North Lake–South Lake Loop

The North Lake–South Lake Loop is a 53.9-mile, point-to-point backpacking traverse from Piute Pass Trailhead at North Lake to South Lake. The name sounds like a closed loop, but it isn’t: you cross the Sierra on foot and need a shuttle or second vehicle for the roughly 10 road miles between the two trailheads. Published figures round the same walking route to about 54 or 55 miles; 53.9 is the mapped trail line and excludes that road connection. The payoff is a long crossing through Humphreys Basin, Evolution Valley and Basin, LeConte Canyon, and Dusy Basin, with Piute, Muir, and Bishop passes in between. Plan on four to six days; five is a reasonable pace for most experienced backpackers. The repeated climbs and thin air above 11,000 feet make this a serious trip, not a longer day hike. Route estimates put total climbing around 9,400 to 10,200 feet.

Start near the North Lake campground restrooms and follow the creek through lodgepole pine and aspen, below Piute Crags and Mount Emerson. The climb steps up glacier-carved granite benches past Loch Leven, Piute Lake, and smaller ponds. Piute Pass opens onto Humphreys Basin, a spread of high lakes and tarns below the Glacier Divide. From there, the trail drops along Piute Creek toward Hutchinson Meadow and the John Muir Trail. That descent is a useful change of pace before the longer southern miles begin.

The John Muir Trail follows the South Fork San Joaquin River into Kings Canyon National Park, then moves through open meadows and forest at Evolution Meadow and McClure Meadows. A seasonal ranger station stands at McClure. Beyond Colby Meadows, the route climbs more steeply toward Evolution Lake and the high granite basins above it. This is the trip’s big open-country stretch: the valley narrows and broadens, lakes sit below bare rock, and each day brings another high basin rather than a quick roadside viewpoint.

Muir Pass reaches 11,955 feet. The small stone Muir Hut sits on the crest, built by the Sierra Club to honor John Muir and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Take a proper pause here if conditions allow; this is a landmark after a sustained high-country approach. The trail then descends past Helen Lake into LeConte Canyon and Big Pete Meadow, following the Middle Fork of the Kings River. After the basin crossings, the canyon feels like a long drop back into a more enclosed landscape.

Leave the John Muir Trail for the Bishop Pass route and climb a long series of switchbacks into Dusy Basin. Bishop Pass, at 11,970 feet, is the final high crossing. The descent passes a chain of lakes beneath Mount Thompson and Mount Goode before reaching South Lake. From the pass, it is still a substantial downhill walk to the trailhead; save energy for the exit rather than treating the final crossing as the finish.

An overnight wilderness permit is required year-round; day use does not require one. This route crosses Inyo National Forest and Kings Canyon National Park, so check current conditions with both managers before leaving. Snow can linger on the passes, and the usable season changes from year to year. Treat water from creeks, lakes, and springs. Bears are common in this area, and bear-resistant food storage is required. Campfires are prohibited above 10,000 feet. Pets are not allowed on trails in the national park sections, so leave dogs off this entire traverse. There is no food service along the route; carry everything you need between trailheads.