John Muir Trail
Sierra Nevada, California
- Distance
- 335.8 km
- Elev. gain
- 14,681 m
- Start
- Happy Isles Trailhead
- Finish
- Mount Whitney Summit
A simplified drawing of the real route — the distance above is the published figure, not the length of this line.
Ground elevation sampled along the mapped route.
About this distance
The National Park Service publishes about 211 miles (339.6 km) for the John Muir Trail, Happy Isles in Yosemite to Mount Whitney. The 335.8 km here comes from the mapped route (OpenStreetMap relation 1244828) — a 1.1% difference, which is ordinary survey variance over that distance rather than an error. We re-measured the full route (94 segments, 26,966 points) and got the same number.
Summits & passes
- Grizzly Peak
- Liberty Cap
- Columbia Finger
- Puppy Dome
- Donohue Pass
- Island Pass
- Silver Pass
- Selden Pass
- McGee Lakes Pass North
- Muir Pass
- Mather Pass
- Pinchot Pass
- Glacier Spike
- Forester Pass
- Discovery Pinnacle
- The Notch
Water sources
- Emerald Pool
- Ruby Lake
- Gladys Lake
- Purple Lake
- Tule Lake
- Helen Lake
- Lower Palisade Lake
- Twin Lakes
- Dollar Lake
- Charlotte Lake
- Bighorn Lake
- Timberline Lake
Campsites
- Sunrise High Sierra Camp
- Wheelbarrow Camp
Recorded hazards
Caution
Donohue Pass exit quota: 45/day
Yosemite caps wilderness permits exiting via Donohue Pass at 45 hikers per day; a permit is required for the full JMT even without a separate Half Dome permit
Source: National Park Service — Yosemite
Information
Bear canister required
Federal regulation requires all food, trash, and scented items stored in an approved bear-resistant container throughout Yosemite; hanging food is illegal
Source: National Park Service — Yosemite
These are documented hazards, not a current conditions report. Check with the land manager before you go.
Common questions
- How long is the John Muir Trail?
- The John Muir Trail is 335.8 km (208.7 miles).
- How much elevation gain does the John Muir Trail have?
- The John Muir Trail has about 14,681 m (48,166 ft) of total climbing, measured along Far's route for the trail.
- Where does the John Muir Trail start and finish?
- The John Muir Trail runs between Happy Isles Trailhead and Mount Whitney Summit.
- Is there water on the John Muir Trail?
- Far's catalog records 12 mapped water sources along the John Muir Trail, including Emerald Pool, Ruby Lake, Gladys Lake and Purple Lake. Seasonal flow varies and mapped sources can run dry — check current conditions with the land manager before relying on any of them.
- Why do other sources list a different distance for the John Muir Trail?
- The National Park Service publishes about 211 miles (339.6 km) for the John Muir Trail, Happy Isles in Yosemite to Mount Whitney. The 335.8 km here comes from the mapped route (OpenStreetMap relation 1244828) — a 1.1% difference, which is ordinary survey variance over that distance rather than an error. We re-measured the full route (94 segments, 26,966 points) and got the same number.
- What hazards are recorded on the John Muir Trail?
- Far records 2 sourced hazards on the John Muir Trail: Donohue Pass exit quota: 45/day and Bear canister required. Each is cited to the source that published it. Conditions change — this is not a current conditions report.
Sources
- OpenStreetMap335.8 km
Route geometry from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Reviewed by a Far curator on July 26, 2026. Trail conditions, permits, and hazards change — verify before you go.