WILDERNESS PERMITS for our guests are issued from our commercial quota, NOT from the general public quota.
2024
SCHEDULED HIKING TRIPS
ALL INCLUSIVE SERVICE
SUMMIT MOUNT WHITNEY
Guests may camp out at Cottonwood Pack Station the night before the trip. We will provide a hiking Guide.
Horseshoe Meadow to Horseshoe Meadow
Two Dates: July 13-18, 2024 and July 28-August 2, 2024
6 days
$2300 (+ fees)
Horseshoe Meadow to Horseshoe Meadow
... more info
The Summit Mt. Whitmey trips are run by Rock Creek dba as Mt. Whitney Pack Trains.
More information on the Golden Trout Wilderness
Look here for trip details.
HORSESHOE MEADOW LOOP
7 Days
This trip is operated by Rock Creek Pack Station dba as Mt. Whitney Pack Trains.
July 21-27, 2024
$2100
Start and end at Cottonwood Pack Station
... more info
This trip gives the hiker an opportunity to see some stunning views and some historical artifacts! Watch for the rustic cabins of the historical Little Whitney Cow Camp, see granite peaks surrounding meadows of green and marvel at Mt. Langley. This is a beautiful hike with many options for day trips on layover days.
Day 1: Horseshoe Meadow over Trail Pass to Tunnel Meadows
Day 2:Tunnel Meadows to Little Whitney Meadows
Day 3: Layover at Little Whitney Meadows Camp
Day 4: Little Whitney Meadows to Big Whitney Meadows
Day 5: Big Whitney Meadows to Upper Rock Creek
Day 6: Layover Day ( at Upper Rock Creek Camp) --- Explore the Miter Basin or climb Mt. Langley
Day 7: Upper Rock Creek over Cottonwood Pass to Horseshoe Meadow
A detailed description of the planned itinerary is here.
JOHN MUIR TRAIL NORTHERN SECTION(II), Red's Meadow to Yosemite Valley
Begins at Rock Creek (shuttle provided to Reds Meadow) to Yosemite Valley
HIKING WITH PACK STOCK (Ansel Adams/Yosemite)
9 days
July 27-August 4, 2024
$3500 (+ fees)
... more info
Enjoy traveling along the John Muir Trail without carrying a backpack or eating freeze-dried food. Experience the beauty of countless granite peaks, streams, lakes, forests, and flower-strewn meadows. This 10-day adventure accesses the trail at the Junction at Red's Meadow. You will travel through the heart of the Minarets area, with wonderful views of the Ritter Range and dozens of beautiful lakes and the extraordinary high country of Yosemite National Park as you travel to the northern end of this renowned trail.
A detailed description of the planned itinerary is here. (Start at DAY 7 on the itinerary for details).
JOHN MUIR TRAIL NORTHERN SECTION(I), Rock Creek to Yosemite Valley
Experience the beauty of countless granite peaks, streams, lakes, forests, and flower-strewn meadows.
... more info
HIKING WITH PACK STOCK
15 days
July 31- August 14, 2024
$5600 (+ fees)
Rock Creek to Yosemite Valley
Enjoy traveling along the John Muir Trail without carrying a backpack or eating freeze-dried food.
... more info
This 15-day trip accesses the trail via Mono Pass, following the picturesque canyon of Mono Creek to the John Muir Trail junction. You will pass through the magnificent Ansel Adams Wilderness and the extraordinary high country of Yosemite National Park as you travel to the northern end of this renowned trail.
Look here for trip details.
VIRGINIA LAKES TO TUOLUMNE, HIKING WITH PACK STOCK
You will enter Yosemite from the east side of the Sierra, at Virginia Lakes, to cross the Sierra Crest into Yosemite National Park. Your path will lead you past expansive views, powerful waterfalls, cascading creeks, dense pine forests, and lush meadows as you travel through the granite peaks and glacial valleys of northern Yosemite.
Two of the six days are layover days to allow day trips to Miller Lake, McCabe Lakes, and Waterwheel Falls.
August 4-9, 2024
6 Days
$2300
This trip is operated by Virginia Lakes Pack Outfit.
Experience a section of Yosemite National Park that few visitors see.
... more info
Look here for trip details.
JOHN MUIR TRAIL NORTHERN SECTION, Red's Meadow to Yosemite Valley
Experience the beauty of countless granite peaks, streams, lakes, forests, and flower-strewn meadows. This 10-day adventure accesses the trail at the Junction at Red's Meadow. You will travel through the heart of the Minarets area, with wonderful views of the Ritter Range and dozens of beautiful lakes and the extraordinary high country of Yosemite National Park as you travel to the northern end of this renowned trail.
