John Muir Trail Thru-Hike
For hikers thru-hiking the 211-mile John Muir Trail between Yosemite Valley and Mount Whitney over two to four weeks.
- SeasonJuly-Sept (snow lingers on passes into July)
- Length18-25 nights
- Sections8
- Items56
- Essential32
- Reviewed2026-10-07
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Assumes a July-September thru-hike of about 18-25 days, southbound from Yosemite or northbound from Whitney Portal, with two to four resupplies. Covers the continuous-trip permit honored by Yosemite, Inyo National Forest and Sequoia-Kings Canyon, mandatory bear canisters, Whitney Zone waste rules and high-pass conditions. Adapt the resupply count, snow gear and insulation to your start date and pace.
Check before you go
- One continuous-trip wilderness permit is honored by every agency on the route and is issued by the agency where you start: Yosemite (Happy Isles 15/day, Lyell Canyon 30/day, with a 45/day Donohue Pass exit quota) or Inyo NF (Whitney Portal lottery Feb 1-Mar 15; as of 2026).
- Allowed bear canisters are required in all of Yosemite, Donohue Pass to Reds Meadow, Duck Lake to Lake Virginia, Dusy Basin, Pinchot to Forester Pass, Kearsarge, Rock Creek/Cottonwood and the Whitney Zone; counter-balance hangs are legal only where canisters are not mandatory.
- Whitney Zone: pack out solid human waste in the waste kit issued with your permit between Guitar Lake and Whitney Portal; Inyo charges $15/person for Whitney Zone permits plus a $6 fee (as of 2026).
- Campfires are banned above 9,600 ft in Yosemite, 10,000 ft in the Ansel Adams Wilderness and SEKI, and 10,000-10,400 ft in the John Muir Wilderness, plus many lake basins; check current restrictions.
- Resupply: General Delivery post offices in Yosemite Valley (year-round) and Tuolumne Meadows (mid-June to mid-Sept); commercial caches at Reds Meadow, Vermilion Valley Resort and Muir Trail Ranch need advance booking and fees (verify current terms).
- Camping limits include 2-night maximums at Dusy Basin, Charlotte and Kearsarge Lakes, Woods Creek to Vidette Meadow (1 night per lake between Dollar Lake and Glen Pass) and Crabtree/Guitar Lake; no camping at Timberline Lake, Shadow Lake or within 1/4 mile of Thousand Island and Garnet Lake outlets.
- Expect afternoon thunderstorms, altitude (Whitney is 14,505 ft), early-season snow and swift stream crossings, and mosquitoes through July; no surface water above about 12,400 ft on the Whitney Trail.
- Inyo quota season is May 1-Nov 1; 60% of its permits release 6 months ahead and 40% two weeks ahead on Recreation.gov (as of 2026).
What's inside
- Essential
- Optional
- Needs a permit
Permits & Logistics 5/8
- JMT wilderness permit from the agency where your hike starts Yosemite lottery for Happy Isles/Lyell Canyon with Donohue exit; Inyo lottery for Whitney Portal starts (as of 2026).
- Whitney Trail Crest exit or Whitney Portal start reserved on your permit Trail Crest exit quota is 25/day; Whitney Portal starts use the Feb 1-Mar 15 lottery (Inyo NF, 2026).
- Printed, signed permit and Whitney waste kit picked up at the permit station
- Resupply plan: boxes sent to Tuolumne PO, Reds Meadow, VVR or Muir Trail RanchConfirm current deadlines, fees and pickup hours with each location.
- Transport plan: YARTS/ESTA buses, shuttles or car shuttle between trailheads
- Itinerary with daily mileage, camping limits and bailout trailheads shared with a contact
- Acclimatization night at a mid-elevation campground before starting Whitney Portal, Onion Valley and Horseshoe Meadows campgrounds sit at 8,000-10,000 ft.
- Travel or rescue insurance
Food Storage & Resupply 3/5
- Allowed bear canister sized for your longest carryOnly models on the Yosemite/SEKI allowed list; store 50 ft from your sleeping area with the lid closed.
- Food for the longest leg plus one extra day, repackaged
- Resupply buckets or boxes sealed, labeled with name and ETA
- Cash or card for resupply pickup fees and store purchases
- Fuel allocation per leg and a spare lighter
Shelter & Sleep 3/4
- Lightweight tent or tarp with bug netting
- Sleeping bag or quilt rated to 15-25 F
- Insulated pad (R-value 3 or higher)
- Pillow and earplugs
Clothing 6/10
- Trail runners or boots, broken in
- Wool or synthetic socks (3 pairs)
- Rain shell plus rain or wind pants
- Puffy jacket
- Fleece or mid-layer
- Sun hoodie and hiking shorts or pants
- Warm hat and liner gloves
- Sun hat and sunglasses (dark lenses for snow)
- Camp or stream-crossing shoes
- Town clothes in a resupply box
Water & Kitchen 3/6
- Water filter plus backup chemical treatmentSurface water can carry pathogens; filter, boil or treat everything.
- Capacity for 2-3 liters, 3 liters for Whitney summit dayNo water above about 12,400 ft on the Whitney Trail after snowmelt.
- Stove, fuel and lighter
- Pot, spoon and mug
- Electrolyte mix
- Cook and wash 100 ft from water; strain and scatter dishwater
Navigation & Safety 5/13
- JMT map set or app with offline maps
- Compass or GPS device
- Satellite messengerStrongly recommended; report overdue hikers to the Inyo County Sheriff (760-878-0383).
- Headlamp with spare batteries
- First aid kit with blister care and altitude medication
- Sunscreen and SPF lip balmReapply often; UV is intense above 10,000 ft.
- Insect repellent and head net
- Trekking poles
- Microspikes or ice axe for early-season passes
- Repair kit: tape, needle and thread, pad patches
- Knife, whistle and signal mirror
- Battery bank and cables (recharge at resupplies)
- Pack liner or dry bags
Whitney Zone & High Passes 3/4
- Human waste kits: 1-2 per person per day in the Whitney ZonePack out used kits and drop them in the bins at Whitney Portal.
- Summit-day plan: start early and turn around when storms build
- Extra layers for wind and cold at 14,505 ft
- Acclimatization schedule and knowledge of altitude sickness signs
Leave No Trace / Pack-out 4/6
- Trowel; bury waste 6-8 in deep, 100 ft from water, trails and campsExcept in the Whitney Zone, where everything is packed out.
- Pack out all toilet paper and hygiene products
- Trash bag for all packaging; nothing burned or buried
- Camp on durable surfaces 100 ft from water and obey posted camping limits
- Fires only where allowed, in existing rings, drowned cold; prefer no fire
- Hand sanitizer; urinate 100 ft from water and camps
Sources 2026-10-07
Rules, fees and conditions change. Verify with the official source before you go.
- John Muir Trail National Park Service - Yosemite · 2026-10-07
- Wilderness Permits USDA Forest Service - Inyo National Forest · 2026-10-07
- John Muir Trail Minimum Impact Wilderness Regulations (PDF) USDA Forest Service - Inyo National Forest · 2026-10-07
- Hiking the Mt. Whitney Trail (PDF) USDA Forest Service - Inyo National Forest · 2026-10-07
- Wilderness Permits National Park Service - Yosemite · 2026-10-07
- Allowed Bear-Resistant Containers National Park Service - Yosemite · 2026-10-07