Parking
Park at Wolverton, at the end of Wolverton Road; the Lakes Trailhead starts in the parking area. Picnic tables and flush toilets are available there.
Overview
About Panther Gap Trail
Why go
- Great Western Divide views without continuing to Alta Peak
Heads up
- A sustained climb to a high pass; snow can hide the tread
Panther Gap Trail is a 5.5-mile out-and-back from Wolverton, following the Lakes Trail to Panther Gap and returning the same way. Plan about 3 hours. The climb ends near 8,600 feet at a high pass with views of the Great Western Divide. If you are ready for steady uphill walking at elevation, it is a rewarding turnaround before the much longer climb toward Alta Peak.
Parkwolf’s verdictIs this the hike for you?Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Sequoia map
Full mapElevation7,293–8,504 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
8 active Sequoia alerts
- CautionStage 1 fire restrictionsStage 1 fire restrictions are in effect due to high fire danger and catastrophic-wildfire risk; the restrictions reduce the possibility of accidental human-caused fires that could threaten visitors…Official details
- ClosureGrant Grove trails and areas closed for prescribed burnSome trails and areas around Grant Grove and the General Grant Tree are closed for safety during a prescribed burn and until they are cleared of hazards.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Sequoia Tour Guide
Your drive to Panther Gap Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Sequoia National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Sequoia audio tourRecorded for this area
Wolverton Meadow and Lakes Trail0:00 / 0:28
“Wolverton is coming up, with picnic tables beside a wetland meadow. It's a good lunch stop without committing to the big hikes that start here.”
Plays near this trailhead in the Parkwolf Sequoia Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Lodgepole Village
- Lodgepole and Tokopah Falls
- The Songbird That Dives
- The Red Plant Without Chlorophyll
- 71 audio storiesacross Sequoia’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Black Bear, Mountain Lion, Bobcat, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 99 trails, 68 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“…The kids and my husband and I all agree that the narration really added to our experience driving through the parks. We learned so much about the history and the flora & fauna.”
Trail guide
Hiking Panther Gap Trail
The routeStart at the Lakes Trailhead and follow the Lakes Trail to its Panther Gap junction, then climb…
Start at the Lakes Trailhead and follow the Lakes Trail to its Panther Gap junction, then climb to the gap. The mapped corridor is about 2.75 miles each way. A separate 4-mile figure does not say whether it is one way or round trip; it is shorter than this complete mapped line, so plan on 5.5 miles for the return hike. The 7-mile Panther Winter Trail is a separate loop over Pear Lake, Panther, and Alta trails, not this out-and-back.
The climb and the viewExpect a sustained uphill through dense forest, with steeper grades near the gap.
Expect a sustained uphill through dense forest, with steeper grades near the gap. At the pass, the view opens toward the Great Western Divide and Castle Rocks. A foreground tree helps give the distant granite ridgeline scale in a photo.
Snow and route findingSnow can cover high trails and make them difficult to follow.
Snow can cover high trails and make them difficult to follow. The marked Panther Winter Trail is designed for skiing and snowshoeing; it follows a different loop. Check the park's current route guidance before setting out in winter or when snow remains on the trail.
Start and rulesThe Lakes Trailhead is in the Wolverton parking area at the end of Wolverton Road.
The Lakes Trailhead is in the Wolverton parking area at the end of Wolverton Road. The lot has picnic tables and flush toilets. Pets are not allowed on park trails; service dogs may accompany their handlers. Overnight camping near Panther Gap requires a wilderness permit.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Sequoia
691 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
17 sightingsMountain LionMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
18 sightingsBobcatMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
24 sightingsCoyoteMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
15 sightingsGolden EagleMost seen around 11 AMSighting map
20 sightingsSpotted OwlMost seen around 7 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Sequoia. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
