Backpacking the Rae Lakes Loop in Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks (SEKI) is one of the best multi-day backpacking trips you can do in California. This is an awesome and challenging backpacking route – perfect for backpackers looking for a 4 or 5 day summer backpacking trip in California. The SEKI National Park website says the Rae Lakes Loop Trail is 41.4 miles long, but my GPS tracking ended our hike with around 43 miles.
Either way, this trail is rated as hard and can be a challenge for even experienced backpackers, but is also doable for those looking to get more experience in thru hiking and a taste of the John Muir Trail/ Pacific Crest Trail. The highest point on the trail goes up and over Glen Pass, which is on the JMT/PCT. It features incredibly beautiful lakes, meadows, and an abundance of wildlife while taking you through some of the most remote sections of Kings Canyon National Park.
Rae Lakes Loop can be completed in multiple directions and on a variety of schedules. In this guide, I’ll break down everything you need to know about backpacking the Rae Lakes Loop, including permits, what to pack, and more.
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Quick Facts
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Trail Difficulty: Moderate to Challenging
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Cumulative Elevation Gain: ~9,000 feet (starts at 5035’ to 12000’ then back down again, with many ups & downs in between)
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Trail Length: 43+ miles depending on entry trailhead (and GPS)
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Wilderness Permits: Required – available in advance online and as walk ups
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Water: Plenty of spots to fill up with water along the trail (Water filter needed)
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River crossings: Several low water river crossings in early August. One bridge is out on the South Fork of the Kings River, but easily passable in August with ankle deep water
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Bears: Black bears are very common and active on this loop. We saw only one, but heard about several naughty bears causing havoc to campers. Bear canisters are required for safe food storage, but there are several camping sites along the way that do have bear boxes for anything that does not fit in your canister. Carrying or using bear spray is illegal.
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Campfires: For most sites on this route, you can have a campfire in established campfire rings, unless you are above 10,000 feet which includes Rae Lakes itself. It is VERY dry, so it is imperative to PUT FIRES OUT COMPLETELY with lots of water.
About the Rae Lakes Loop Trail
The Rae Lakes Loop Trail is a 42+ mile loop trail that begins from Roads End in Kings Canyon National Park. While this is the traditional way to do this trail, the lakes can also be accessed via Kearsarge Pass from the Inyo Forest. That said, this post focuses on starting/ending at Roads End.
Many people choose to backpack the Rae Lakes Loop in the clockwise direction because the elevation gain is gradual. That said, you will feel that your “way” is the best way regardless of which way you go, so if you get a permit, just do it!
The entrance to the trail is at Road’s End in Kings Canyon National Park. The road to this area of the park is not open in the winter, making this a popular summer adventure. That said, temperatures can be quite hot in the canyon during the height of summer, so you will need to prepare for both cold and hot weather.
The parking lot at Road’s End can fill up quickly during the day, but you can usually find overflow parking or if you wait a few minutes you can typically find a spot. You must empty your vehicle of all smellable items and put these in the bear boxes at the parking lot.
Tip: Download the AllTrails map before you leave home so that you can track your hike and see possible camping locations along the way.
Securing a Wilderness Permit
Wilderness Permits are required to backpack the Rae Lakes Loop. There are essentially 3 ways you can do this trail – going clockwise starting at Woods Creek Trail (at Road’s End in Kings Canyon National Park), going counter clockwise from Bubbs Creek Trail (at Road’s End in Kings Canyon National Park) or by entering through Kearsarge Pass in the Inyo Forest off Hwy 395. This post is focused on the Kings Canyon entry points. See below for a discussion on whether to go clockwise or counter clockwise!
These permits are released 6 months in advance on a rolling basis through the recreation.gov website. They are released at 7 a.m. Pacific time and can be quite competitive to get.
