Areas/Routes Sequoia NF (from L.A.)

[jmorin41]

I am hoping to get out wit the family this weekend on an last minute overnight in Sequoia NF. The area is so big I don't know where to start with a plan in Gaia. Can anyone suggest some trails with an overnight area? Some additional details below:

I'd be going South to North (from Los Angeles area).
I would like to enter from Kern River or even off the 395 from Nine Mile Canyon Rd (J41). I can go the 395 as far up as maybe Lone Pine and then head west into the NF based on time.
I like the primitive campsites (disbursed stuff). I'm sure reserved are taken. I'll be leaving Friday morning so I assume that most establish campgrounds first-come-first-serve will be taken.
MVUM related trails/road should be easy-intermediate as I'm build my families confidence in getting out with me.

Any ideas you have would be greatly appreciated!

 

[socal66]

I am hoping to get out wit the family this weekend on an last minute overnight in Sequoia NF. The area is so big I don't know where to start with a plan in Gaia. Can anyone suggest some trails with an overnight area? Some additional details below:

I'd be going South to North (from Los Angeles area).
I would like to enter from Kern River or even off the 395 from Nine Mile Canyon Rd (J41). I can go the 395 as far up as maybe Lone Pine and then head west into the NF based on time.
I like the primitive campsites (disbursed stuff). I'm sure reserved are taken. I'll be leaving Friday morning so I assume that most establish campgrounds first-come-first-serve will be taken.
MVUM related trails/road should be easy-intermediate as I'm build my families confidence in getting out with me.

Any ideas you have would be greatly appreciated!

I have been wanting to do the same the past few weekends however the backcountry in the eastern sierras have reportedly been packed with people wanting to get out but social distance and most established campgrounds still closed or fully booked. Many dispersed sites have been overwhelmed by multiple groups seeking the same site they found on the Internet. If by Friday you mean this Friday on July 4th weekend I think that will also add a whole other level to the madness. May not be a good first experience for some.

 

[jmorin41]

Going up this last minute is difficult. Especially getting up there on Friday lowers our odds of finding a spot. I'm going to pack to stay in case we find something, but we might end up just going up to explore and coming back the same day. I'm going to head up the 395 and go west on Nine Mile Cny Rd. From there I am just going to have Gaia open with layer (like MVUM) and just see where the road takes us!

 

[socal66]

Let us know how things go. If you can find a good spot this weekend perhaps things aren’t as bad as I have been made to understand.

 

[jmorin41]

Let us know how things go. If you can find a good spot this weekend perhaps things aren’t as bad as I have been made to understand.

Last weekend I ended up going a different route. I was concerned about assess/finding a site to camp and the general amount of people. Instead of heading to the area of Sequoia above Lake Isabella to Kennedy Meadow, we ended up going south of the lake. There is a patch of Sequoia that covers the Piute Mountains. We headed up from the San Fernando Valley driving north past Tejon and then east to Arvin and then continuing east through Caliente to the 501 (Piute Mountain Road). We camped the first night at Brown Meadow. I've hunted during deer season in that area previously. During deer season it always packed. In the off-season, I've never seen it busy. Not many people at all in the general area with us. In and around the meadow dispersed campsites there were two other small family groups. Did some hiking and drove some of the service roads and didn't bump into another soul. There is large rock formation that use to have a tower a couple mountains over that we drove to and hung out at. Ended up making camp near there the second night. Overall, it was a nice weekend. It was hotter than the mountain forecast showed for the elevation (7,600 ft). I'm looking forward to getting up to the upper area of Sequoia later this month!