Hikeset Beta
If you can't get a permit for all 211 miles, hike the JMT in pieces. Shorter trips are easier to get permits for and easier to get time off for, and you still walk the whole trail eventually.
High alpine meadow along the John Muir Trail
Entry and exit trailheads by section
The JMT is officially 7 sections and 211 miles. Find your entry trailhead on the left and your exit along the top. The cell shows which sections you'll hike ("1-3" means sections 1, 2, and 3), and each link opens that section's map with campsites, water sources, and elevation profile.
| Entry \ Exit | Happy Isles | Tuolumne Meadows | Reds Meadow | VVR | MTR | Bishop Pass | Kearsarge Pass | Whitney Portal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Happy Isles | · | §1 | §1-2 | §1-3 | §1-4 | §1-5 | §1-6 | §1-7 |
| Tuolumne Meadows | §1 | · | §2 | §2-3 | §2-4 | §2-5 | §2-6 | §2-7 |
| Reds Meadow | §1-2 | §2 | · | §3 | §3-4 | §3-5 | §3-6 | §3-7 |
| VVR | §1-3 | §2-3 | §3 | · | §4 | §4-5 | §4-6 | §4-7 |
| Muir Trail Ranch | §1-4 | §2-4 | §3-4 | §4 | · | §5 | §5-6 | §5-7 |
| Bishop Pass | §1-5 | §2-5 | §3-5 | §4-5 | §5 | · | §6 | §6-7 |
| Kearsarge Pass | §1-6 | §2-6 | §3-6 | §4-6 | §5-6 | §6 | · | §7 |
| Cottonwood Pass/Lakes | §1-7 | §2-7 | §3-7 | §4-7 | §5-7 | §6-7 | §7 | §7 |
| Whitney Portal | §1-7 | §2-7 | §3-7 | §4-7 | §5-7 | §6-7 | §7 | · |
Ways to split it up
In two trips:
- Northern half: Yosemite Valley to VVR (89 mi, sections 1-3, 7-9 days)
- Southern half: VVR to Whitney (122.6 mi, sections 4-7, 10-12 days)
VVR is a natural resupply point, and the two halves are about equally hard.
In three trips:
- Trip 1: Yosemite to Reds Meadow (61 mi, sections 1-2, 5-6 days)
- Trip 2: Reds Meadow to Bishop Pass (74 mi, sections 3-5, 6-7 days)
- Trip 3: Bishop Pass to Whitney (73.6 mi, sections 6-7, 6-8 days)
Each trip is shorter and easier to get time off for, and the terrain gets harder as you go.
Long weekends: Section 1 (Yosemite Valley to Tuolumne, 23.5 mi) or Section 3 (Reds Meadow to VVR, 28 mi) both make good 3-4 day trips. They're a good way to test your gear and fitness before a longer section.
Popular sections and their permits
Yosemite Valley to Tuolumne (4-5 days). Happy Isles to Tuolumne Meadows, with a Half Dome side trip, Sunrise Lakes, and the Cathedral Range. The permit is hard: it's Yosemite's weekly lottery.
Reds Meadow to Kearsarge Pass (5-7 days). In at Reds Meadow or Mammoth, out at Onion Valley, past Thousand Island Lake, Silver Pass, and Evolution Valley. The permit is moderately hard: an Inyo National Forest reservation.
Reds Meadow access
While the mandatory shuttle is running (usually mid-June through Labor Day), you can't drive a private car to Reds Meadow. Check the road status before planning a resupply or exit there.
Kearsarge Pass to Whitney Portal (6-8 days). Onion Valley to Whitney Portal, over Forester Pass and past Guitar Lake to the Mt. Whitney summit. The permit is hard, even for a section, because the Whitney Portal exit has its own small quota.
Every section needs its own wilderness permit for the trailhead you start from. JMT Permits 2027 has each permit's dates, odds, and how to apply.