Grizzly Lakes via Deer Cove Trail

Grizzly Lakes via Deer Cove Trail is a 17.5-mile out-and-back from Highway 180 to a high lake basin in the Monarch Wilderness. The round-trip distance follows the same trail back; allow about 11.5 to 12.5 hours. Expect roughly 5,800 feet of climbing, steep grades, and sections where the old tread is hard to follow. This is a very strenuous choice for fit, experienced backcountry hikers. The reward is Grizzly Lakes beneath Mount Harrington, with broad views into Kings Canyon.

The trailhead is on the Highway 180 shoulder about 1.5 miles east of the Grizzly Falls recreation area; no lot capacity is published. Carry water and a filter. Deer Cove Creek is the dependable early source. Wildman Meadow has no reliable water, and East Fork may be the last chance to fill before the final climb. The route crosses into Kings Canyon National Park around six miles from the start, where pets are prohibited on trails. If you camp overnight in park backcountry, arrange the required wilderness permit through the agency where you begin.

The path climbs immediately through black and live oaks, pines, red and white firs, and incense cedar. Switchbacks rise above Deer Cove Creek, then the route keeps climbing for about three miles before easing for roughly a mile around the Choke Creek junction. Stay on the main route toward Deer Cove Saddle; the branch down to Choke Creek is not maintained. Another steep mile over a rocky face reaches the saddle, followed by a smoother descent into Wildman Meadow. The meadow has remnants of an old hunter camp as well as unreliable water, so don't plan to depend on it for a long stop or overnight.

Past Wildman Meadow, continue north along the park boundary and avoid the west branch toward Happy Gap, which is badly overgrown and unmaintained. At the later junctions, stay on the route toward Burns Meadow and Grizzly Lakes rather than turning east toward Frypan Meadow or Kennedy Pass. The trail crosses East Fork, then gains about 1,600 feet to a saddle near 9,000 feet. A further climb of roughly 800 feet leads to a contour around the ridge and a descent to the lakes. The tread is poorly maintained, with the original line lost in places, so carry a map and take time at junctions instead of following animal paths.

Grizzly Lakes sit around 9,800 feet, below Mount Harrington, which rises just to the west at more than 11,000 feet. The trail ends above the lakes; the summit is a separate climb and is not included in the 17.5-mile route. From the shoreline, the granite peak and forested edge can reflect across the water when it is still. The Forest Service identifies Mount Harrington as the highest point in the Monarch and Kings Canyon wilderness areas.