Horseshoe Meadow Campground

While the Horseshoe Meadows area is incredibly beautiful and has trailheads for some of the major hikes in the area, the actual campground is confusing and poorly laid out. Horseshoe Meadows campground, not to be confused with Cottonwood Campground which is a mile to the north, is a walk in campground that is $6.00/night and the sites are difficult to distinguish from each other especially at night. The bathrooms have pit toilets and are well stocked with toilet paper but have no running water. If you hike South of the campground you can see the actual horseshoe meadows. On the west side of the campground is the Trailhead that will take you to Cottonwood Pass and the PCT.

On top of the world at this campground! I've given PCT hikers rides up an back a few times but haven't camped there yet. Hope to one day. Large parking area with easy maneuverability for even a large RV. Pines, fresh air and a lot cooler than Lone Pine which is my favorite desert town on 395. Don't miss seeing and/or camping down in the Alabama Hills too. Just the most incredible scenery! I ate at the Merry-Go-Round, good food and friendly staff.

Absolutely a must hike. Starting from Horseshoe Meadows, Cottonwood Pass is the gateway to the northern part of Golden Trout Wilderness and provides access to the Pacific Crest Trail. Small streams meander through tree-rimmed meadows in this wilderness area named for California's state fish, the Golden Trout. Options for loop trips of various lengths branch out from Big Whitney Meadow. Following the Pacific Crest Trail north into Sequoia National Park leads to Crabtree Meadows and the headwaters of the Kern River. Moderate hike to Cottonwood lakes but Ever so beautiful!! Don’t miss it.

I first camped at Horseshoe Meadows a few years ago when I was doing some hiking on the PCT and JMT. At that time, I appreciated the darkness of the nighttime skies but had no real camera gear with me in order to take pictures. During the summer of 2018, while wrapping up an epic road trip through the American west, I was determined to get back to the southern Sierra to camp here yet again, this time with full photo gear. I was only able to stay for a single night, but with the help of some of my adjacent campground neighbors, I was able to snap a couple of quick pics to document the beautiful summer night skies. This photo was taken on 9/7/2018. Thanks to my LA-based "models" for this shot, who agreed to stand motionless for the 25 second duration of the shot. Horseshoe Meadows is not the

Great easy hike at elevation with beautiful views.