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Emigrant/ MCCT Trail (Emigrant West Trailhead)

Emigrant Trail/ Mokelumne Coast to Crest (MCCT) Trail from the Emigrant Trail - West Trailhead

The Emigrant Trail (19E01) is a portion of a historic pioneer route. This trailhead is at the west end of the trail; the east end is at the Mosquito Lakes Trailhead. See General Notes on this page for access points in between. The trail generally runs parallel to Highway 4. Trail difficulty is moderate. Distance one-way is nine miles.

Lat/Long: 38.467555, -120.031247

The Emigrant Trail is part of the Mokelumne Coast to Crest Trail (MCCT). Please visit the Mokelumne Coast to Crest Trail website for more information and a map of the trail.

General Information

Other Emigrant Trail access points from west to east are:

1) The west end of Lake Alpine at the Slick Rock Jeep Trail (7N17) and the west end of the Lakeshore Trail.
2) The east end of Lake Alpine at the Lakeshore Trail/Inspiration Point Trailhead and the Silver Valley Trailhead.
3) Cape Horn
4) Stanislaus Meadow Trailhead
5) Mosquito Lakes Trailhead

This trail passes through the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness between Cape Horn and the Stanislaus Meadow Trailhead; a wilderness permit is required for overnight visits to the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness.

Overnight camping in the Lake Alpine Recreation Area is only allowed in designated campsites; a fee is charged for these campsites.

Getting There

Directions

From the Calaveras Ranger Station in Hathaway Pines, CA, travel 31.2 miles east on Highway 4. The trailhead is one mile east of Bear Valley Village at a roadside turnout on the right side of Highway 4 and on the east side of Bloods Creek. It is marked with a wooden sign, not very visible from the highway. The turnout is accessible to all highway-legal vehicles and is native surface.

Lat/Long: 38.467555, -120.031247