I chose the High Sierra Trail over the JMT last summer and it was the better call

Everyone I know was pushing me to do the John Muir Trail, but I went with the High Sierra Trail instead. The permits were way easier to get for one thing, I just grabbed one online no stress. Also I wanted to end at Mount Whitney without dealing with the whole logistics of the JMT resupply points. The HST is shorter, like 72 miles, but it still hits giant sequoias and the Kern River canyon which blew my mind. Only thing is the stretch from Bearpaw to the Kern is a grind up over Kaweah Gap, but the views from there made it worth it. I met maybe 10 people total on the trail in early July, while my buddy on the JMT texted me about crowds near Evolution Valley. Has anyone else picked a less popular route over the classic one and felt good about it?

2 comments

2 Comments

uma_patel191d ago

Honestly wild how people sleep on the HST. The whole permit thing is a game changer not having to plan months ahead. Plus that stretch from Bearpaw to Kaweah Gap is brutal but the view from the top is something else. I did the Rae Lakes Loop instead of the JMT last year and it was the same vibe way less people and the fishing was unreal. The JMT is cool and all but sometimes the underrated routes just hit different. You avoid the whole thru-hiker circus and actually get some peace.

iris_park1d ago

Totally agree with you on this. I did the HST last summer and it was the perfect escape from the crowds. The permit system really does make it so much easier to just go without the whole months long planning nightmare. That section after Bearpaw is tough no doubt, but the solitude makes it worth every step. I skipped the JMT this year to try the Rae Lakes Loop and honestly it was a smart move. The peace and quiet out there is hard to beat, you actually feel like you have the trail to yourself.