the air quality here was surprising good at the time, even when the surrounding areas were really smoky. Most beautiful hike I’ve ever experienced! Mineral King Road, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park Picture: The trail crosses a rock field on the way to Eagle Lake - Check out Tripadvisor members' 9,839 candid photos and videos of Mineral King … Unfortunately there was a group of 8 people arriving at the same time as us being incredibly loud and obnoxious, so we didn’t really get to peacefully soak the views in as much as we’d have liked, but was definitely a cool hike. Took me almost two hours to get up. The drive up on Mineral King rd from the 198 is lengthy but worth it in my opinion. Climbing down the boulder field felt more treacherous than climbing over it. Make sure you have the right gear because I sure didn’t. The weather was awesome (fresh 75 degrees or so) and partly cloudy with some distant thunderstorms. Bibi made a great selection in picking this hike for us today. Make sure you jump in the water when you're at the lake during the summer. Talk to a ranger about the marmot problem during spring and early summer. Mineral King - Topic; About; Home Trending History Get YouTube Premium Best of YouTube Music Sports Gaming The hike from Mineral King to Eagle Lake is short and steep. Go do some laps too. There were plenty of beautiful waterfalls, meadows, and wildlife to view along the way. It took about 2 hours up and 2 hours down with an hour break at the top. The road is narrow with a sharp drop off and there is no buffers or railings between you and the drop off. We took the hike to Eagle Lake - 3.4 miles one way - very steep, goes thru granite boulder field and meadows, streams - all while climbing 2200 feet to about 10,200 foot level. The road has areas that are wide enough for two vehicles to squeeze by each other but do it slowly and safely because there is a big drop off. Do this hike but just be prepared with water and supplies and the right shoes and the mindset to conquer this mountain! And more. Climbing down the boulder field felt more treacherous than climbing over it. Proceed at your own risk. We all jumped in and ate lunch at the top so bring a swimsuit if you plan on being there for a while. The final mile is the most challenging. The meadows are beautiful, the lake is beautiful, the deer are magic, the stream sounds like ASMR and the nature is amazing. Eagle Lake is nestled within a high-elevation granite cirque in the Mineral King region of Sequoia National Park. Acclimatization at high altitude will definitely help since the hike reaches about 10000ft at Eagle Lake. It was a 7.2 mile round trip with lots of great views and awesome weather. Elevation Gain/Loss: 2,175 ft. Parking sucks big time too, day hikers will have a tough time finding a spot on a weekend. Mineral King Road, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park: "Does the trail lead to the Eagle Lake? Nothing but sunny skies during the day, temps hit mid 20’s at night (F), high winds made it feel a little colder. The trail then steeply switchbacks at hillside through a mixture of forest, meadows and rocky slopes before eventually culminating at Eagle Lake. you’re missing out if you skip this one! More trails in the Sierra Nevada Mountains Explore other destinations in Sequoia National Park and the rest of the range. It inclines so much and I rolled my ankles like 283838 times on the rocks coming back down, if you suffer from high anxiety don’t take the drive to get here, it’s one of the worst one lane mountain road drives I’ve ever had to make, reminds me of the road to Hana drive in Maui. It inclines so much and I rolled my ankles like 283838 times on the rocks coming back down, if you suffer from high anxiety don’t take the drive to get here, it’s one of the worst one lane mountain road drives I’ve ever had to make, reminds me of the road to Hana drive in Maui. Bibi made a great selection in picking this hike for us today. I used a tarp to protect my truck from the marmots but a lot of cars in the parking lot didn’t and seemed to be okay. It took about 2 hours up and 2 hours down with an hour break at the top. This trail was awesome! Which was super fun but also very tiring! La caminata comienza a una altura justo por encima de los 7,800 'y sube a poco más de 10,000 pies en Eagle Lake. We saw three Deer frolicking around once we got to the lake which was awesome. You can also purchase a park specific annual pass for $70. This trail follows the path to Eagle Creek for the first 2 miles and then crosses Miner’s Ridge to the Mosquito Lake #1, a small, shallow lake surrounded by red firs. Le sentier est principalement utilisé pour la randonnée et la course à pied et … Mineral King Valley, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park Picture: Hike to Eagle Lake - Check out Tripadvisor members' 9,835 candid photos and videos. The hike back down is a lot easier. The drive out Mineral Ridge Rd isn't great because its basically wide enough for one car in most spots and there were a few people going fast around the corners coming from the other direction. ig: @harrishikers, Great trail. Beware of the incoming smoke from the Creek Fire near Fresno, it was getting pretty bad as I was leaving and there was considerable ash falling from the sky. Got a rock wedged in my wheel well in the dirt road section of this road that disabled my car until I removed it, and I was going much slower than average. Mineral King Valley trail was spectacular! Once you get to the lake there are areas you can camp at. Parking sucks big time too, day hikers will have a tough time finding a spot on a weekend. It was a zen feeling. 