Best trails in White Mountains Wilderness, California

Users have reported that the road leading to the trailhead is very rough. 2WD vehicles without ground clearance may not be able to get to this trailhead.Show more

Amazing views of the Sierras and White Mountain. It is a short 6 miler with relatively minimal elevation gain at altitude. It involves some easy off-trail scrambling and a peak with nearly unsurpassed views in all of the White Mountains. You get incredible vistas of White Mountain and the Sierras, plus you have to hike a bit off-trail to reach the 13,040' summit. It takes you only 3/4 of a mile off the main trail/road to the top.Show more

This is a difficult trail from Black Eagle Camp of the Champion Spark Plug Mine. The Champion Spark Plug mine is also known as the Jeffrey Mine. As of 2020, several switchbacks on the East side of the original trail have been washed away by very loose talus accumulations. This necessitates a bypass from mile 0.9 to 1.0 that consists of a scramble up some loose rocks. It is probably unsafe, and there may be a better bypass somewhere else, but this trail shows the route I chose. Please assess your own safety and risk tolerance before and during this hike. At the end of this trail is a building built on the side of a cliff, as well as some mines, and tunnels through the mountainside. Getting to the trail: It starts out as double track, but eventually transitions to single track. Once you see the old mining camp buildings, you have reached Black Eagle Camp (the trailhead for this trail). The cabins are dirty, but come with beds, blankets, and stoves, and there are two outhouses. There is a stream, and several water filters stored in the mining town. If you brought propane, you can cook, and there are a couple of outhouses. Please leave it nicer than you found it.Show more