Cottonwood Pass Trail
Cottonwood Pass Trail is a long-distance hiking route in California’s Eastern Sierra, centered in the Golden Trout Wilderness. It starts at Horseshoe Meadows and climbs to Cottonwood Pass, where it connects with the Pacific Crest Trail; from the pass you also have an option heading toward the southeastern portion of Sequoia National Park.
The standard approach is an out-and-back from the Cottonwood Lakes/Cottonwood Pass Trailhead area at Horseshoe Meadows. Typical day length is about 7 miles round trip, with roughly 1,200 ft of elevation gain and an ascent to a summit around 11,200 ft.
Route character is defined by a steady grind off Horseshoe Meadows: you leave the meadow, cross small creeks more than once, then enter long gradual switchbacks as the trail builds elevation toward Cottonwood Pass.
At Horseshoe Meadows (around 10,000 ft), expect high-altitude hiking from the start. Altitude sickness is common at this elevation, so acclimation time before committing to the full climb can matter.
Permits and wildlife rules are part of the trip planning. A wilderness permit is required for overnight trips, and overnight parties also need to carry hard-sided bear canisters; day use does not require a permit.
The seasonality is closely tied to road access and wilderness management. Horseshoe Meadow Road is usually open from Memorial Day until the first week of November, depending on snow conditions; from late June through mid-September there’s a quota limiting overnight visitation, and food/wildlife storage rules apply in the wilderness.
Near-term practical constraints include water treatment and campsite regulations in the wider area. Water is available from creeks, lakes, and springs but should be treated before drinking, and campfires are restricted at specific high-use lakes within the wilderness area (including Chicken Spring Lake and Rocky Basin Lakes).