Cottonwood Pack Station

HIKE 2025
Per California Senate Bill 478 (SB 478), also known as the Hidden Fees Statute pricing on this page has been updated to include fees.

We offer supported hiking trips. Whether you want to climb Mt Whitney from the west side, or traverse the entire John Muir Trail, we offer fully outfitted trips for hikers. Meals are prepared and camp is ready. You carry only a day pack.

You hike and enjoy the trip, we will take care of the rest!

We offer dunnage/cache drops ( transport your gear to/from a point you specify) and spot trips (transport you AND your gear by horse/mule to/from a campsite), as well

Our scheduled Trips for all four of our pack stations (Cottonwood, Virginia Lakes, Mt. Whitney Pack Trains and Rock Creek) are listed on the Rock Creek Pack Station website.

SCHEDULED HIKING TRIPS

SUMMIT MOUNT WHITNEY

Dates:
July 1-6, 2025
July 12-17, 2025
July 26-31, 2025
6 days
$2750 including fees
Horseshoe Meadows to Horseshoe Meadows
Layover days allow time to summit Mt. Whitney. Look here for trip details.

HORSESHOE MEADOWS LOOP
July 13-19, 2025
7 Days
$2500 including fees
Start and end at Cottonwood Pack Station
An opportunity to see some stunning views and historical artifacts! Many options for hikes on layover days.
Look here for trip details.

HORSESHOE MEADOW TO BISHOP PASS
The John Muir Trail
16 days
August 9-24, 2025
$7250 including fees
Horseshoe Meadow to Bishop Pass
Complete the John Muir Trail from Horseshoe Meadow (near Lone Pine) to Bishop Pass. Layover days allow time to rest and explore the remote jewels of the Sierra Nevada.
Look here for trip details .

JOHN MUIR/PACIFIC CREST TRAIL HIKE, Horseshoe Meadow to Yosemite Valley
31 Days
August 9-September 8, 2025
$13,500 including fees
The Sierra Nevada's John Muir Trail is probably the finest wilderness route in the world. The trail skirts the peaks and high plateaus of the John Muir Wilderness, Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Parks, the Ansel Adams Wilderness and Yosemite.
Look here for trip details .

CUSTOM HIKING TRIPS 2024

We can help you create a personal route, custom menu and ideal wilderness adventure.
We also have several private groups willing to add hikers to their private trips that cover the John Muir Trail in Kings Canyon National Park. This is 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 packers break camp and move the gear to a pre-arranged spot each day. 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. Join other hikers on open hiking trips or form your own group for an all-inclusive private custom trip. We provide sample menus and itineraries for your approval.

Call us at (760) 872-8331or email us to discuss your schedule and preferred itinerary.

Let us put together an custom hiking trip that fits your schedule and interests, and allows you to meet and hike with others. If you have a particular section of the John Muir Trail that you want to hike…please let us know. We offer private trips from the Onion Valley and Bishop Pass trailheads.

If you don't have the time or desire to hike the entire JMT in one trip can provide all inclusive custom trips that cover segments. Cottonwood to Onion Valley, Onion Valley to Bishop Pass, Bishop Pass to Red’s Meadow or Red’s Meadow to Yosemite are segments available to you. The Halfmile's PCT Maps offer a free map of the John Muir Trail. Look at the "California Section H" map. It covers Cottonwood to Tuolumne.

Pricing for all-inclusive private custom trip is shown in the table, below.

Per person per day 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

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