Adventure Plans
Cottonwood Lakes to Happy Isles on the John Muir Trail
We spent 15 days walking the John Muir Trail from Cottonwood Lakes Trailhead to Happy Isles, linking high passes, lakes, resupplies, smoke, storms, and a clear finish in Yosemite. In total, the route covered 402.49 km with 14756.8 m of elevation gain.
Quick Summary
Starting with New Army Pass and ending with sunrise on Clouds Rest, this was a long, varied crossing that kept changing character without ever really losing momentum. The days were big, but the trail often made steady progress feel surprisingly natural.
Day 1-3
We began at Cottonwood Lakes Trailhead and headed for Rock Creek Lake by way of New Army Pass. It was a strong start. Even at altitude, the trail was smooth enough and the gradients steady enough that we settled in quickly and covered more ground than expected.
The next stretch set the tone for the route. Bighorn Plateau made for a long day to Tyndall Creek, and then Forester Pass gave us the highest point of the trip. What I remember most is not just the scale of the terrain, but how well the trail held together through it. It felt serious, but never chaotic.
After Forester came Glen Pass and Rae Lakes, which ended up being one of the most enjoyable sections of the whole walk. It had that mix of big scenery and satisfying trail that makes it easy to keep moving.
Day 4-7
The middle of the trail packed in a lot. We crossed Pinchot Pass, Mather Pass, and Muir Pass, moved through the Middle Fork of the Kings River, and passed Wanda Lake, Evolution Lake, and Evolution Creek on the way to Muir Trail Ranch for our first resupply.
This section had some of the broadest swings in mood. One morning was smoky from a large wildfire, which changed the feel of the day straight away. At the other end of the scale, we had one especially memorable swim and clothes wash near Evolution Lake, which felt like a proper reset in the middle of a long trip.
These were the days when the rhythm of the Sierra really clicked: long miles, long climbs, and that recurring sense that the trail kept inviting us to go a little farther.
Photos - Day 4-7
Day 8-11
Past Marie Lake and Bear Creek, we crossed Silver Pass and ran into the roughest weather of the trip. A huge afternoon thunderstorm rolled in with very close lightning, and that shifted the mood immediately. It was the kind of storm that makes everything narrower: fewer decisions, more focus, just getting through it calmly.
The next day into Reds Meadow felt fast and straightforward by comparison. We were very happy to resupply again, sleep in a cabin, and eat a veggie burger. After the storm, that break felt bigger than it probably sounds.
Leaving Reds Meadow after pancakes, we climbed toward Thousand Island Lake and got one of the best evenings of the trip: a swim, a strong sunset, and a real sense that the final stretch had begun.
Photos - Day 8-11
Day 12-15
From Thousand Island Lake we crossed Donahue Pass and entered Yosemite National Park, then pushed on to Tuolumne Meadows. By then the trip had changed again. We were still working, but there was also the growing feeling that the finish was close enough to picture.
Our last full day took us toward Clouds Rest, which was exactly the right way to end it. We got sunrise there the next morning before making the final descent to Happy Isles. After two weeks of moving north through pass after pass, finishing with that view and then dropping all the way down felt clean and complete.
The post-trail shower and pizza were every bit as welcome as expected.
Photos - Day 12-15
Highlights and Learnings
A few moments have stayed with me:
- Forester Pass, as the highest point of the trip, feeling more manageable than its reputation because the trail was so well built.
- Glen Pass and Rae Lakes being a clear favorite section.
- Evolution Lake and Evolution Creek for one of the most enjoyable days on trail.
- The swim near Thousand Island Lake and the sunset that followed.
- Sunrise on Clouds Rest before the final descent to Happy Isles.
A few things also made a real difference along the way:
- Steady pacing mattered more than trying to force speed.
- Resupplies at Muir Trail Ranch and Reds Meadow broke the route up well.
- Cabin time at Reds Meadow was a genuine reset after the storm.
- Chances to swim, wash clothes, and recover helped morale more than I expected.
The main lesson was simple: this trail rewards patience and consistency. On the good days, it made sense to keep going. On the rougher ones, especially with smoke or thunderstorms around, it was better to stay measured and adapt. By the end, what stood out most was how many different moods the route held between Cottonwood and Yosemite.