Re: Distance from Tuolumne Meadows Lodge to Red's Meadow

I'm planning a hike in July from Red's Meadow in Mammoth to Touloumne Lodge. I will stay overnight there in a tent cabin (already have a reservation), and then hike back the next day. I have the topo map and to me, it looks like 24.6 miles, but I have another guidebook as well as a few Internet sites saying it will be 30.4 miles. Can anyone give me the definitive answer? Thanks.

The real answer is, depends on which trails you take. There are a lot of trails to choose from. PCT, JMT, any number of other branches and side trips. You can drop down to Agnew and hike the trail down to Reds, increasing the distance. You can stay on the JMT. You can veer off to the PCT for a ways.

I've done all four routes through there. From Reds going north you can chose PCT to High Trail to JMT, PCT to River Trail to JMT, JMT all the way , or Shadow of the Minarets Trail (through Minaret-Cecile--Iceberg- Ediza-Shadow to JMT)

The only time we did a one day was southbound Tuolumne via JMT to TI, then over to High Trail/PCT. (That did not get us all the way to Reds, and I thought it was 29 miles). Took 14 hrs for us. Using River Trail I think is shorter but you lose the scenery down low and eat more dust. Longest would be using Shadow of the Minarets so that would make a very,very long day, and if its a big snow year you'd be in a dicey place between Cecile and Iceberg.

JMT - I'd call it 30

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