King of the Mountains

Hiking and Camping in Mineral King in Sequoia National Park

California’s first national park, Sequoia, is also among the least visited, and that means you get the quiet and raw beauty almost entirely to yourself. In a remote setting at the park’s southern end, Mineral King is a subalpine valley that will absolutely knock your boots off. You’ll drive 25 miles up a snaky road, listed in the National Historic Register, deep into the heart of the southern Sierra. The road doesn’t open until May 25 this year, but when it does, serrated peaks and high-alpine lakes of Mineral King await. While day hikes around here are not for the faint of heart—many range between 7 and 10 miles, with altitude gains of 1,700 to 2,200 feet—they’re undoubtedly worth the effort.

The 3.4-mile (one-way) trail to Eagle Lake will reward you with unimpeded views of granite peaks shooting from the timberline. Less ambitious hikers can wander the Farewell Gap Trail through gentler, wildflower-laden terrain in the Mineral King Valley, or relax by Mineral King Stream with a good book. For a long, challenging day hike that can be turned into an overnight camping option, Upper and Lower Monarch Lakes are true beauties, dramatically set at the foot of Sawtooth Peak (12,343 feet), a jagged giant dominating the valley. As a side trip, you can journey up and beyond the lakes for just over a mile to reach Sawtooth Pass (11, 700 feet) and its strenuous (not for the clumsy-footed!) 2.4-mile ascent on the Great Western Divide. The reward: ultimate views of the southern Sierras, including the Kaweah Peaks and the Whitney Crest. Oh yeah, this is big time!

img_6662-jpg-image-jpeg

STAY: You can basecamp in the rustic cabins at Silver City Mountain Resort, which is neither a city nor a resort but which offers a variety of cabins, from upscale to rustic. There are two first-come, first-served campgrounds along Mineral King Road: Atwell Mill and Cold Springs. For those who want to overnight at Upper and Lower Monarch Lakes, there are campsites above the north shore. Free wilderness permits are required for this hike and camping.

Mineral King is remote and has no services. The 25-mile Mineral King Rd. begins at Hwy. 198, 4 miles north of Three Rivers and 2 miles south of Sequoia’s Ash Mountain Entrance. The road is steep, narrow, and winding. It typically opens by Memorial Day weekend. Allow plenty of drive time. Atwell Mill and Cold Springs campgrounds are dog-friendly! No dogs on trails or backcountry camp sites. NOTE: Check the status of trails ahead of time when planning, especially at higher elevations and for peaks; some may not be passable until later in the hiking season. 

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Sequoia Re-opens Crystal Cave

    Step inside Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park's hidden world by visiting the newly re-opened Crystal Cave—the only cave in the parks open to the public. Closed for four years, this rare marble karst cavern is welcoming visitors once again, but only through the summer season!

    View
  2. Afternoon on the Island

    What is it about tiny islands in the middle of lakes? There’s something that just draws you in. It’s even more fun when getting there is half the adventure because you have to reach it by canoe, kayak, paddleboat, or a ranger-guided boat tour!

    View
  3. Easiest Best Hike in the World

    Choose the easiest and most view-rewarding hike in Yosemite. Okay, we’ll go first: the combination of hiking to Sentinel Dome and Taft Point. Both of these lookouts are within a couple miles of each other on Glacier Point Road

    View
  4. Hiker in the forest at Mount Sutro in San Francisco

    San Francisco's Middle Earth

    No need to travel to New Zealand to visit Middle Earth. San Francisco’s Mount Sutro Open Space is practically Hobbiton—a hidden “shire” in the middle of the city. Okay, maybe not quite as magical, but still an incredible place to take a hike in city limits.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Locals' Feature: Jim Litchfield, Owner of Reno Fly Shop

    If there's a river, you're likely to find Jim Litchfield there. As the owner of Reno Fly Shop, Nevada's premier fly fishing outfitter and shop, Jim's passion for rivers knows no bounds: he's fished in places near and far, including Alaska, Bolivia and Christmas Island. But home is beautiful Reno, where he has been running Reno Fly Shop and leading tailored river float and fly fishing adventures (including beginner-friendly options) for over a decade.

    View
  2. Can't Top This

    San Francisco’s Presidio was already a fantastic place to hang out for the afternoon, a beautiful site within the largest urban national park in the United States (the Golden Gate National Recreation Area). And Presidio Tunnel Tops is like a cherry on top. Make that two cherries on top, with the newly opened (July 2025) Outpost Meadow, a 1.5-acre green space located at Old Mason Street across from the Crissy Field Marsh in the Presidio.

    View
  3. Volcanic Activity

    Northern California is home to one of the most unique ecosystems in the country: Lassen Volcanic National Park. The region features geothermal areas, including the largest dome volcano in the world, Lassen Peak. Hike to the top of this active volcano on a 5-mile out-and-back.  

    View
  4. Oh Ryan

    Sure, it’s those whimsical trees that give Joshua Tree National Park its marquee billing; but this beautiful landscape also has surrounding mountains and its night sky—one of the darkest in Southern California and designated an International Dark Sky Park. Joshua Tree has four allowable stargazing parking lots, and a newly opened haven for spending the night nearby...

    View