However, for those who have time on their hands, you will be happy to know that not all permits are released online, allowing a small number of visitors to “walk up” and receive a permit. There are on average around 5 walk up permits per trailhead per day plus any unclaimed advance issued permits.
ALL permits MUST be collected from the Roads End Permit Station the day before or the day of your entry. If you do not claim your permit by 10 a.m. on the day of entry, it will be released for walk ups. The Ranger Station is open from around 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily.
Note: If you do not have a bear canister, they do have some that you can borrow!
Planning Your Rae Lakes Loop Backpacking Trip
There are a few logistics to sort out when planning your Rae Lakes Loop backpacking trip. Read on to find out everything you need to know.
How Many Days?
Well, that really depends on what you want and how strong of a hiker you are. We decided to have a “leisurely” backpacking trip and did it in 5 days, however, for many that still wouldn’t be that leisurely! The main goal for our trip was to revisit this section of the John Muir Trail that we had done 2 years previously so that my son could fish and enjoy the lakes more. With that in mind, we planned a route that would get us to Rae Lakes early in the day so that we could enjoy an almost full day there.
Many people complete the trip in 3 nights / 4 days, but that is a pretty challenging pace going clockwise as you will need to do 10-15 miles a day. If you are a quick hiker, with a light bag, this is totally doable without feeling like all you did was hike and sleep.
We aimed to arrive at camp between 2 pm to 4 pm daily which gave us enough time to chill out before doing camp chores and making dinner. This also allowed us prime options for camp sites.
My recommendation for most people is to plan for a 5 day trip and if you find you are speedier, you can finish earlier!
Clockwise Vs Counter Clockwise: Which Way?
One of the biggest questions for backpacking the Rae Lakes Loop is which direction is best. You will find that whatever direction you choose, you will believe to be the best! Even after having done the loop and suffered through days of uphill, I still would choose the Clockwise direction, while those who go counter clockwise will tell you it is best.
Ultimately, it depends on which permit you are able to secure. And, once you are picking up your permit, you just might be able to switch if they have walk up permits available, so don’t get too set on your direction until you have your permit in hand.
The benefits of clockwise in our experience:
- A more gradual uphill climb over 2-3 days, with the first day being around 2000 feet elevation gain over 10 miles
- More options of places to stay getting you closer to the lakes and/or the pass, offering flexible itinerary options
- Easier to plan for a half day at Rae Lakes before starting Glen Pass in the morning when you are fresh.
- A lighter backpack when you head over Glen Pass
- Slowly working your way up the elevation gain to reduce altitude sickness
- You are stronger as you head into the Glen Pass day since you have been hiking for several days already
Rae Lakes Loop Itinerary Options
As I mentioned above, backpacking the Rae Lakes Loop trail can be done in as little as 3 nights or as much as even 6 days for those who really want to soak it up and take their time. Below I outline possible itineraries starting from the Woods Creek Trailhead.
3 night/ 4 Day Itinerary
- Day 1: Roads End Ranger Station to Upper Paradise Valley – 10 miles
- Day 2: Upper Paradise Valley to Middle Rae Lake – 13 miles
- Day 3: Middle Rae Lakes to Junction Meadow Camp – 10 miles
- Day 4: Junction Meadow Camp to Roads End – 10 miles
*Note: All of these are established campsites with bear boxes
4 night / 5 day Itinerary
- Day 1: Roads End Ranger Station to Upper Paradise Valley – 10 miles
- Day 2: Upper Paradise Valley to Dollar Lake – 10 miles
- Day 3: Dollar Lake to Middle Rae Lake – 3 miles
- Day 4: Middle Rae Lakes to Junction Meadow Camp – 10 miles
- Day 5: Junction Meadow Camp to Roads End – 10 miles
*Note: All of these are established campsites with bear boxes EXCEPT Dollar Lake
There are several alternatives you could also do on these itineraries such as staying somewhere before Dollar Lake on Day 2, which can make it a bit shorter and the next day a bit longer. This is what we did, which made Day 2 about 9 miles and Day 3, 4 miles. We stayed at a small 3-4 tent site near the South Fork of Woods Creek.