HIKING WITH PACK STOCK
9 days
August 6-14, 2024
$3500
Begins at Rock Creek (shuttle provided to Reds Meadow) to Yosemite Valley
Enjoy traveling along the John Muir Trail without carrying a backpack or eating freeze-dried food.
... more info
Look here for trip details (start at DAY 7 on the itinerary for details).
HORSESHOE MEADOW TO BISHOP PASS
Layover days allow time
to rest and explore the remote jewels of the Sierra Nevada.
The John Muir Trail
16 days
August 19-September 3, 2024
$6400
Horseshoe Meadow to Bishop Pass
Complete the John Muir Trail from Horseshoe Meadow (near Lone Pine) to Bishop Pass.
... more info
Look here for trip details .
JOHN MUIR/PACIFIC CREST TRAIL HIKE, Horseshoe Meadow to Yosemite Valley
The trail skirts the peaks and high plateaus of the John Muir Wilderness, Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Parks, the Ansel Adams Wilderness and Yosemite.
31 Days
August 19-September 18, 2024
$12000 (+fees)
The Sierra Nevada’s John Muir Trail is probably the finest wilderness route in the world.
... more info
Look here for trip details .
NORTHERN YOSEMITE HIKING WITH PACK STOCK,
Virginia Lakes to Twin Lakes
Day 1: Virginia Lakes to Virginia Canyon
August 19-25, 2024
7 Days
$2700
Please note:This trip will originate at Virginia Lakes.
This trip takes you through a beautiful, remote section of Yosemite National Park.
... more info
Day 2: To Matterhorn Canyon
Day 3: To Smedberg
Day 4: Layover
Day 5: To Benson
Day 6: To Upper Kerrick
Day 7: Out to Twin Lakes
The total distance hiked on six moving days is about 40 miles with a total elevation gain of about 10,000 feet. Pack animals will carry our gear while we enjoy the scenery with only day packs. There are four layover days on the trail plus another two days car camping at Rock Creek for acclimation, which gives a total of 12 days for the entire trip."
For more information, or to register for this trip go to Sierra Club Outings.
EXPLORING THE LAKES OF THE SILVER DIVIDE, John Muir Wilderness (Hike with Pack Stock)
The Sierra Club's description of this trip:
A Sierra Club Outing
Aug 26 – Sep 6, 2024
12 Days
$4,660
Leader: Frank Eldredge
Trip Number: 24063A
Reservations must be made through SIERRA CLUB OUTINGS.
... more info
"On this trip, we will experience superlative High Sierra scenery and have four layover days for additional exploration of some of the lesser-known areas of the John Muir Wilderness. We enter the John Muir Wilderness from Reds Meadow near Mammoth Lakes and follow the Fish Creek drainage to our first camp at Fox Meadow. On the second day, we climb over 3,000 feet (the largest elevation gain of the trip) to reach Lost Keys Lakes, with a possible visit to Iva Bell Hot Springs early in the hike. Our first layover day will allow us to enjoy the three Lost Keys Lakes. Our next destination is Grassy Lake, where will have two layover days to explore the several lakes in the area, such as Olive and Peter Pande. A long day’s hike, about half of which is on the John Muir Trail, brings us near Silver Pass before we descend to upper Fish Creek. Climbing up the creek into the upper basin, we have one layover day to explore this beautiful alpine basin. The next two days are spent hiking over McGee Pass, camping a night at Big McGee Lake, before exiting the wilderness.
NORTHERN YOSEMITE HIKING WITH PACK STOCK, Sawtooth
Look here for trip details.
Operated by Rock Creek Pack Station
Virginia Lakes to Twin Lakes
7 Days
September 1-7, 2024
$2275
Please note:This trip will originate at Virginia Lakes.
This trip takes you through a beautiful, remote section of Yosemite National Park.
... more info
HORSESHOE MEADOW TO ONION VALLEY
We will cover 23 miles following the Pacific Crest Trail over three days to stage at Guitar Lake for the ascent to Mount Whitney. From the top of Mount Whitney, we follow the JMT north enjoying views of the Kaweah Range to the west and the Sierra crest to the east before crossing over Forester Pass, the highest pass on the John Muir Trail. Dropping into a U-shaped valley we will follow Bubbs Creek to Vidette Meadow. We leave the John Muir Trail via Kearsarge Pass to the Onion Valley Trailhead.
