Parking
No road-accessible parking or developed trailhead serves this route. It begins at its junction with the John Muir Trail in the high country, reached by a long backcountry approach.
Overview
About Wright Creek Trail
Why go
- A rare mapped side route from the John Muir Trail into high alpine terrain.
Heads up
- Very poor mapped visibility; current tread continuity and the endpoint are unverified.
- No road access; the long backcountry approach is not included in the mileage.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Sequoia map
Full mapElevation10,991–11,617 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 Wright Creek Trail, narrated.
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- Wildlife heatmapsfor Black Bear, Mountain Lion, Bobcat, and 13 more
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- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
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Trail guide
Hiking Wright Creek Trail
A remote out-and-backWright Creek Trail is a 5.
Wright Creek Trail is a 5.89-mile out-and-back from its mapped junction with the John Muir Trail into high alpine terrain in the Wright Creek basin. The named line is 2.94 miles one way; turn around at its mapped end and return on the same route. There is no verified named destination at the far end, so think of this as a remote basin side route, not a summit or lake hike.
Know what you are taking onThe mapped corridor climbs about 620 feet to roughly 11,600 feet.
The mapped corridor climbs about 620 feet to roughly 11,600 feet. Allow around 4½ hours for the spur itself; that excludes the long backcountry approach to the junction. The mapped route is marked as having very poor visibility, with a note that it has never been maintained. I could not verify today’s tread continuity, crossings or exact endpoint. Expect difficult route-finding rather than a clear, maintained trail, and check current park guidance before leaving the established JMT.
Access and rulesThere is no road-side trailhead or parking lot for this line.
There is no road-side trailhead or parking lot for this line. Its start is the JMT junction in the high country, reached as part of a substantial backcountry trip; it is not a day hike from a road. Overnight wilderness stays require a permit, and dogs are prohibited on park trails.
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.