194 Miles 312 Kilometers of Trail 1 Recommended Route 4 Easy Trails ; 18 Intermediate Trails ; 15 Difficult Trails ... 1.4 mi 2.2 km #1 Eagle Lake Trail. The lake is just warm enough to swim a little but still pretty cold. 1.5 hour) up a VERY narrow, winding road (unpaved in many areas). About 0.2 miles from the start of your hike, there is a small wooden bridge over the spring creek. Go do some laps too. Beware of the incoming smoke from the Creek Fire near Fresno, it was getting pretty bad as I was leaving and there was considerable ash falling from the sky. The mountain is super steep. The road can be challenging to navigate especially at night. The view right at the beginning of the trailhead also made for some great photos. So we climbed more. All in all, gorgeous hike, beautiful views, and the lake at the end was wonderful to swim in. Bear containers are required and can be rented at the Ranger Station. Overall, this is a beautiful hike. We saw several deer and the views were beautiful. The incline is steep for a long time and there is a lot of large rocks you are climbing over. Mineral King Valley, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park Picture: Hike to Eagle Lake - Check out Tripadvisor members' 9,635 candid photos and videos. Distance: 7.2 miles round trip. My asthmatic lungs did not feel nice during any of this. Reading the reviews had me a little apprehensive but it was so worth it! If you are entering on foot or bike the fee is $20 per person. To camp at Eagle Lake, you'll need a backcountry permit from the Mineral King Ranger Station. First, for context I’d say I’m a 24 y/o newbie hiker in relatively good shape. And more. The left-hand trail goes to Eagle Lake, a glacially carved tarn 3.4 miles (one way) from the trailhead. ig: @harrishikers, Great trail. Advance reservations are not required from Sept. 23 through May 23, as there are no fees to access the trail or quotas on how many people can use the Eagle Lake Trail during that time. The drive out Mineral Ridge Rd isn't great because its basically wide enough for one car in most spots and there were a few people going fast around the corners coming from the other direction. Trust me, it’s cold but it feels amazing after that climb. It’s also important to note that in order to get to the trail you have to drive 24 miles (approx. At the lake we didn’t see too many people and it is big enough for the most part for people to pick their own little space of peace. It’s true that the road to the trailhead is long, winding, and narrow. Eagle Lake, a popular weekend backpacker destination, is reached by one of Mineral King’s easier trails. I took my truck and had no problems, just keep an eye on the road and go slow. Mineral King Valley, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park Picture: Hike to Eagle Lake - Check out Tripadvisor members' 9,809 candid photos and videos. There are some beautiful spots for backpackers as well. The lake at the top was a great reward. We weren’t almost there. There was a decent amount of cars parked out there in the parking lot and many were tarped for marmots but not all of them. The drive up is a small winding mix between paved road and dirt roads. Steep rock climb towards the end before you get to the lake, (Note: did this hike mid September) - for starters, this trail is beautiful! The drive there was tense at times, but totally worth it! Wonderful views of waterfalls, meadows, some wildflowers and beautiful trees. The 25 mile long road to Mineral King Valley from Three Rivers takes about 90 minutes to drive. It has a dynamic and changing landscape. For updates, please visit https://www.nps.gov/seki/planyourvisit/conditions.htm Apparently the creek provides water to the Spring creek that we crossed at the beginning of this trail. Then we kept going up and up and up and people were so sweet and told us we were almost there. There’s no better way to cool down in the middle of summer than hiking to and swimming in an alpine lake. I read about seeing Pika and grouse on modernhiker.com and the trail did not disappoint. So if you are planning to come in hike and get out of the valley, plan accordingly. Mile 2 was the hardest for me but nothing close to being super crazy. Layers are also a good idea as it gets chilly once you’re at the lake. The lake was full of trout which jump out of the water regularly to eat bugs. Did this hike on 9/6. Three Rivers, CA Difficult. Mineral King is part of Sequoia National Park, but it sees far fewer visitors than the main park. The lake at the top was a great reward. Completely clear skies on the way up, two hours later a huge thunderstorm. This trail has waterfall views, creeks in certain areas (eagle creek), forests, a huge rocky area just before the lake, wildlife, awesome mountain views and of course the awesome lake area. Mineral King to Eagle Lake. A day hike from Mineral King Valley to Eagle Lake and back. (there are tarps that you can borrow in a shack located across from the Ranger Station) Most beautiful hike I’ve ever experienced! Do this hike but just be prepared with water and supplies and the right shoes and the mindset to conquer this mountain! I wish they'd re-pave it all the way through. Eagle Lake, a popular weekend backpacker destination, is reached by one of Mineral King’s easier trails. For updates, please visit https://www.nps.gov/seki/planyourvisit/conditions.htm © 2020 AllTrails, Inc. Tous droits réservés. 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