Florence Lake Trail

Florence Lake Trail (ref 27E81) is the main hiking line around Florence Lake in California’s Sierra National Forest. It follows the reservoir shoreline and links common access points toward the John Muir Trail / Pacific Crest Trail corridor, including the Ferry Trail junction and connections up-valley to Muir Trail Ranch and Selden Pass.

Expect sustained mileage that turns into a route of exposed, rocky tread. The line traces the lake’s southern edge and repeatedly works around rocky outcrops, so plan on careful footing and navigation on uneven ground.

One-way distances commonly used for planning are about 4.3 miles to the Ferry Trail junction, and about 9.5 miles to Muir Trail Ranch. The route sees heavy through-use because it’s a practical segment for reaching JMT/PCT and the surrounding wilderness entry points.

The trail also routes through a creek/crossing sequence while heading up-valley: a Boulder Creek crossing is part of the standard line, and later you pass areas associated with Double Meadow and Blayney Meadows, with a dirt road crossing near the Florence ferry access.

For most hikers, the middle and upper sections are what slow you down: the tread becomes rockier and more exposed as it climbs again after the South Fork San Joaquin River crossing, then continues ascending toward the JMT/PCT junction near 9.2 miles.

More information: Visitor information, Visitor information, Evolution Valley 2010 - Sierra Hiking Trails