SUMMIT MOUNT WHITNEY Horseshoe Meadow to Horseshoe Meadow 6 days Three Dates: July 1-6, 2025 July 12-17, 2025 July 26-31, 2025 $2750 including fees ... more info Guests may camp out at Cottonwood Pack Station the night before the trip. We will provide a hiking Guide. The Summit Mt. Whitmey trips are run by Rock Creek dba as Mt. Whitney Pack Trains. More information on the Golden Trout Wilderness Look here for trip details. HORSESHOE MEADOW LOOP 7 Days July 13-19, 2025 $2500 including fees Start and end at Cottonwood Pack Station ... more info This trip is operated by Rock Creek Pack Station dba as Mt. Whitney Pack Trains. This trip gives the hiker an opportunity to see some stunning views and some historical artifacts! Watch for the rustic cabins of the historical Little Whitney Cow Camp, see granite peaks surrounding meadows of green and marvel at Mt. Langley. This is a beautiful hike with many options for day trips on layover days. Day 1: Horseshoe Meadow over Trail Pass to Tunnel Meadows Day 2:Tunnel Meadows to Little Whitney Meadows Day 3: Layover at Little Whitney Meadows Camp Day 4: Little Whitney Meadows to Big Whitney Meadows Day 5: Big Whitney Meadows to Upper Rock Creek Day 6: Layover Day ( at Upper Rock Creek Camp) --- Explore the Miter Basin or climb Mt. Langley Day 7: Upper Rock Creek over Cottonwood Pass to Horseshoe Meadow A detailed description of the planned itinerary is here. JOHN MUIR TRAIL NORTH, Rock Creek to Yosemite Valley HIKING WITH PACK STOCK 15 days August 2-16, 2025 $6235 including fees Rock Creek to Yosemite Valley Enjoy traveling along the John Muir Trail without carrying a backpack or eating freeze-dried food. ... more info Experience the beauty of countless granite peaks, streams, lakes, forests, and flower-strewn meadows. ... more info This 15-day trip accesses the trail via Mono Pass, following the picturesque canyon of Mono Creek to the John Muir Trail junction. You will pass through the magnificent Ansel Adams Wilderness and the extraordinary high country of Yosemite National Park as you travel to the northern end of this renowned trail. Look here for trip details. JOHN MUIR TRAIL NORTH, Rock Creek to Red's Meadow HIKING WITH PACK STOCK 7 days August 2-8, 2025 $2800 including fees Rock Creek to Red's Meadow Enjoy traveling along the John Muir Trail without carrying a backpack or eating freeze-dried food. ... more info Experience the beauty of countless granite peaks, streams, lakes, forests, and flower-strewn meadows. ... more info This 7-day trip accesses the trail via Mono Pass, following the picturesque canyon of Mono Creek to the John Muir Trail junction. A shuttle vehicle will pick you upo at Red'a Meadow and transport you back to Rock Creek Pack station on the last day. Look here for trip details.(note that the trip will come out at Red's meadow on the 7th day. JOHN MUIR TRAIL NORTH, Red's Meadow to Yosemite Valley HIKING WITH PACK STOCK (Ansel Adams/Yosemite) 9 days August 8-16, 2025 $3900 including fees ... more info Begins at Rock Creek (shuttle provided to Reds Meadow) to Yosemite Valley Enjoy traveling along the John Muir Trail without carrying a backpack or eating freeze-dried food. Experience the beauty of countless granite peaks, streams, lakes, forests, and flower-strewn meadows. This 10-day adventure accesses the trail at the Junction at Red's Meadow. You will travel through the heart of the Minarets area, with wonderful views of the Ritter Range and dozens of beautiful lakes and the extraordinary high country of Yosemite National Park as you travel to the northern end of this renowned trail. A detailed description of the planned itinerary is here. (Start at DAY 7 on the itinerary for details). VIRGINIA LAKES TO TUOLUMNE, HIKING WITH PACK STOCK 5 Days July 19-23, 2025 $1985 including fees This trip is operated by Virginia Lakes Pack Outfit. Experience a section of Yosemite National Park that few visitors see. ... more info You will enter Yosemite from the east side of the Sierra, at Virginia Lakes, to cross the Sierra Crest into Yosemite National Park. Your path will lead you past expansive views, powerful waterfalls, cascading creeks, dense pine forests, and lush meadows as you travel through the granite peaks and glacial valleys of northern Yosemite. Two of the six days are layover days to allow day trips to Miller Lake, McCabe Lakes, and Waterwheel Falls. Look here for trip details. HORSESHOE MEADOW TO BISHOP PASS The John Muir Trail 16 days August 9-24, 2025 $7250 including fees Horseshoe Meadow to Bishop Pass Complete the John Muir Trail from Horseshoe Meadow (near Lone Pine) to Bishop Pass. ... more info Layover days allow time to rest and explore the remote jewels of the Sierra Nevada. Look here for trip details . JOHN MUIR/PACIFIC CREST TRAIL HIKE, Horseshoe Meadow to Yosemite Valley 31 Days August 9-September 8, 2025 $13,500 including fees The Sierra Nevada?s John Muir Trail is probably the finest wilderness route in the world. ... more info The trail skirts the peaks and high plateaus of the John Muir Wilderness, Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Parks, the Ansel Adams Wilderness and Yosemite. Look here for trip details . NORTHERN YOSEMITE HIKING WITH PACK STOCK, Virginia Lakes to Twin Lakes 7 Days August 3-9, 2025 $3050 including fees Please note:This trip will originate at Virginia Lakes. Hike through the secluded and less traveled wilderness in Yosemite National Park. ... more info Enter at Virginia Lakes to visit Matterhorn Canyon, Smedberg and Benson Lakes. Enjoy a section of the Pacific Crest Trail with breathtaking views of granite peaks, cascading creeks and lush meadows. Enjoy campfires, good food and comfortable camps with others that enjoy this spectacular backcountry. Look here for trip details . NORTHERN YOSEMITE HIKING WITH PACK STOCK, SAWTOOTH RIDGE Operated by Rock Creek Pack Station Virginia Lakes to Twin Lakes 7 Days August 16-22, 2025 and September 6-12, 2025 $2750 including fees Please note:This trip will originate at Virginia Lakes. This trip takes you through a beautiful, remote section of Yosemite National Park. ... more info Look here for trip details.

