Piute Pass Trail

Piute Pass Trail is a 16.5-mile one-way high-country route from North Lake over 11,423-foot Piute Pass, down Piute Canyon to the John Muir Trail at Hutchinson Meadow. It starts beside a creek in pine-and-aspen forest, climbs past alpine lakes and glacier-shaped granite, then drops into a long backcountry valley. This is a serious approach for fit hikers with a JMT itinerary, not a casual day hike; expect about 12 hours of walking if you cover it in one push, and remember that the JMT junction is still far from a road. The 16.5 miles stop at that junction and do not include any onward JMT travel.

The trail begins near the North Lake Campground restrooms and follows a creek below Piute Crags and Mount Emerson. It climbs across glacier-carved granite benches past Loch Leven, Piute Lake, and smaller ponds. From North Lake, the climb to the pass is roughly 2,100 feet; the trailhead is already above 9,000 feet, and the pass is at 11,423 feet, so the altitude adds to the effort. At the saddle, look west into Humphreys Basin and across the high peaks of the Glacier Divide. Loch Leven makes the strongest photo stop on the ascent: frame the pale pass saddle beyond the water.

Beyond the pass, the route enters Humphreys Basin, then follows Piute Creek down to Hutchinson Meadow and the John Muir Trail. It is a long descent into remote country, not a short spur from the pass. Treat about 16.5 miles as a map-based estimate to the JMT junction: the route is established, but published figures differ for the western leg. Check the junction and mileage on a current map before committing, and plan where you will go after reaching the JMT.

Day use does not require a permit, but overnight travel requires a wilderness permit year-round. A seasonal quota applies May 1 through November 1. Groups are limited to 15; campfires are prohibited from the North Lake trailhead to Piute Pass and at all locations above 10,000 feet north of the Glacier Divide. Store food, trash, and scented items in a bear-resistant container or counterbalance them. Pets are prohibited on trails in Kings Canyon, so this full route is not a dog hike.

From Bishop, follow Highway 168 toward Aspendell and Sabrina Lake, then take the steep, narrow, mostly dirt North Lake Road; it is not recommended for trailers. Use the hiking and overnight parking lot near North Lake, not the campground's parking reserved for campers. If you want a day hike instead, turn back at Piute Pass for about 9.5 miles round trip and roughly 2,100 feet of climbing, or turn around at Piute Lake for about 7 miles round trip. No food service was confirmed along the route, so bring what you need.