Trip · 3-day backpacking trip
For · Friends and intermediate backpackers
Vibe · Moderate and fun
Distance · 19.8 miles and 3,196 feet of elevation gain
Permits · Yes, self-register for a wilderness permit at a ranger station 1 to 5 days before your trip
Drive · 4 hours from SF
Ideal dates · June to September
Pets · Welcome on trails and campgrounds!
Nestled within the nearly 900,000-acre Stanislaus National Forest, Emigrant Wilderness offers its open-eyed wanderers a direct experience with many of the Sierra’s most impressive and memorable features. Its trails move between families of friendly granite giants, whom give way to awe, perspective and welcomed shade to those beneath them. Its pristine meadows and lakes ask only for your naked attention and immersion, and, in return, refresh, invigorate, and imbue those who give it that unique kind of Sierra serenity and joy.
Official Forest Service Website
Main image credit: Jonny Sandlund
In the mid-1800s, emigrant groups started venturing West, often traversing the wilderness of present-day Emigrant Wilderness, hence its name.
Native American tribes populated this area as early as 8,000 B.C., spending the Summer & early Autumn months hunting and foraging acorns in the area.
Hear those cow bells ringing? Parts of Emigrant Wilderness still have cattle grazing allotments
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.