to camp. Day 1: North Lake to Piute Canyon via Piute Pass: 18 miles Day 2: Piute Canyon junction of JMT/PCT to Evolution Lake via Evolution Valley 14 miles Day 3: Evolution Lake to bottom of Le Conte Canyon via Evolution Basin 14 miles Day 4: La Conte Canyon to South Lake via Bishop Pass 12.5 miles Mosquitoes: none, gnats on Wanda Lake Imagine youre traveling on a moonscape in the protection of narrow corridors of granite with the imposing presence of two mighty peaks, Langille Peak and Black Giant, in your view. Light rain everyday around 3/4pm. . Entire trip is so memorizable, it has everything: lakes, forest, canyons, rivers, waterfalls and alpine meadows. Many thanks to her for this great post and pictures! A great spot! This trail goes by Loch Leven, Piute Pass, Summit Lake, Upper Golden Trout Lake, Lamarck Col, and North Lake Campground. This loop begins and ends at the North Lake trailhead. We are here: Evolution Basin Total Mileage: ~57 miles Total Elevation Loss/Gain: ~9,500 feet (a few hundred feet more gain than loss) Length: 6 days Trailhead: We started at North Lake at Piute Trailhead (~9,400 feet) Mountain Passes: Piute, Muir and Bishop I completed the JMT in 2016 and coming back to this area and adding on Piute and Bishop pass was fantastic. But the views from the trail made up for it. History. I drank a lot of water. Here is a brief summary of our route: South Lake Trailhead - Bishop Pass - Dusy Basin - LeConte Canyon - Muir Pass - Evolution Valley - Puite Creek Canyon - Humphrey's Basin - Piute Pass - North Lake Trailhead. This famous combo-trail will be our path for the next 26.5 miles. We headed over Piute Pass and into Humphreys Basin from the North Lake Trailhead. After we got a bit past Summit Lake, we left the trail and headed to Lower Desolation Lake, Desolation Lake and Mesa Lake, where we camped for the night. 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