John Muir Trail, National Recreation Trail in Sierra Nevada, United States
The John Muir Trail is a walking route through California's Sierra Nevada mountains, connecting Yosemite Valley to Mount Whitney and passing over several high alpine passes. The path moves through different landscapes, from forests to bare mountain peaks with significant elevation changes throughout.
The idea to create the trail emerged in the early 1900s, and building it took many years through work by multiple government agencies. The path was intended to make the range more accessible to outdoor enthusiasts.
Indigenous peoples used these mountain passages for centuries as part of their seasonal journeys. Visitors today can follow the same routes and connect with this long history of movement through the range.
Access requires a permit, and there are daily limits on the number of hikers allowed on certain sections. Best to plan as a multi-day backpacking trip with plenty of water, food, and weather-appropriate gear, since conditions can change quickly at elevation.
The path connects three different protected areas and passes through a range of ecosystems along its course. This makes it one of few routes that combines so many varied landscape types within a single connected journey.
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