CA - Lyell Canyon Section

The Lyell Canyon Section of the John Muir Trail offers the flattest and most leisurely stretch of the entire 211-mile route, following the meandering Lyell Fork of the Tuolumne River through a broad glacial canyon lined with lodgepole pine and open meadows. This gentle corridor is ideal for families, beginning backpackers, or anyone seeking a relaxed day in stunning High Sierra scenery without the lung-burning climbs that characterize most of the JMT.

The trail hugs the willow-lined riverbanks where brook and rainbow trout rise in the clear mountain water. In late summer, the meadows display a last burst of wildflower color before the short Sierra growing season ends. The canyon culminates toward the toe of the Lyell Glacier, the largest glacier remaining in Yosemite and visible on clear days from the upper reaches of the canyon. This section departs from the Tuolumne Meadows backpacker campground and is a popular first-night camping destination for JMT thru-hikers heading south. The canyon walls rise gradually on either side, enclosing the hiker in a world of granite and sky remarkably free from intrusion.