Wilderness permits for our guests are issued from our commercial quota, NOT from the general public quota.

We offer backcountry, mountain travel for the hiker who wants to enjoy the wilderness for longer than his or her back can carry the needed supplies. We prepare your food and our packers break camp and transport your gear to a pre-arranged spot on moving days. Guests may bring 30 lbs. of personal gear (includes sleeping bag) and we provide the tents, toilet, camp chairs, tables, meals and staff for your travel in the wilderness.

Our back yard includes Yosemite National Park, Sequoia National Park, Kings Canyon National Park, Ansel Adams Wilderness, Golden Trout Wilderness, Hoover Wilderness, and the Sierra and Inyo National Forests. We service the Pacific Crest Trail, John Muir Trail, and adjacent areas from as far south as Lone Pine and north to Sonora Pass including, but not limited to, trailheads at Horseshoe Meadow, Onion Valley, South Lake, Rock Creek, Mammoth Lakes, Tuolumne Meadow, Virginia Lakes, and Twin Lakes.

We offer everything from five-day, short-move traveling trips to a month-long trek covering the entire John Muir Trail. Join other hikers on open hiking trips or form your own group for an all-inclusive private custom trip. We work with your interests, capabilities, dietary needs, and schedule to create your ideal wilderness adventure.

We can also connect you with private groups willing to add hikers to their trips.

Call us at (760) 872-8331 or email us to discuss your schedule and preferred itinerary.

If you would like to have your gear dropped at a campsite, while you hike in, we can accomodate you! Our DUNNAGE option may be exactly what you need. Have a look at the video slide show one of our guests created!

If you would like to include some riders in your group, or you would like to hire stock and a packer, but provide your own food and cook for yourself, please review these options: All-EXPENSE PACK TRIP and CONTINUOUS HIRE OF STOCK & PACKER.

Or SPOT TRIPS may interest you.

Here's what one of our repeat-guests has to say about her travels with Rock Creek Pack Station: "As a former backpacker, it embarrassed me at first to have to rely on pack animals to carry my gear, but my joints wouldn't allow me the pride of independence. What I found, though, is the crews have a love for the mountain that equals my own and they take much better care of the environment than any backpacker I've hiked with. All trash packed out, deep pits are dug for the latrines, the ashes from fire are buried, and the pine needles are scattered so there is no evidence we were there. They truly left only footprints behind." --G. H., CALIFORNIA, 2005

Here is a description of hiking with pack stock from a frequent guest:
The smell of fresh coffee on a wood fired stove; the muffled sound of mules munching their morning grain; quiet words of reassurance as the packers groom and tack the stock in preparation for the day's move. That is the alarm clock that awakens you to a new morning of hiking with pack stock. You pack up your duffle and take down your tent between sips of fresh hot coffee (or tea/cocoa)...more