Highlights of Ansel Adams Wilderness
Ansel Adams Wilderness contains some of the most beautiful alpine lakes in the Sierra Nevada region so it is not surprising that many of the most magnificent views in this park are that of these lakes!
- Garnet Lake
- Shadow Lake
- Thousand Island Lake
- Minaret Lake
- Devils Postpile Monument
Necessary Gear
In addition to standard backpacking gear that should be brought on every trip, you should also ensure you bring bear canisters to properly store your odorous items. If you want to learn more about storing your food read our article “How To Store Food While Backpacking”. Also, it would be a great idea to pack bug nets or mosquito repellent as this area can get extremely buggy, especially during the summer months.
Permits:
Permits are required for all overnight stays in Ansel Adams Wilderness. Permits are priced starting with a $6.00 fee then an additional $5.00 per a person on the itinerary, length of trip does not effect permit price. There are two different ways of reserving your permits.
- Advanced Reservations: These reservations may be made up to 6 months in advance for your trip at recreation.gov just be aware that the campsites may come up under Inyo National Forest rather than Ansel Adams Wilderness. 60% of all permits may be made through advance reservations.
- The remaining 40% of wilderness permits will be made available at recreation.gov 2 weeks prior to the trip.
IMPORTANT*** Remember that regardless of how you book your permits you must check-in via phone, email or in-person prior to the no show deadline (10am on the start of your trip). More details on the check-in process can be fount on the USDA Inyo National Forest page here!
Backpacking Itineraries:
Here are some pre-made backpacking itineraries to help you in planning your trip. I recommend taking a close look at the mileage and elevation gain to make sure the hike is doable for you and your group. If one of these hikes seems like it might be too much mileage or elevation gain look over it with a trail map to work out a variation that would work for you!
