Lake South America Trail

Lake South America Trail is a remote, roughly 5.0-mile east-to-west traverse through the upper Kern basin. The mapped line is one way, not a loop; it starts near 11,450 feet, climbs to about 12,100 feet, then descends toward 10,650 feet. Allow about 4.5 hours for this segment alone, excluding the long wilderness approach and exit. It is not the much longer Shepherd Pass backpacking loop.

A steep, sandy pass leads into a stark, rocky basin ringed by high peaks. Lake South America can stay hidden behind a rocky knoll until you cross it. One connected section of the mapped line is explicitly approximate, and a field account reports that recognizable tread fades into cross-country terrain north of the lake, so expect route-finding rather than a guaranteed maintained path.

The stored route passes a few hundred metres north of the lake rather than following its shore. A ridge west of the water gives the familiar view of the lake's continental outline; reaching that angle involved a short off-trail move in a documented trip. No signed viewpoint spur is established, so treat any detour as cross-country travel and return to the mapped line carefully.

There is no road access or parking at either end. The eastern approach is on foot from the John Muir Trail/Pacific Crest Trail corridor near Tyndall Creek; the western end continues toward the Upper Kern–Tyndall route. Plan it as part of a longer wilderness itinerary, or account for roughly 10 miles if returning along this segment, plus the approach miles. Overnight wilderness trips require a permit, and dogs are prohibited on Sequoia park trails.