PCT: Sierra Nevada
6 min readThe Sierra Nevada section of the PCT covers 451 miles (726 km) from Kennedy Meadows South to Truckee. I came back in July 2024 to hike this properly — 27 days through the High Sierra, over every major pass: Forester, Glen, Pinchot, Mather, Muir, Selden, Silver, Donahue, Benson, Seavey, and Dorothy Lake. Early alpine starts, big days, and the best scenery on the entire PCT.
This guide covers the full KMS-to-Truckee traverse with pass-by-pass logistics, water, camp spots, and resupply at Mammoth and South Lake Tahoe.
| Distance | Elevation | Days |
|---|---|---|
| 451 mi (726 km) | 66,000 ft (20,117 m) ↗️ 62,000 ft (18,900 m) ↘️ | 27 |
Good to know
I skipped the Sierra during my 2023 NOBO thru-hike due to a high snow year and came back in July 2024 to hike it properly. The conditions were dramatically different — mostly dry trail, clear passes, and manageable creek crossings. This guide reflects summer 2024 conditions.
KMS to Cow Creek
Trail Info
Distance: 17 mi (27.4 km) · Elevation: 8,342 ft camp · Start: 6:05 AM
TODO: Leaving KMS, the initial climb out, first night back in the Sierra.
Cow Creek to Diaz Creek
Trail Info
Distance: 22.5 mi (36.2 km) · Elevation: 9,665 ft camp · Start: 5:40 AM
TODO: Climbing higher. Approaching the big passes.
Diaz Creek to Rock Creek
Trail Info
Distance: 18.8 mi (30.3 km) · Elevation: 9,524 ft camp · Start: 5:50 AM · 60k steps, 490 flights
TODO: Big day with the side trip. 12.2 + 16.6 miles.
Rock Creek to Crabtree Meadow
Trail Info
Distance: 19.4 mi (31.2 km) · Elevation: 11,400 ft camp · Start: 3:50 AM · Pass: Forester Pass 🏔️
TODO: Alpine start for Forester Pass — highest point on the PCT at 13,153 ft. Bighorn Lake at 11,400 ft.
Mt Whitney
Trail Info
Distance: 8.5 mi (13.7 km) · Elevation: 11,124 ft camp · Start: 5:55 AM · Side trip: Kearsarge Pass (5.5 + 3 mi)
TODO: Short day with the Kearsarge Pass side trip. Resupply? Rest at the meadow.
Bighorn Plateau to Kearsarge Meadow
Trail Info
Distance: 18.6 mi (29.9 km) · Elevation: 10,430 ft camp · Start: 6:05 AM · Pass: Glen Pass 🏔️ · ☔️ Rain
TODO: Glen Pass in the rain. Gilbert Lake camp.
Kearsarge resupply to Sawmill Trailhead
Trail Info
Distance: 18 mi (29 km) · Elevation: 10,369 ft camp · Start: 6:30 AM · Passes: Pinchot Pass, Mather Pass 🏔️
TODO: Double pass day — Pinchot and Mather. Two of the classic Sierra passes in one push.
Sawmill to Lower Palisades Lake
Trail Info
Distance: 22.6 mi (36.4 km) · Elevation: 10,604 ft camp · Start: 6:30 AM · Pass: Muir Pass 🏔️
TODO: Muir Pass and the Muir Hut. Lower Palisades Lake camp.
Lower Palisades to Evolution Lake
Trail Info
Distance: 22.5 mi (36.2 km) · Elevation: 10,919 ft camp · Start: 6:32 AM · 🌅 Sunset · 💧 Water
TODO: Evolution Lake — one of the most iconic camps in the Sierra. MTR resupply nearby (20.5 + 2 mi).
Evolution Lake to Sallie Keyes Lakes
Trail Info
Distance: 22.2 mi (35.7 km) · Elevation: 10,203 ft camp · Start: 6:25 AM · Passes: Selden Pass, Silver Pass 🏔️ · 💧 Water
TODO: Two more passes. Sallie Keyes Lakes camp.
Sallie Keyes to Goodale Trail Junction
Trail Info
Distance: 22.2 mi (35.7 km) · Elevation: 10,540 ft camp · Start: 6:30 AM
TODO: Approaching Mammoth. Goodale Trail Junction.