Even though it is is not mentioned on the All Trails route, there are also many places to stay between Vidette Meadow and Road’s End. The popular stops with established bear boxes are:
- Vidette Meadow
- Junction Meadow (camp is actually about .25 to .50 miles past the junction and the crew trail camp)
- Charlotte Creek (there is a naughty bear there this year)
Besides these well established camps, there are a few sites that can fit one to two tents between all of these, offering maximum flexibility if you want to push on as far as you can on your 4th day to make your 5th day as easy as possible.
Leave No Trace Principles: Know Before You Go
During our backpacking trip on the Rae Lakes Loop we encountered many people who were on their first trip and did not know all of the specifics of Leave No Trace principles. As a reminder and a review, here are some important things to know before you head out into the backcountry.
Where to Camp
There are a few rules set out by SEKI on where to camp and signage will be in place letting you know if you cannot camp in specific areas. For example, the area below Lower Paradise Valley is a no camping zone. Additionally, there are spaces around Dollar Lake that also state no camping.
Other than these sections, the most important thing to know when choosing your camp site is that you do not camp within 100 feet of water (Iakes, rivers, creeks) unless it is an already established site.
Additionally, you need to camp on hard, durable surfaces. This means that you do not camp on grassy areas. Specifically, if you are at Rae Lakes, or anywhere above 10,000 feet it is especially important to not camp on any plant life as it takes a lot longer to grow in this altitude.
Food Storage & Disposal
Bear canisters are required on this trail for many reasons – one to keep your food safe and to keep the bear population safe. Once a bear gets into human food, they become much harder to manage which can often lead to them being put down. Do your part and keep ALL of your smellable items in your bear canister at night and on your person while hiking.
If you do not finish all of your dehydrated meal, you MUST CARRY that food back out with you. Please do not bury it or put it in the waterways. This is NOT following LNT if you are leaving your food for the wildlife here to consume. It pollutes the water and local animals natural food sources.
Using the Bathroom
The soil in Rae Lakes area is very arid and rocky, and does not break down materials easily. Because of this, you are required to pack out your toilet paper. You need to dig a hole when you are going to the toilet, but you need to carry out all used toilet paper. Do not bury it. Even if you think you have buried it, animals dig it up, erosion releases it and it does not decompose quickly in this environment.
Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
Packing for the Rae Lakes Loop
Besides the usual backpacking gear & essentials here are the big things that you will need on this specific trail:
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Bug Net: I have carried around my bug net on hundreds of miles of trails and hardly ever needed to use it. That came to a quick end on this trail where I wore it for almost 2 days straight! I recommend this super lightweight net. I attached it to the shoulder strap of my pack with a lightweight carabiner so I had quick access.
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Sun Protection: Once you pass Upper Paradise Valley, there isn’t a whole lot of shade until you begin your downhill section on the final days!. Our sun protection must haves include: a wool ultra lightweight sun hoodie, a lightweight hat or visor, sunscreen and chapstick with SPF.
- Water Shoes: While not all trails call for this, my son was super bummed that he didn’t bring his on this trip as there are tons of opportunities to be in the water and/or cross streams/rivers. I love these lightweight camp shoes that double for water shoes, but really whatever you have and can carry will be fine!
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Bug Spray: I didn’t actually need this much on our trip because we always make sure our adventure clothes are sprayed with this before heading out in the summer. If we need additional bug repellent, I always use these wipes.
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Bear Canister: These are required when backpacking in the Eastern Sierras. We have tried several over the years and even though it’s very expensive, my favorite is this carbon fiber canister. My son uses this type of bear canister, which worked well for him for the 5 day trip (using bear boxes for the first night). Tip: Use a quarter to help with leverage. Remember, you need to store all of your food and anything else that has a smell (so toothpaste, toothbrush, chapstick, deodorant, sunscreen etc).
