Cold Springs Nature Trail

Cold Springs Nature Trail is a 2.4-mile out-and-back from Cold Springs Campground to the Beulah mining site and the Eagle-Mosquito trailhead area. The path is about 1.2 miles each way; allow around two hours if you pause at the river or interpretive panels. Published totals range from 2 to 3 miles, but 2.4 fits the mapped named trail corridor. It is a good choice for an easy-grade look at Mineral King's river and meadow country, not a shortcut to the high lakes; those require separate, much longer and steeper hikes.

The wooden trail sign is between campground sites 6 and 7. The first few steps pass beside site 6 and can look like a campsite entrance, so keep going onto the signed path. Park in the small lot at Mineral King Ranger Station, a few hundred feet away, then walk into the campground. Pit toilets are available there; the trail is for day use.

The dirt tread is rocky in places but the incline is easy. The East Fork of the Kaweah runs alongside the first part of the walk, and short side paths reach the water; one climbs to a rocky outcrop above a cascade. Those are optional spurs, not part of the mapped mileage. The path then rises through stunted aspens and grassy meadows. At the second large meadow, look toward Timber Gap and Empire Mountain beyond the lodgepole pines and firs. Early October can bring yellow and orange color to the river-side cottonwoods and aspens, and the meadow makes the best wide view for a photo.

This trail reaches the site of Beulah, a Mineral King mining settlement. The first town plat was surveyed in 1875, and interpretive panels tell more of the area's mining story. Old cabins nearby are privately owned, so stay on the trail and give residents their space. The Eagle-Mosquito routes continue beyond this walk toward Eagle Lake, Mosquito Lakes, and White Chief Bowl; leave those for a separate, more strenuous hike.

The trail starts around 7,500 feet, so the easy grade can still feel strenuous if you are not acclimated. Carry your own water because stream water is not guaranteed safe to drink. Pets are not allowed on park trails. Mineral King Road closes for winter in mid-November and usually reopens later in spring; check seasonal access before driving in. Early-summer mosquitoes can be troublesome, and marmots may damage parked vehicles, especially in spring and early summer.