Spectacular Granite Dome Loop @Emigrant Wilderness

In recent years, at Yosemite National Park, finished Clouds Rest hike after dark and checked into hotel very late around 10:30 PM. All restaurants were closed on the way and around hotel areas by then. Ended up sleeping without dinner (after consuming emergency food supplies) and woke up early hungry and reached restaurant even before their open time. Restaurant owner noticed and took care early. While there were no other customers, ended up in long conversation with restaurant owner where we caught up on Yosemite tourist levels, summer season, fire season and how life changed in recent years. Got to my favorite question about “Where do locals go for escape, for fun away from tourists?”. Restaurant owner response was along lines of high way 108, Sonora Pass, Emigrant Wilderness and so on! After that, made few trips along suggestions received and got into habit of going back to Sonora Pass! In this trip, instead of running back to hotel every evening, looked into backpacking and stretch wilderness experience! Surprisingly, every day, amount of time spent in wilderness doubled in hours!

Emigrant Wilderness (Source: https://www.sierrawild.gov/wilderness/emigrant/)

Emigrant Wilderness

1. Part of Stanislaus National Forest in the Sierra Nevada.
2. Known for spectacular alpine lakes, granite mountains, stunning Yosemite-like vistas without the crowds and relatively more solitude!
Nearest city Pinecrest, CA.
3. Permit: Required though Free at Summit Ranger Station!

4. Distance about 160 miles east of San Francisco and 50 miles south of Lake Tahoe.

5. Parked at Kennedy Meadows Trailhead lot
6. Borders: North side State Route 108 over Sonora Pass, South side Yosemite National Park, East Side Toiyabe National Forest and the Hoover Wilderness and West side Pinecrest city of California!
7. Surprises were amount of mosquitos and higher amount of water flow in creeks and streams even in late August (largely due to higher than normal snow levels in Sierras)!

8. Challenge Most of information available at Summit Ranger station is filed by hikers who chose to file reports. No real time data available. Most of guidance is general in nature. Expect surprises and Preparation for self sufficiency is best strategy!

9. Weather was perfect with cloud less clear blue skies! 80F in afternoon slowed down hiking pace with frequent stops though!

10. Mosquitos were atrocious and real big problem in trip overall. Based on information at summit ranger station, hard to avoid mosquitos. Despite covering head and body 100%, ended up with hundreds of mosquito bites during 25 hour hike over 3 days! Lot of blood from slapping mosquitos as well! Wanted to title this article as “Blood, Sweat, Tears @Emigrant Wilderness”!

11. Water stream crossings can be challenge right after rain/snow season. With no frequent/real updates available, seems better off hiking this loop later in summer versus early-summer. However this loop can be challenge within 1–2 weeks of rain in any season!

12. Quiet! Most hikers we run into is in first 3 miles from trailhead. After that, very quiet in overall 30 mile loop. Hard to expect any help. No mobile phone signal for throughout trip in wilderness area. Only signal received was for brief period near 10,000 ft level.

13. Fellow hikers: very helpful, offered most useful information, ran into 3–5 sets per day.

14. Snakes: With mid-day temperatures up to 80F, thought will run into snakes on trail. In last hour of hike, ran into dead snake near parking lot.

Aerial view of Granite Dome area with lot of lakes. Looking at massive amount of snow getting melted, was initially worried about power of water streams to cross! After looking at aerial view of loop, got comfortable after observing lot of granite. Yet 35–40 miles in rocky terrain brought anxiety before leaving home! (Source: Google Earth Pro output for Granite Dome, CA)

Trip Summary (Time of year: Late August 2023)

Within first 2 hours of starting hike, Awesome water flows in Middle Fork Stanislaus River (Source: Photo by author)

Water through canyons and deep cuts of mountains: Middle Fork Stanislaus River (Source: Photo by author)

Last visible waterfall along hiking trail before heading to Relief Reservoir (Source: Photo by author)

View of Relief Reservoir: Crystal clear water, very serene and silent! (Source: Photo by author)

Day-2 right after sunrise.. as hike around Granite Dome loop starts.. Granite cut in all kinds of shapes, sizes (Source: Photo by author)

Lot of water bodies, small lakes from snow melt, at times flooded trails (Source: Photo by author)

At times, after sustained storm damage and new vegetation combined with overflow of water, no visible trail to walk.. got to figure out and eventually merge! (Source: Photo by author)

View of Emigrant Lake! Met group of friends from Florida state who came here to fish! (Source: Photo by author)

View of Buck Lake! Got bitten by Mosquitos for over 4 hours from here as most of trails were flooded with water (Source: Photo by author)

Lot of nice reflections can be seen all day. This photo on West side of Granite Dome Loop (Source: Photo by author)

No waves in water providing clear reflection! (Source: Photo by author)

Day-3 just before sun rise! Night low was freezing temperature, appeared 35F, slippery grass with frost! Luckily prepared with cold weather gear to sustain weather (Source: Photo by author)

Lot of downed trees, flooded trails to walk over or around: Maintenance seems low with rising costs and decreasing budgets (as per veteran who has been hiking in this area for last 20 years) (Source: Photo by author)

With lot of storms this year, continued snow melt even late in season: area feels like spring with bloom (Source: Photo by author)

Last view before heading back to parking lot, miles away (Source: Photo by author)

AllTrails estimate was 34 miles with 5580 ft elevation gain.. ended up with ~10% more elevation gain and 20% more distance! Need to figure out substantial difference!!

New Purchases Made specific for this trip!

1. Paper map for area, from National Geographic Maps
2. Collapsible Water bottles (BPA free). Lot of flowing streams to collect water and filter
3. Mosquito Repellent Coils to use around tent
4. Mosquito Head Mesh Nets

Even want a change from routine?, Take to mountains providing unlimited opportunities to experience the Nature!! USA has about 800 Wilderness areas which provide 110 million square miles of space to explore! Just like air is only thing still free in this world, Nature is mostly free & waiting for you, Nature engages anyone interested, Nature lets anyone in love forget the world!! What are you waiting for? Let’s Go & Have Fun in Nature!!