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Food That You Will Eat: The most common mistake I see with new backpackers is packing food they think is good for the trail, but then not wanting to actually eat it! Make sure you check the back of your backpacking meals for nutrition info to make sure you have enough to fuel you up out there. Some things we like include instant mashed potatoes, these dehydrated meals for dinner, tuna packets and nutella for lunches and lots of salty snacks.
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Electrolytes: This is the most important item after food that you need for any backpacking trip, especially in elevation. My son loves these very high quality electrolytes that he uses for running on the regular and found them to be excellent in the backcountry. I prefer these slightly sweeter ones. Tip: Pack at least 2 per day!
- Other Possible Necessities: Depending on the weather and time of year, you may also want to bring a rain jacket and rain pants. We checked our weather forecast before departure and didn’t see any predicted summer thunderstorms which is typical, so only carried a poncho. Blister & foot care like KT Tape is great for any hot spots. You can also consider a sunbrella if you really hate the heat like I do! I wished I had brought mine a few times.
Rae Lakes Loop Trail Report
Trip Dates: Aug 12 – Aug 15, 2024
Total Mileage: 43
Trail Type: Loop
Trailhead: Woods Creek Trailhead
We arrived to Kings Canyon on Sunday Aug 11, to stay at Sentinel Campground for one night before starting our loop backpacking trip. This was the perfect place to camp the night before as there are showers are the nearby Cedar Grove Lodge, a restaurant there with basic food (burgers, grilled cheese, etc) and a small store to pick up any last minute items.
We arrived the day before so that we could pick up our permit in advance which allowed us to start bright and early the following day. We picked up our permit with a few other folks – apparently there were plenty of walk up permits still available, had our Leave No Trace talk and got our first ever old school paper permit!
Day 1: Monday (Roads End to Upper Paradise Valley, 10 miles)
We got up early hoping to start around 6:30 a.m. to beat as much of the heat as we could. Of course the best laid plans.. We arrived around 6:30 to the trailhead, but didn’t actually get going until closer to 7 a.m. The morning was still cool and the trail shady for quite a bit.
The first two miles were sandy and flat, which we were excited to see we crushed with 19 minute miles! The uphill gradually began as we made our way up towards Mist Falls. This is as far as we had ever been on our day hikes, so we were looking forward to some new scenes.
All morning we flip flopped with another hiker, we ended up camping with for the rest of the trip, but otherwise we didn’t see anyone else going up and only 2 people coming down the trail.
We made great time and made it to Upper Paradise Valley by around 2:30 p.m. so we set up camp in a perfect riverside spot with a fire ring.
My son enjoyed his afternoon fishing in the river, while I lounged around camp enjoying the downtime.
Most campers started to roll in around 4-6 p.m. filling up the large expansive camping area.
The fun of the evening was seeing a very dark black bear who had zero interest in anyone at camp! He just strolled through and then headed up the mountainside to dig in the dirt.
Day 2: Tuesday (Upper Paradise Valley to South Fork of the Woods Creek, 9-10 miles)
Today we got up early and crossed the river by foot right behind our camp. The bridge for this river has been out for many years, but thankfully this river is easy to cross in the late season. The water was up to our mid calves in the deepest section.
This morning started off great with shady sandy paths, but we soon began going up and were in the full sun. It took us much longer to get to the Woods Creek Suspension Bridge than I thought it would. It was about 6.5 miles from our camp and took until noon! We stayed here for a bit relaxing, letting my son fish while watching a helicopter rescue a bit down trail. Finally, realizing that we didn’t want to stay here for the night, we decided to head off to see if we could make it to Dollar Lake or maybe even Rae Lake. (Spoiler: We did not!)
The next part of the trail is a section I struggled with on the JMT and once it again it was steep and hot, but this year it had the added complication of many fallen trees that we had to navigate off trail around. For the most part there was a well worn path, but we did have to do a little searching a few times.
