Hite Cove Trail

[balzaccom]

Has anyone taken this trail, off the Merced River entrance? We're thinking of it as a backpacking destination in a couple of weeks...

[AlmostThere]

It's a nice wildflower hike in spring. The poppies were crazy good last year. We usually day hike it.

The trail keeps going, don't know where, but the scenery other than the flowers and the mining equipment rusting away back there is not spectacular.

You'll need to get the permit from Sierra NF since it's outside the park.

[bill-e-g]

Never even thought of backpacking this... interesting idea.
You can get there from Yosemite West too.
Almost, do you know the best time to go 140 with the poppies
at their peak? Mid-April? Early-May?
I've promised the wife we would do Hite Cove this yr. for sure.

[AlmostThere]

It's hard to say - I am thinking of heading up in April myself. When it starts to get warm, it's a hot hike and there's poison oak practically in the trail.

don't step on the newts!

[AlmostThere]

Just did this today - poppies are glorious. Not as good as last year, but gorgeous and the weather was very good.

They close the trail in summer due to fire danger but it would be a good time to go right now. Careful if you go in the water, it is running deep and very fast, and very cold!

[bill-e-g]

Thanks for the update.

[balzaccom]

We must have just missed you, ALmost!

This past weekend we couldn't stay indoors another day, so we headed out on Friday morning to the HIte Coe trail in the SIerra National Forest. We'd read about this trail, because it's famous for its wildflowers. But it's also only about 1800 feet in elevation, so we were sure we wouldn't get snowed in!

The trail leaves from Savage's Trading Post off Highway 140, between Mariposa and Yosemite, which is just past the one-lane section they still haven't completely fixed after the big rock slide. After maybe 100 yards of climbing to get up on the slope, the trail follows the South Fork of the Merced River about 4.5 miles into an old mining camp on the river. There are some nice views up and down the river, and during fishing season this must be more fun--the river has some beautiful pools.

But the real spectacle was the wildflowers. Unbelieveable concentrations of poppies, sometimes looking like bright orange frosting layered over the rocks. And not just poppies--we didn't bring our wildflower book, so can't list them all, be we counted at least ten different kinds of flowers...and on the way out, more than 40 California newts, all looking for love on the trail.

We hiked this on Friday, so we missed most of the heaving traffic. We saw about ten people as we hiked in--and they were all on their way out. We had the campsite and old mining equipment to ourselves for the evening. And on the way out, we saw crowds heading up the trail...but by that time we were on our way home...and into Yosemite for a little sight-seeing in the spring.

The photos don't do the hike justice. Simply stunning! Here's a link to the photos:

http://picasaweb.google.com/balzaccom/HIteCove2010#

[AlmostThere]

I noticed the flowers were more stunning in the afternoon than in the morning. Should have taken my fishing pole, too.

I've never camped back there but was counting the fire rings - one of the group was explaining that people frequently squat back there when the trail's closed in summer.

[Grt_Ape]

This is one of those trails I want to hike eventually. I have friends that hike this trial annually and rave about the wildflowers.

I've only ever made it down to Hite Cove via the 4wd road out of Jerseydale.

[DTOlness]

Where can you park a vehicle?

I drove past Savage trading post yesterday after reading about this trail.
I noticed a road that slopes up right next to the post and saw the Hite Cove sign.

I loved the pictures you posted. Looks like a really neat trail.

[AlmostThere]

You park in the wide pullout across the road from the trading post between the signs. The trailhead is up that steep road to the right.

[Hikin Mike]

Where can you park a vehicle?

I drove past Savage trading post yesterday after reading about this trail.
I noticed a road that slopes up right next to the post and saw the Hite Cove sign.

I loved the pictures you posted. Looks like a really neat trail.

I've wondered about that too. Thanks for the info.


I've always wanted to hike to Hite's Cove. My wife and I camped along the river "someplace" years ago. Can't remember but we parked at a dead-end forest road and hiked DOWN to the river. We wanted to hike to Hite's Cove but we didn't know how far and we turned back. That must have been 15 years ago...

[balzaccom]

It's maybe fifty yards up that steep driveway out of Savage's Trading post, then a hard right turn onto the trail. THere are a few steep places, but this is an easy trail, a low elevation.

[sierranomad]

Interesting. It sounds like the poppies were peak in mid-late March. The poppies around where I live (Gold Country) are peeking just now, and we are at about the same elevation.

They must be pretty much gone by now?