September 4-11, 2024
8 Days
$3100
Horseshoe Meadow to Onion Valley
This trip is focused on summiting Mount Whitney, but also takes you through a starkly beautiful area of Sequoia National Park. ... more info
Look here for trip details.
Trips entering Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Parks are subject to a 3% Park Use Fee, in addition to the 3% USFS monitoring fee.
2024
PRIVATE CUSTOM HIKING TRIPS
ALL INCLUSIVE SERVICE
Wilderness permits for our guests are issued from our commercial quota, NOT from the general public quota.
We offer backcountry, mountain travel for the hiker who wants to enjoy the wilderness for longer than his or her back can carry the needed supplies. We prepare your food and our packers break camp and transport your gear to a pre-arranged spot on moving days. Guests may bring 30 lbs. of personal gear (includes sleeping bag) and we provide the tents, toilet, camp chairs, tables, meals and staff for your travel in the wilderness.
Our back yard includes Yosemite National Park, Sequoia National Park, Kings Canyon National Park, Ansel Adams Wilderness, Golden Trout Wilderness, Hoover Wilderness, and the Sierra and Inyo National Forests. We service the Pacific Crest Trail, John Muir Trail, and adjacent areas from as far south as Lone Pine and north to Sonora Pass including, but not limited to, trailheads at Horseshoe Meadow, Onion Valley, South Lake, Rock Creek, Mammoth Lakes, Tuolumne Meadow, Virginia Lakes, and Twin Lakes.
We offer everything from five-day, short-move traveling trips to a month-long trek covering the entire John Muir Trail. Join other hikers on open hiking trips or form your own group for an all-inclusive private custom trip. We work with your interests, capabilities, dietary needs, and schedule to create your ideal wilderness adventure.
We can also connect you with private groups willing to add hikers to their trips.
Call us at (760) 872-8331 or email us to discuss your schedule and preferred itinerary.
Pricing for all-inclusive private custom trip is shown in the table below.
Please note, the following fees are per person: $15.00 monitoring fee, $5 wilderness permit reservation fee, 3% outfitters fee, and 8% regulatory fee. |
|
|---|---|
| 9 to 12 persons | $385 |
| 5 to 8 persons | $425 |
| **Please note that a trip with less than five people, will pay for a minimum of five. For trips in Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Park, there will be a 3% monitoring fee in addition to the USFS fee of 2%. | |
If you would like to have your gear dropped at a campsite, while you hike in, we can accomodate you! Our DUNNAGE option may be exactly what you need. Have a look at the video slide show one of our guests created!
If you would like to include some riders in your group, or you would like to hire stock and a packer, but provide your own food and cook for yourself, please review these options:
All-EXPENSE PACK TRIP and
CONTINUOUS HIRE OF STOCK & PACKER.
Or SPOT TRIPS may interest you.
Here's what one of our repeat-guests has to say about her travels with Rock Creek Pack Station:
"As a former backpacker, it embarrassed me at first to have to rely on pack animals to carry my gear, but my joints wouldn't allow me the pride of
independence. What I found, though, is the crews have a love for the mountain that equals my own and they take much better care of the
environment than any backpacker I've hiked with. All trash packed out, deep pits are dug for the latrines, the ashes from fire are buried, and the pine
needles are scattered so there is no evidence we were there. They truly left only footprints behind." --G. H., CALIFORNIA, 2005
Here is a description of hiking with pack stock from a frequent guest:
The smell of fresh coffee on a wood fired stove; the muffled sound of mules munching their morning grain;
quiet words of reassurance as the packers groom and tack the stock in preparation for the day's move.
That is the alarm clock that awakens you to a new morning of hiking with pack stock.
You pack up your duffle and take down your tent between sips of fresh hot coffee (or tea/cocoa)...more
You can email us, also.
Rock Creek Pack Station, Inc operates under permit on the Inyo National Forest.
All Trail Rides and Packing Schools are subject to an 8% regulatory reservation fee, plus 2% USFS fee.
Horse Drives are are subject to an 8% regulatory reservation fee, plus 3% USFS fee.
Mustang Trips are are subject to a 3% USFS fee.
Trips traveling in the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are subject to an additional 3% park use fee.
NOTICE: “In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, and reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.)
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible State or local Agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information is also available in languages other than English.
To file a complaint alleging discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027 , found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html , or at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provided in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (a) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (b) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (c) email:program.intake@usda.gov.”
“USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.”
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