Goodale to Mammoth
Trail Info
Distance: 20.6 mi (33.2 km) · Elevation: 7,908 ft · Arrival: 12:30 PM · 🌆 Town
TODO: Into Mammoth for resupply. Town stop details — food, showers, gear shop.
Mammoth to Thousand Island Lake
Trail Info
Distance: 22.7 mi (36.5 km) · Elevation: 7,942 ft camp · Start: 6:35 AM · Passes: Island Pass, Donahue Pass 🏔️
TODO: Leaving Mammoth. Island Pass and Donahue Pass — entering Yosemite.
Thousand Island Lake to Donahue Pass
Trail Info
Distance: 22.8 mi (36.7 km) · Elevation: 8,889 ft camp · Side trip: 6.5 mi
TODO: Through Yosemite backcountry. Vogelsang trail junction camp.
Donahue Pass to Tuolumne Meadows
Trail Info
Distance: 6.5 mi (10.5 km) · Elevation: ~4,000 ft · Nero day · 🍬 Sodas
TODO: Short day down to Yosemite Valley. Nero — sodas and snacks in the valley.
Yosemite Valley
Trail Info
Distance: 6.2 mi (10 km) · Elevation: 7,883 ft camp · Start: 4:30 PM
TODO: Late afternoon start out of the valley. Glen Aulin Sierra Camp.
Tuolumne to Benson Lake
Trail Info
Distance: 24.5 mi (39.4 km) · Elevation: 7,602 ft camp · Start: 6:10 AM · Pass: Benson Pass 🏔️ · 🌅 Sunset · 💧 Water
TODO: Benson Pass. Benson Lake camp — sunset and water.
Benson Lake to Dorothy Lake
Trail Info
Distance: 23.7 mi (38 km) · Elevation: 9,406 ft camp · Start: 6:10 AM · Pass: Seavey Pass 🏔️ · 🌅 Sunset
TODO: Seavey Pass. Dorothy Lake camp with a sunset.
Dorothy Lake to Sonora Pass
Trail Info
Distance: 20.5 mi (33 km) · Elevation: 6,334 ft · Start: 6:30 AM · Pass: Dorothy Lake Pass 🏔️ · Nero
TODO: Dorothy Lake Pass and down to Sonora Pass. Nero day.
Sonora Pass to Murray Canyon Creek
Trail Info
Distance: 18.5 mi (29.8 km) · Elevation: 9,116 ft camp · Start: 6:55 AM · 🌅 Sunset
TODO: Leaving Sonora Pass. Murray Canyon Creek camp with a sunset.
Murray Canyon to Steep Traverse
Trail Info
Distance: 25.1 mi (40.4 km) · Elevation: 7,879 ft camp · Start: 6:55 AM
TODO: Long day. The steep traverse section.
Steep Traverse to Showers Lake
Trail Info
Distance: 21.4 mi (34.4 km) · Elevation: 8,645 ft camp
TODO: Showers Lake — approaching Tahoe.
Showers Lake to South Lake Tahoe
Trail Info
Distance: 10.3 mi (16.6 km) · Arrival: 10:30 AM · 🌆 Town
TODO: Short morning into South Lake Tahoe. Resupply, rest.
South Lake Tahoe to Dicks Lake
Trail Info
Distance: 15.5 mi (24.9 km) · Start: 7:15 AM
TODO: Leaving Tahoe. Dicks Lake camp in Desolation Wilderness.
Dicks Lake to PCT-TRT Junction
Trail Info
Distance: 21.9 mi (35.2 km) · Start: 6:45 AM
TODO: Where the PCT and Tahoe Rim Trail diverge.
PCT-TRT Junction to Donner Pass
Trail Info
Distance: 23.7 mi (38.1 km) · Start: 6:45 AM · 🌆 Town
TODO: Final push to Truckee. End of the Sierra.
Epilogue
TODO: What it meant to come back a year later and complete the Sierra properly. How it compared to the other sections. The passes, the early starts, the light.
From Truckee we drove to Reno for a zero, then up through Mt Shasta to Eureka — the start of the California Coastal Trail.
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Happy trails!