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Hike

Upper Kern Canyon

Inside Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
1,968 ft of climbing

9.3 mi out & back, trail only · 1,968 ft gain · 10,691 ft high point · Hard

Reached from Whitney Portal Trailhead, 17.4 mi each way

In Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks · California · National Park Service

About Elevation Map Camp near here More hikes

About this hike

Upper Kern Canyon is a 9.3 mile out and back hike in Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks.

Elevation

1,968 ft of gain round trip.

Camp near here

The closest places to sleep, measured from the trailhead.

See all on the map

0.6 mi from the trailhead
Whitney Portal
Campground · California

More hikes nearby

Ranked the same way, within twenty-five miles.

24 mi from you
Alta Peak
- Summits Alta Peak
- Inside Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
- 4,158 ft of climbing
12.8 mi out & back · 4,158 ft gain · Very hard
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks · Camp under a mile away

Out: 1,890 ft up, returns the same way. Source: USGS 3DEP.

Map

The route at the trailhead. Drag with two fingers, or hold a key to zoom.

Trail data: USFS, NPS, © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Elevation: USGS 3DEP via Mapzen terrain tiles. Nearby reading: Wikipedia. Download the trail and feature data.

At a glance

Length: 9.3 mi, trail only
Shape: Out & back
Gain: 1,968 ft round trip
High point: 10,691 ft
Low point: 8,831 ft
Difficulty: HardFrom 9.3 mi and 1,968 ft of climbing
Managed by: National Park Service
State: California
Camps within 15 mi: 6
Trailhead: 36.5873° N · 118.2402° W

Get directions Open the map

3.2 mi from the trailhead

Lone Pine

Campground · California

6.5 mi from the trailhead

Tuttle Creek Campground

Campground

3 mi from you

Trail Crest

Ends at Trail Crest
Inside Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
7,631 ft of climbing

11.9 mi out & back · 7,631 ft gain · Very hard

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks · Camp under a mile away

Glen Pass South

Ends at Glen Pass
Inside Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
5,896 ft of climbing

18.7 mi out & back · 5,896 ft gain · Very hard

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks · Camp under a mile away

Mount Whitney Mountaineer's Route

Summits Mount Whitney
Inside Inyo National Forest
6,552 ft of climbing

9.2 mi out & back · 6,552 ft gain · Very hard

Inyo National Forest · Camp under a mile away

Mount Whitney

Ends at a waterfall
Inside John Muir Wilderness
7,274 ft of climbing

21.1 mi out & back · 7,274 ft gain · Very hard

John Muir Wilderness · Camp 4 mi away

Farewell Gap

Ends at Farewell Gap
Inside Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
3,121 ft of climbing

10.0 mi out & back · 3,121 ft gain · Very hard

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks · Camp 1 mi away

More like this

Hikes that read like this one, wherever they are.

Kern Canyon
- Passes Kern Hot Spring
- Inside Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
- 1,909 ft of climbing
18.7 mi out & back · 1,909 ft gain · Very hard
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks · Camp 10 mi away
Lower Kern
- Near Tower Rock
- Inside Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
- 1,449 ft of climbing
17.6 mi out & back · 1,449 ft gain · Very hard
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks · Camp 14 mi away
Kern River Upper
- Near Seven Teacups
- Inside Sequoia National Forest
- 1,492 ft of climbing
9.6 mi out & back · 1,492 ft gain · Hard
Sequoia National Forest · Camp 4 mi away
Upper Middle Fork Kings
- Passes a waterfall
- Inside Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
- 3,153 ft of climbing
15.8 mi out & back · 3,153 ft gain · Very hard
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks · Camp 9 mi away

Weather

7-day forecast

Mon47°31°Mostly Sunny
Tue46°31°Sunny
Wed48°29°Sunny
Thu43°26°Sunny
Fri38°26°Mostly Sunny
Sat39°26°Slight Chance Snow Showers
Sun36°Chance Snow Showers

Mon: Mostly Sunny · wind 1 to 7 mph SW

National Weather Service · refreshed hourly

Signal

Cell coverage here

VerizonLTE · Fair
AT&TNo signal

FCC coverage data · signal varies in remote terrain