What's the road like to Horseshoe Meadows (the one in the high southern Sierras)? Is it paved or dirt? And if dirt is it rough or a "high quality" dirt road? Thanks!

The road is paved and generally in good condition for high speed travel, but with switchbacks. Watch for fallen rocks.


http://abundantadventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/IMG_4198.jpg

Excellent - my vehicle isn't suited to rough dirt roads. I am trying to get up there this Saturday for some day hiking and perhaps even camp Saturday night if there is any room at the campground. Thanks for the speedy reply!

stoaX wrote:Excellent - my vehicle isn't suited to rough dirt roads. I am trying to get up there this Saturday for some day hiking and perhaps even camp Saturday night if there is any room at the campground. Thanks for the speedy reply!

make sure to call ahead for road conditions. the road was open and then closed again due to weather/storms. as of one week ago, the road was still closed.

I hiked around Horseshoe Meadows today; no problems, patchy snow along the PCT. The road is fine, but rocks can come down any time, watch for them. A few mosquitoes, lots of PCT thru hikers. Langley and Cirque have good snow cover above 11,000 feet but melting fast. Of note a big fire has just started just north of Nine Mile Canyon on the Kern plateau; it may impair visibility.

First time I went up that road was the year before it was paved. It was...interesting.

Tom Kenney wrote:First time I went up that road was the year before it was paved. It was...interesting.

There's a road now?!? The first time I was up there we could barely follow the wagon wheel ruts though the brush and rocks. Five of our mules bolted for greener pastures and were never seen again. We hung our "Mormon" guide somewhere below the crest when we discovered he'd led us too far south. Just wasn't worth the dollar a day we all pitched in to get us to the promised California Valleys.