Chose the High Sierra Trail over the John Muir Trail for my first solo thru-hike, still second guessing it

Alice Singh · 2026-09-25T09:35:03.481756+00:00

Last August I had 9 days off work and had to pick between the High Sierra Trail out of Sequoia or the first 100 miles of the John Muir Trail. I went with the HST because permits were easier and the 72 mile point to point felt doable, and the descent into Kern Canyon was unreal. But then I hit the climb out of the canyon in 95 degree heat and ran out of water with 4 miles left. The JMT folks I ran into at Whitney Portal said the trail was packed but the water sources were more spread out. Which one would you pick for a first solo trip, the shorter permit friendly route or the longer famous one?

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Chose the High Sierra Trail over the John Muir Trail for my first solo thru-hike, still second guessing it | Backpacking Routes - Opinions Matter