Blaney Meadow Backpack
2004 Trip
Trail Location and info: The trailhead is at Florence Lake in the
Sierra National Forest. You can get there by taking 168 from Fresno up to
Huntington Lake and turn right on to Kaiser Pass Road. You go over Kaiser Pass
and see the high peaks of the Sierras. It is very beautiful in early spring
with the snow covered peaks. You will soon get to a fork where one road goes
to Lake Edison and the other to Florence Lake. After you get to Florence Lake
you can take the ferry across, which I recommend, or you can take the
trail around the lake. If you take the trail around the lake you quickly get
above the lake and go up a little a long then way, then you go back down just
before you get to the South Fork San Joaquin River. You cross over the
beautiful river on a bridge and then continue on your way. Shortly after the
river is where the ferry comes in. You save about 4 miles if you take the
ferry. You go up a little ways and then go down shortly before the springs.
There are a few meadows along the way. After you get there and set up camp the
hot spring is next to the Muir Trail Ranch fence. Cross the river and then
follow the fence and you should easily find the spring (However both times
I've gone, we didn't find it very easily). The trail doesn't end at the
springs. It meets up with the Pacific Crest Trail and John Muir Trail and
continues for many miles. You can also continue up to Evolution Valley, Hell
for Sure Pass, Mt Goddard, even eventually Mt Whitney. A few years before this
trip I went on a trip from Courtright Reservoir to Florence Lake via Hell for
Sure Pass, click here to read about that trail.
Links:
Topo Map, Muir
Trail Ranch,
Florence Lake,
Kaiser Pass Road Survival Tips