California · Hiking

Packsaddle

PacksaddlePhoto: inkknife_2000 (7.5 million views +), CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
4.6 mi
round trip
1,217 ft
climb
4,524 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Feb–Jun, Sep–Nov
best months

Caution today

Agency alerts are in effect for this area; weather is good · USFS, OpenWeather · checked 5 h ago

Is Packsaddle open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Sequoia National Forest. It doesn't name Packsaddle, so check the source for the area it covers (2 listed).

As of · Source: USFS · Sequoia National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Packsaddle is a 4.6-mile out-and-back hike on natural surface in the Kern River Ranger District of Sequoia National Forest in California. It rises about 1,200 feet from a low point of 3,610 feet to a high point of 4,524 feet, and it is a moderate route. The Forest Service manages the land. Bikes are allowed, and the trail is not accessible. For timing, the most comfortable stretch runs from late spring through early fall. Typical averages from the Glennville weather station, about 18 miles away, show May highs near 72°F and September highs near 84°F. That station sits well below the trail, so temperatures on the climb run cooler. Fairview Campground is just 0.2 miles away, and Whiskey Flat and Tobias Creek are both within a mile. Calkins Flats Dispersed Camping Area is 0.8 miles off.