Trip · 3-day backpacking trip
For · Intermediate backpackers
Vibe · Challenging with huge rewards
Distance · 15.2 miles and 6,175 feet of elevation gain
Permits · Yep! Reserve a Sawtooth Pass wilderness permit
Drive · 5.5 hours from SF and 5 hours from LA
Ideal dates · June to October
Pets · Not allowed on trails
Mineral King is a glacial valley on the eastern side of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park (SEKI). Its unique Sawtooth mountain offers views of Yosemite to the west and Mt. Whitney to the east. The valley lies at 7,500 feet in elevation, and treks take hikers up to 12,000 feet above sea level. This is one high-altitude climb!
Main image credit: Caroline Tegeler
Mineral King Valley was almost turned into a Disney Ski Resort in the 1960s, but the Sierra Club blocked its construction. Whew!
Mineral King was originally used as a spot for camping, trading and hunting by the Wukchumni and Tübatulabal peoples. The valley got its name because gold and silver deposits were discovered there in the late 1800s.
Black bears roam TNF all year, but keep your site clean & store food & scented items properly, and you'll rarely spot them. Learn more.
You won't be saving money, but you'll save space and weight with these camp sandals.
Clothes
Sleepover! This is a tent you can stand up in and have plenty of space for air mattresses, doggos, and more.
Shared Gear
A reliable, popular, and relatively affordable dual-burner camping stove that is fairly heavy, but performs well.
Kitchen
It's pricey, but the New York Times' Wirecutter recommended this attachment as a way for wheelchair users to navigate uneven terrain.
Essential Items
Instead of transporting stuff on your lap, use this storage bag to easily store items underneath your wheelchair.
Essential Items
Never dig around your pack to find some hand sanitizer. Instead, hang this one on the outside of your pack.
Personal Stuff
If you're an experienced backpacker, this is the lightest full-size, full-featured, frameless pack made.
Essential Items
Add a little magic to your experience by hanging these twinkling lights around your tent every night.
Shared Gear
Sometimes you just want a camp chair that gets the job done. Nothing glamorous or fancy. Well, this is it.
Shared Gear
The more you backpack the lighter your shelter becomes, and the lighter it is, the more expensive it can be.
Shared Gear
Camp underneath the stars and watch glorious sunrises in Joshua Tree National Park, the second largest national park in California.