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John Muir Trail

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    • Permits: The hardest part of a John Muir Through hike seems to be obtaining a permit. SOBO starting at Happy Isles in Yosemite is the most popular way to do the trail, but be warned if you have your heart set on this obtaining a permit will prove difficult. I met some people on the trail who had been applying for several years before they obtained a coveted Happy Isles JMT permit. There are, however, easier ways.

      The best way to improve your chances of obtaining a permit is to start your hike at a different point of entry. I am going to advocate for a slightly modified version on a SOBO hike.

      I started my hike at Tuolumne Meadows. I actually obtained two different permits, but I was able to obtain them both on my very first try. First I asked for a permit to hike from the 'Cathedral Lakes Trailhead' towards Yosemite valley. There are advantages to going NOBO over this short section...
      1) You get to spend a night at the 'hikers' campground at Tuolumne. This gives you a little time to acclimate to the altitude before you start your hike. To someone like me flying in from sea level I felt this was crucial.
      2) It is mostly downhill from this direction, another great chance to acclimate.
      3) You are virtually guaranteed a 'Half Dome Permit' from this trailhead.

      I allowed myself three days for this short section since I was out of shape and wanted to take it easy. All in all, the right decision for me.

      I applied for a JMT permit leaving from Tuolumne Meadows for three days later. Again, I was approved on my first try. To return to Tuolumne Meadows there are bus options from Yosemite Valley./ I paid for the YARTS bus, but I understand that there is also a free 'Hikers' bus that leaves earlier in the day. Either way you end up right back where you started ready to complete the JMT. The second permit gives you rights to another night at the Tuolumne Meadows campground if that is what you want.

      I cannot recommend the JMT enough so I hope that this permit advice helps some of you get on this trail.
      “Of all sad words of tongue or pen,
      the saddest are these, 'It might have been.”


      John Greenleaf Whittier
    • Mountain-Mike wrote:

      Although I hiked the PCT through the Sierra, much of is is joint or close to the the JMT. It is among the best area I have ever hiked. I don't know how many times I kept saying "It don't get any better than this!" only to find out I was wrong. Somehow it continued doing so.

      Mountain-Mike wrote:

      Although I hiked the PCT through the Sierra, much of is is joint or close to the the JMT. It is among the best area I have ever hiked. I don't know how many times I kept saying "It don't get any better than this!" only to find out I was wrong. Somehow it continued doing so.
      Something to look forward to after completing the AT. :)
      That is if I can ever get a permit. :rolleyes:
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • I doubt I'll ever try to get a permit again, I'm just really pissed with our gov't, 10% of the permits go to out of country while 95% of US requests are denied, by the way , who pays for it!!!! I could have gotten a permit if I'd let my Congressman help but that just isn't right....
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.
    • Drybones wrote:

      I doubt I'll ever try to get a permit again, I'm just really pissed with our gov't, 10% of the permits go to out of country while 95% of US requests are denied, by the way , who pays for it!!!! I could have gotten a permit if I'd let my Congressman help but that just isn't right....
      ????? They actually alot 10% for that? That is BS. Should be level playing field. I didn't have to deal with that since I hiked far enough to get Joint Use Permit from PCTA. It could be a way to back end the permit. You need 400 or 500 miles to qualify. You get it from first Forest Service area you enter. The year I did it I started at Donner Pass & hiked SOBO. It was an incredible hke.
    • Drybones, please read my post above on the permitting process. If you do it the way I suggest getting a permit should be fairly easy. And the inside-out approach had certain advantages. Really, I think this hike is just too good toy miss out on.
      “Of all sad words of tongue or pen,
      the saddest are these, 'It might have been.”


      John Greenleaf Whittier