MILES
NORTH

JMT-PCT

Tuolumne Meadows
to
Thousand
Island Lake

MILES
SOUTH

JMT-PCT

Reds
Meadow
to
Vermilion
Valley Resort

TRAIL
GUIDE
INDEX

Tuolumne
Meadows
to
Reds
Meadow

ALL
MAPS

INDEX

TRAIL
GUIDE

INDEX

Miles & Elevations

Pacific Crest Trail
Variant

Thousand Island Lake
to
Agnew Meadows

Once we hike the combined JMT-PCT South from Tuolumne Meadows to 1000 Island Lake we find three routes South from there to two points in "civilization," being Agnew and Reds Meadows.

These three routes are the JMT, the PCT and the River Trail. Below on this page find the lineup for the 8.55 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail's route from 1000 Island Lake to Agnew Meadows and its shuttle stop to Mammoth Lakes.

The links below lead to the pages with the miles of these other two routes, the JMT and the River Trail from 1000 Island Lake to Reds and Agnew Meadows, respectively. Each of these three trails has its own unique character.

JMT
The JMT is the longest and most scenic of the 3 routes. It runs through the complex granite making up the West wall of the canyon.

River Trail
The River Trail is the shortest, shadiest, and has the sofest surface. It runs down the center of the canyon along this uppermost segment of the Middle Fork of the San Joaquin River.

PCT
The PCT runs South on the exposed volcanic Eastern wall of the canyon. While this is not the most stimulating segment of the PCT, it does offer excellent views of the amazing terrain the JMT crosses that's cut into the granite West side of the canyon.

The PCT's exposed position also gives us good views of the forest around and along the Middle Fork of the San Joaquin below us that's shading the soft trailbed of the River Trail in the center of the canyon running along the cool river, parallel with the route of the PCT.

John Muir Trail:
1000 Island Lake to Reds Meadows: West Flank

River Trail:
1000 Island Lake to Agnew Meadows along
Middle Fork of San Joaquin

The
Pacific Crest Trail
Option

Thousand Island Lake
down the
Eastern
Canyon Wall

8.55 miles

to the
Mammoth Lakes Shuttle
at
Agnew Meadow

Total Miles
PCT Route Section

Tuolumne Meadows to Agnew Meadows
27.63 miles

The Exposed
PCT Route
to
Agnew Meadows Trailhead
&
Shuttle

The PCT route from Thousand Island Lake to Agnew Meadows on the volcanic terrain of the East wall of the canyon is across exposed terrain for the vast majority of its length.

The JMT route South through the complex granite terrain of the East wall of the canyon enjoys both more tree and more terrain cover.

The River Trail's rapid descent down the center of the canyon along with the Middle Fork of the San Joaquin River brings it rapidly under forest cover.

Descent
1575 feet over 8.55 miles

MAP
Donohue Pass to Reds Meadow Trail Map

Third Junction: Triangle of Trails
PCT Left
PCT Middle
Right: Second River Trail
Atop a great steep plunge of the River Trail down the throat of the Headwaters Bowl of the Middle San Joaquin, if one hikes to the Right on the River Trail here.

The PCT stays up on the Eastern Wall of the Canyon.

Mo Miles

TYT-PCT further North
Sonora Pass to Tuolumne Meadows 

JMT-PCT
NORTH
Tuolumne Meadows
to
Thousand Island Lake

JMT further NORTH
Yos Valley to Tuolumne Meadows
Miles and Elevations

JMT SOUTH
Reds to VVR
Miles and Elevations

Miles and elevations
INDEX
Lake Tahoe
to
Mount Whitney

top of page

Notes

Miles and Elevations
Discussion and Notes
Desolation Trail

ahoe on H

Backpacker Forums

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TahoetoWhitney.Org

Above we come to the Front Page of the High Backpacking Trails and Topics Forums. Below we break the forums down into categories:

The Trails Forum acts as your place to put up input, comments, relate your experiences, or ask questions about each segment and spot along the length of our combined TYT-PCT-JMT trails.

The Forum is your place to supplement the trail guide.

Anyone can post text comments in the existing forums, but only members can post up new topics, along with images, maps, and formatting.

Become a Member

If you have experiences, comments, questions, or pictures and videos of the John Muir and Pacific Crest Trails Vermilion Valley to Muir Ranch, post up here as an unknown hiker or as a member:

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Forum Section
Vermilion Valley Resort to Muir Ranch

Forum Segment
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