Mineral King is a quiet corner of what is becoming an increasingly busy Sierra Nevada mountain range. And though it has been enjoyed and frequented by devotees for literally thousands of years (if you include the original inhabitants before their forced removal), it remains almost desolate compared to the more popular High Sierra Trail, and the John Muir Trail. It’s not so much that Mineral King is a secret, or that it’s a dud–it’s just not as iconic as the nearby locales that surround it. And that, more than anything else, is its saving grace.
The truth, though, is that the Mineral King loop is hard to beat. Just the drive up to the trailhead is a mind-bender (and don’t forget to marmot-proof your rig at the end of the drive). The twenty miles of sparely built road winding up steep foothills are as scenic as Glacier National Park’s Road to the Sun, but have a much more wild and rugged feel. Passing through the heat of California’s central valley foothills, the road winds up and up to the Atwell grove (full of Giant Sequoias, and enormous Sugar Pines), the miniature “town” of Silver City, and finally opens up into the beautiful alpine meadows of the Mineral King valley at the end of the road.
The first part of the trail is a bit of a Stairmaster, no matter which direction you walk the loop. My personal choice is to take the loop clockwise. Just getting up and over Timber Gap will be a gut-check for many folks coming from lower elevations. The trail is steep, hot, and forested, and the views pale in comparison to what’s to come, so I like to get it over with first. Still, keep an eye out for wild flowers and bears–this is the best part of the loop to see both.
You can camp on the other side of the gap after a long descent to Cliff Creek–and most will. The hike up from Cliff Creek (7,100 feet) to Black Rock Pass (11,600 feet) is the hardest hike of the whole loop, so it’s nice to be well-rested. An alternative is to push a little longer on day one and hoof it all the way up to Pinto Lake (8,700 feet) in order to cut down on the haul the next day. However you do it, saving yourself some time and energy for the endless switchbacks up to Black Rock is a good idea–not only is the hike grueling, but the views of Spring Lake and the plunging valley beneath are out of this world.
Black Rock Pass sits on the crest of the Great Western Divide, and, in my opinion, marks the end of the major suffering along the Mineral King loop. Crossing over the pass is like going through a portal into another world. From hot, lush, scrubby foothills, suddenly you are cast into bonafide high country dotted with alpine lakes and meadows and striking peaks of sheer granite.
Little Five Basin is arguably one of the most magical spots in the whole Sierra–but I may be biased since I lived there for one mind-blowing summer as a backcountry ranger. There is, in fact, a yurt and a ranger stationed there throughout the summer. Budget a little extra time to explore around those lakes. Find the ranger, strike up conversation, clean up someone else’s litter, and keep your eyes open. There is, I promise, magic to find.
Little Five is so spectacular, it’s not uncommon to spend two nights there. That said, if it’s a rare, crowded weekend, hump it up over the ridge and down to Big Five lakes. Big Five is lower elevation, and, differing from Little Five, campers are actually permitted to have fires at the lowest lake (though that may be changing in the next year or two–check with the trailhead rangers for current information).
Continuing on from Big Five, a few pleasant ups and downs bring you to a junction, where a decision needs to be made. You have two choices–you can either cruise up Lost Canyon, and finish the shorter loop that way; or you can continue on down to Soda Creek and finish up through Franklin Pass. While shorter, I think the Lost Canyon option is more spectacular.
Lost Canyon is, as the name implies, something of a lost world. A crystal clear stream cuts down through the tight forested canyon for a few casual miles of gentle uphill, and then the trees simply peter out and stop. When they do, a paradise of granite and meadows is revealed. This is a great place to not wander off trails too extravagantly, as all around are delicate meadows. If you do want to get off the trail, do it in the forest or on talused rock slopes on the north side of the trail. There is a holiness and a hush to this area that makes the trip worth it entirely. Spend a night here if you can.
At the back of Lost Canyon is another mountain pass. It looks heinous from the start, but it’s nothing compared to Black Rock. Besides, going this way, you’ll be lighter on food and your legs will be more mountain-worthy. Take your time, enjoy it, and get your cameras ready for the photo finish on the other side.