The heat was getting to me and I was just getting tired, so around 4:00 p.m. we saw a small site right off the river with a campfire ring, so we decided to stop. Our friend hiking with us stopped as well and soon another group we had met the first night stopped, so it ended up being a nice night with many of us around the campfire.
Day 3: Wednesday (South Fork of the Woods Creek to Middle Rae Lake 4 miles)
The next morning we had a leisurely start knowing that our day was going to be quite short. The only goal was to reach Rae Lake around noon. In hindsight I wish we would have just gotten up and going earlier as it ended up being a very exposed section.
The 4 miles left to the Rae Lakes area had about 1700 foot of elevation gain, which proved a challenge in the heat of the morning as there was zero shade cover. But one of the craziest things ever happened. I had been telling my fellow campers how this section had been super tough for me 2 years ago on the JMT and that a guy from San Francisco stopped to give me words of encouragement.
Well, would you believe that as my son and I rounded a corner only about a mile into our hike we heard “IT’S YOU” and it was the same exact guy, on the same exact stretch of trail AND on the EXACT SAME DAY!!! We couldn’t believe it. It felt like it was meant to be as if we had carried on the night before we probably wouldn’t have run into him.
Anyway, this helped give me a bit of motivation to power through. My son stopped at Dollar Lake and the river before Arrowhead Lake to fish, making our slow morning even slower. Once we got to Rae Lakes, our favorite campsite was already taken, so we had to settle for another equally beautiful site at Middle Rae. The day was spent soaking up the sun (a little too much), fishing and relaxing before we would head over the mighty Glen Pass the following morning.
Day 4: Thursday (Middle Rae Lake to Junction Meadow Camp 10 miles)
Today we woke up super early in an attempt to get over the pass before the sun started beating down on us. The sun was still there, but thankfully it stayed relatively cool all morning. I couldn’t believe I was doing this pass on the SAME EXACT day that we did it 2 years prior. I wasn’t much faster, but that’s OK – I made it and that was the most important part. As always I look forward to the downhill from a pass only to remember they usually aren’t that fun as it’s quite steep and this one has a very narrow pathway that somehow freaks me out!
We slowly slogged our way down the path getting to the Charlotte Lake junction to have lunch and reminisce about how we waited here for our mule resupply 2 years before. Our goal today was to make it to Charlotte Creek, which would be around 13 miles total. Suffice it to say, we did not make it that far. And after speaking to a ranger who told us there was a very naughty bear that was not scared of people anymore around Charlotte Creek, we were glad we stopped early.
The camp area at the river was beautiful and quiet with just us ane one other family (the ones who took our favorite site at the lake!). We had a nice night of fishing and a campfire before saying good night for our last night on the trail.
Day 5: Friday (Junction Meadow Camp to Road’s End 10 miles)
Today we knew that we had 10 miles, but we also knew that it was all downhill. That could be good or bad. Turns out it was great. The trail was perfect – nice sandy dirt trails with minimal steps. We flew down the trail averaging 24 minute miles, getting us to our cars in less than 4 hours. We kept an eye out for the naughty bear, but didn’t ever see him, even though there was plenty of scat and destroyed pine cones showing it had been through there.
And sadly our trip comes to an end. We zipped over to Cedar Grove Lodge for some lunch and a quick shower before our 5 hour drive home. What a spectacular trail. Now we have done much of it twice and filled in the gaps on the sections we hadn’t seen. Maybe someday we will try it counter clockwise… or maybe I will just hike to Rae Lakes and turn around and go back down that way.
If you’ve got any questions about this trip or trail specifics – leave them in the comments below & I’ll get back to you. I’m an open book when it comes to sharing info with fellow hikers, backpackers, and photographers. If you want to see what other adventures we are up to, follow us on Instagram @nobackhome.
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