John Muir Trail / PCT Kings Canyon – Pacific Crest Trail

Distance: 35.0 miles Elevation Gain: 6000 ft Difficulty: Strenuous Type: Point-to-Point Surface: Natural Activity: Hiking Best Season: July-September Typical Time: 4-6 days Fee: Included in Kings Canyon NPS entrance fee Dogs: False Permit: True

The Kings Canyon section of the combined John Muir Trail and Pacific Crest Trail traverses some of the most spectacular high-altitude terrain in North America, running from Muir Trail Ranch in the Evolution Valley to Onion Valley via Pinchot Pass, Glen Pass, and Kearsarge Pass, crossing the Sierra Nevada crest multiple times through the heart of Kings Canyon National Park.

Muir Trail Ranch at 7600 feet in the South Fork San Joaquin River canyon serves as a resupply point for thru-hikers, accessible only by trail or horseback. The route ascends through the Goddard Canyon to Wanda Lake at 11452 feet near Muir Pass, where the stone Muir Hut perches at the windswept col. The Evolution Basin, including Evolution Lake and Evolution Meadows, represents one of the finest high-country basins on the entire JMT/PCT and was named by Theodore Solomons for figures in evolutionary science including Darwin, Fiske, and Huxley.

The exit over Kearsarge Pass connects to the trailhead at Onion Valley near Independence, California. Wilderness permits for Kings Canyon are required and available via Recreation.gov, with quotas enforced at all trailheads. The JMT/PCT permit lottery for southbound entry at Happy Isles in Yosemite is extremely competitive, but the Onion Valley entry is more accessible. Dogs are not permitted in Kings Canyon National Park.