If you like lakes, Columbine Lake will be the highlight of the whole trip. This little gem is tucked into a spectacular bowl of granite, in the least likely of places, right along the Great Western Divide. Campsites can be hard to come by, as they are spare sections of flat land strewn less than liberally around the lake’s northern shore. The elevation is higher–about 11,000 feet where you camp–so this likely will be your coldest night. That said, there is no better sunset spot than the northwest corner of the lake, from where the land falls away in a seemingly endless descent down to the smog-filled central valley, thankfully out of sight below.
After Columbine Lake comes what may be the psychological crux of the entire trip–the steep slog up Sawtooth pass, and the complicated route finding down the other side. I’ve never found the same trail down twice, so I’ll save you the headache of trying to discover one. Simply traverse west along as easy of terrain as you can find, constantly side-hilling and slowly descending, then choose your own adventure down sandy switchbacks to Monarch Lake. Take a dip, eat some lunch, enjoy your last lake of the journey, and take a moment here to shed some tears. It’s all downhill from Monarch, literally and figuratively. Down to the car, down to the central valley, and back down to whatever reality you came from.
Photos by Chris Kalman
Camp Notes is a big high five to the fun of sleeping outdoors and all that comes along with it. You know, camping and stuff.
I’ve done 3 variations on this loop (1974, 1982, 2010) and it never fails to inspire. You can make it 3, 4 or more days. Precipice Lake is another highlight. If you make it all the way down to the Kern, there’s a hot spring with a big concrete tub for a mid trek soak. Just don’t tell anyone else about it, OK?
well it’s on the HST so not exactly a secret! But it’s a magic spot
Well, the secret is out…going to have to actually reserve permits. 😉
Nice write up and great photos! Mineral King is by far (I say hesitantly) my favorite spot in the Sierra.
I did this loop last weekend, August 12-16th, 2016. Loved all the views but Black Rock Pass was difficult on the second day with a heavy pack. The loop has very little flat or easy areas, it’s all up or down making it a bear on the feet and legs. We saw less than a 10 people the whole trip in the height of backpacking season. Gorgeous area! Another thing was the mileage on the map was way off from the trail signs. Much more mileage than expected, probably 35-38 miles compared to the 30-32 on our map. I would rate the hike as difficult.
The sign mileage in the SEKI backcountry, especially in Mineral King, tends to be pretty far off. Tom Harrison maps are on-point, and I’ve confirmed the mileage on those maps with gps on long day hikes/overnights.
Now THAT my friends is what I call a trail description! Thanks!
I do a longer loop in the Sierra every Sept. and this is a definite Top Three. I did the longer route and comes down Franklin Pass. What blew my mind is how few people I saw. A couple of days I saw no one. THAT’s when the Sierra is extra special. If you have a little Sierra experience this is absolutely one to do. Good write up.
My girlfriend (now wife) and I did this loop in summer 2015—we got engaged at Columbine Lake. This is, indeed, a magical route!
Can someone advise me of the entry and exit points of this loop? I currently have a permit for an entry at sawtooth and exit at timber. Not sure if this is correct? I am looking for a 32-35 mile trip over 4 days. Please advise! Thank you!
This is beautiful!!! Are you aware of any part of this treck or something within a couple hours drive from this area to enjoy 2 or 3 nights backpacking for two people who can’t wait until summer? warmer day and cool nights are ok, and we, of course, are looking for water, lakes and or running water as part of our landscape.
Thank you!!!
Steve
I did a 45 mile loop from Mineral King and really loved it. I camped at Columbine Lake, Big Five Lakes, Precipice Lake, and near Bearpaw Meadows. The area has some amazing scenery and I loved that it was not too crowded. I wrote up a report with a bunch of pictures and maps. Here it is: https://backpackersreview.wordpress.com/trip-reports/sequoia-mineral-king/
Hi All – my brothers and I were unable to secure permits to camp along this loop, but still wanted to do some portion of it as a day hike. We will be staying at Silver City, are experienced hikers, and don’t mind a grueling out and back. With that said, how much of this loop (assuming we start at timber gap and go clockwise) do you realistically think we could cover in a one-day out and back?
anyone done this in a day? i’ve done a 40 mile sierra loop in a day but there looks like more elevation on this one?
I visited often in the 1960’s early ’70’s.
Very few people on the trails then. Mostly none.
I once had a “heated” discussion with Anzel Adams who thought and advocated for a ski resort in Mineral King. Yes, that Anzel Adams.