The John Muir Trail (JMT), named after Scottish-American naturalist John Muir, is a long-distance trail in the Sierra Nevada mountain range of California, passing through Yosemite, Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks. The trail which passes through large areas of alpine and high mountain landscape, is almost entirely at 8000 feet and above in elevation and is located within designated wilderness for most of its route and.

The John Muir Trail received nearly 1500 thru-hiking attempts ever year and is described as America&prim;e most famous trail.

Construction of the modern JMT began in 1915, about one year after Muir′s death, when the California legislature together with then Governor Hiram Johnson appropriated $10,000. The route was selected, much of which traversed the United States National Forests and the building of the trail began, with the US Forest Service managing and supervising much of the actual trail construction.

The state of California over the next ten years eventually appropriated another $40,000 to aid in the construction. After the Great Depression ended, the remainder of the trail was completed by a joint effort between the US Forest Service and the National Park Service. The trail was not completed until 1938.

When the entire JMT was completed, the first secretary of the Sierra Club call the trail " A most appropriate memorial to John Muir, who spent many of the best years of his life exploring the region which this trail will make accessable."

The John Muir Trail, for almost all of its is in the High Sierra backcountry and wilderness areas. The JMT is coincident with the much longer PCT for some 160 miles.

Summit, Mount Whitney

Happy Isles Trailhead, Yosemite Valley

Paiute: Nüümü Poyo, N-ue-mue Poh-yo

Prior to the arrival of the European settlers, the Paiute people, who lived in the High Sierra area had created a series of trails for hunting and trade with other indigenous native Americans.

In the twentieth century, modern native Americans gave the JMT a Paiute name of Nüümü Poyo, which in English means Paiute Trail or People′s Trail.

I awake at late Sunglow with the gibbous moon directly overhead and Venus is high in the trees. Today will be the actual start of the backpacking on the John Muir trail conjointly with the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail in Yosemite National Park, but we have to pack up our gear and then put it all in the van, leaving room for Jim to sit in the rear.

Being totally ready, I am first to put my pack in the van and now I am able to do some writing in my journal and a little reading in my Bible. The morning begins with a totally blue sky with the waning moon still hanging up above. In a short time we are all packed into the van and driving up into the park, and make it up to Tioga Pass, then drive past Tioga Lake and soon, we arrive at Tuolumne Meadows, with an elevation of just under 6800 feet and here, we find a location where we begin unloading the packs.

During the first two hours, I am able to walk a strong two and a half miles an hour (5 miles and 5 miles to go) but in the next two hours, I slow to about two mile an hour (another 4 miles which puts me at milepost 9). Then during the last mile of today's walk which probable takes more than an hour. I have to stop often to rest, even putting my feet up twice. Still, the 45 pounds (I added water) is tough to endure: my feet are aching, my legs are aching, my back is aching, actually I don't think anything isn't, I am in Brain Bleed.

When we do arrive at our first campsite, I set up my tent but decide not to use the fly, but instead, just stow it back into my pack.

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