Trail Pass Trail
Trail Pass Trail (#3504, ref 3504) is a long-distance “there and back” hiking route in the Golden Trout Wilderness on the southern Sierra Nevada side of the Lone Pine area, with a mapped distance of about 24.1 miles.
Start from the Horseshoe Meadow Trailhead. To reach the trail, follow Cottonwood Pass Trail for about 1/2 mile, then turn south onto Trail Pass Trail.
The route climbs from the Horseshoe Meadow area up to Trail Pass, arriving at 10,492 ft by about the 2-mile mark, then transitions into a long descent toward the Tunnel Meadow area and back.
The mid-route character alternates between open sandy, low-vegetation meadow sections and thin forest around meadows (including Horseshoe Meadow, Bullfrog Meadow, and Tunnel Meadow), with junctions that keep you on Trail Pass Trail rather than the connecting passes/trails.
Midway down the route you’ll reach areas used for water access along the South Fork Kern River corridor; one common strategy is to plan refills around the point where the trail begins following/approaching that stream system.
Trail Pass Trail is managed under wilderness rules for overnight trips: wilderness permits are required year-round for overnight camping, while day use does not require a permit.
Horseshoe Meadow Trailhead facilities include potable water, bear storage lockers, vault toilet, and a first-come, first-serve walk-in campground; food/trash/scented items must be stored in bear-resistant containers or otherwise counterbalanced.