JMT Yosemite itinerary
Every published mile marker on the JMT Yosemite route, in order, with the distance and elevation change between each one — and which permit each stretch needs. To watch dates and set alerts, go to the John Muir Trail permit page.
Which permit covers this route
The JMT Yosemite. One reservation is a route gated by a permit issued elsewhere, issued by lottery.
The permit is issued for a named entry point. Lyell Canyon Trailhead is the one on this list.
- Stops mapped
- 39
- Across the markers
- 208.7 mi
- Published route length
- 211 mi
- Ascent, at least
- 33,331 ft
How long it takes: 2-3 weeks. That is the figure the permit publishes — this page does not divide the route into days, because no source records which stop you sleep at.
The stops below are the route's published mile markers, in order, with the elevations recorded against each one.
Distance and elevation change on each leg are the difference between the two published figures either side of it, so the legs are arithmetic on the markers and nothing more.
The JMT Yosemite route, stop by stop
Mile 0.0
4,035 ft
Happy Isles
Yosemite Valley start. 15 of the 45 daily Donohue Pass exit places come from the Happy Isles to Past LYV trailhead. First night cannot be in Little Yosemite Valley.
4.9 miles · 2,095 ft up to Little Yosemite Valley
Mile 4.9
6,130 ft
Little Yosemite Valley
Food lockers here, but not a legal first night on a Happy Isles to Past LYV permit.
11.9 miles · 3,574 ft up to Cathedral Pass
Mile 16.8
9,704 ft
Cathedral Pass
5.1 miles · 1,101 ft down to Tuolumne Meadows
Mile 21.9
8,603 ft
Tuolumne Meadows
Resupply point - the post office takes General Delivery packages roughly mid-June to mid-September. JMT and PCT hikers may stay one night in the backpackers' campground.
1.6 miles · 3 ft down to Lyell Canyon Trailhead
Mile 23.5
8,600 ft
Lyell Canyon Trailhead
Entry point — the permit is issued for this trailhead, permitted separately
The other Donohue-eligible start, and the bigger allocation: 30 of the 45 daily exit places.
11.9 miles · 2,456 ft up to Donohue Pass
Mile 35.4
11,056 ft
Donohue Pass
The high point of the trail inside Yosemite, on the park's southern boundary, and the pass the exit quota is built around.
5.2 miles · 855 ft down to Island Pass
Mile 40.6
10,201 ft
Island Pass
1.9 miles · 370 ft down to Thousand Island Lake
Mile 42.5
9,831 ft
Thousand Island Lake
2.0 miles · 139 ft down to Garnet Lake
Mile 44.5
9,692 ft
Garnet Lake
4.2 miles · 917 ft down to Shadow Lake
Mile 48.6
8,775 ft
Shadow Lake
8.0 miles · 1,083 ft down to Devils Postpile
Mile 56.7
7,692 ft
Devils Postpile
1.5 miles · 79 ft down to Red's Meadow
Mile 58.2
7,613 ft
Red's Meadow
13.4 miles · 2,275 ft up to Purple Lake
Mile 71.6
9,888 ft
Purple Lake
1.8 miles · 439 ft up to Lake Virginia
Mile 73.4
10,327 ft
Lake Virginia
2.1 miles · 757 ft down to Tully Hole
Mile 75.5
9,570 ft
Tully Hole
5.0 miles · 1,151 ft up to Silver Pass
Mile 80.5
10,721 ft
Silver Pass
4.9 miles · 2,400 ft down to Mono Creek (Vermilion Valley Resort exit)
Mile 85.3
8,321 ft
Mono Creek (Vermilion Valley Resort exit)
5.6 miles · 1,531 ft up to Bear Ridge Trail junction
Mile 91.0
9,852 ft
Bear Ridge Trail junction
8.4 miles · 706 ft up to Marie Lake
Mile 99.4
10,558 ft
Marie Lake
0.8 miles · 318 ft up to Selden Pass
Mile 100.1
10,876 ft
Selden Pass
1.8 miles · 705 ft down to Sallie Keyes Lakes
Mile 101.9
10,171 ft
Sallie Keyes Lakes
6.1 miles · 2,296 ft down to Muir Trail Ranch junction
Mile 108.1
7,875 ft
Muir Trail Ranch junction
13.5 miles · 2,987 ft up to Evolution Lake
Mile 121.5
10,862 ft
Evolution Lake
4.0 miles · 597 ft up to Wanda Lake
Mile 125.5
11,459 ft
Wanda Lake
1.8 miles · 499 ft up to Muir Pass
Mile 127.3
11,958 ft
Muir Pass
10.2 miles · 3,737 ft down to Grouse Meadows
Mile 137.5
8,221 ft
Grouse Meadows
9.3 miles · 2,612 ft up to Palisade Lakes
Mile 146.8
10,833 ft
Palisade Lakes
2.5 miles · 1,256 ft up to Mather Pass
Mile 149.4
12,089 ft
Mather Pass
9.8 miles · 21 ft down to Pinchot Pass
Mile 159.2
12,068 ft
Pinchot Pass
7.5 miles · 3,568 ft down to Woods Creek crossing
Mile 166.7
8,500 ft
Woods Creek crossing
6.3 miles · 2,104 ft up to Rae Lakes
Mile 172.9
10,604 ft
Rae Lakes
2.6 miles · 1,366 ft up to Glen Pass
Mile 175.5
11,970 ft
Glen Pass
2.4 miles · 1,246 ft down to Kearsarge Pass Trail junction
Mile 177.9
10,724 ft
Kearsarge Pass Trail junction
2.2 miles · 1,145 ft down to Vidette Meadow
Mile 180.1
9,579 ft
Vidette Meadow
7.5 miles · 3,563 ft up to Forester Pass
Mile 187.6
13,142 ft
Forester Pass
13.6 miles · 2,439 ft down to Crabtree Meadow
Mile 201.2
10,703 ft
Crabtree Meadow
2.7 miles · 809 ft up to Guitar Lake
Mile 204.0
11,512 ft
Guitar Lake
2.8 miles · 1,979 ft up to Mount Whitney Trail junction (Trail Crest)
Mile 206.8
13,491 ft
Mount Whitney Trail junction (Trail Crest)
1.9 miles · 1,014 ft up to Mount Whitney
Mile 208.7
14,505 ft
Mount Whitney
The southern end of the 211-mile trail and the highest point in the contiguous United States. Covered by the same Yosemite permit on a continuous hike.
Getting a JMT Yosemite for the dates you want
Planning the route is the easy half. JMT Yosemite dates go fast, and the ones that come back are cancellations — they return to the booking system without warning and are gone again quickly. PermitSnag watches JMT Yosemite around the clock and alerts you the moment a date opens.