Trip · 3-day backpacking trip
For · Friends and first-time backpackers
Vibe · Challenging and hard
Distance · 17.5 mile loop and 2,992 feet of elevation gain
Permits · Register at the trailhead and apply to a CA Campfire permit online!
Drive · 3.5 hours from SF and LA
Ideal dates · April (after the snow has melted) to July
Pets · Welcome at camp and on trails!
Named after Jennie Ellis, a mountaineer's wife, Jennie Lakes Wilderness in Sequoia National Forest has 10,500 acres and 26 miles of hiking trails, with four of those routes venturing south to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park. This place is blooming with wildflowers, alpine lakes (Jennie Lake being the largest) and pine forests. The neatest part is that you don't need a wilderness permit to camp in the backcountry. Trails will get busy on warm, summer weekends, but plan a visit during the spring and you'll get to experience a classic Sierra landscape, a high-altitude adventure & tranquil getaway all in one trip.
Official Forest Service Website
Main image credit: N/A
In 1953, Sada Coe, the daughter of Henry Willard Coe, gave her family's cattle ranch to CA. It became the park we have today.
The Ohlone and the Northern Valley Yokuts were the area's earliest inhabitants. They were semi-nomadic tribes.
Henry Coe is home to Orestimba Wilderness, one of 12 state park wilderness areas that's designed to preserve the area's natural ecosystems
This was GCI's first rocker and it remains their most popular. It's easy to open and close, and comes with a handle to carry around.
Shared Gear
A dreamy, colorful sweater to sport around camp and on chillier day hikes.
Clothes
Light as a feather and versatile enough to use for running, camping, and other nighttime activities.
Essential Items
Imagine a sleeping pad, bag, and blanket all in one. It takes some getting used to, but people love it.
Essential Items
It's not the lightest cot available, but it's comfortable, easy to set up, and break down.
Essential Items
Sturdy, reliable, well-designed, and more expensive than most camp chairs, but it'll last for awhile.
Shared Gear
They're expensive, but you can lean on these bad boys for river crossings and navigating all kinds of terrain.
Essential Items
This mineral-based sunscreen is good for the envrionment and your skin. It's water resistant too.
Personal Stuff
When a campground is short of sinks, bring your own. Clean your dirty dishes in this expandable bin.
Kitchen
This backpacking stove weighs a couple of ounces and has a built-in igniter. It stands out in windy weather.
Kitchen
Camp underneath the stars and watch glorious sunrises in Joshua Tree National Park, the second largest national park in California.