Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board hiking from Horseshoe Meadows to Cottonwood

In July, my buddy and I will be doing a small, four-day backpack trip, leaving out of Cottonwood and camping at Chicken Springs Lake, Solder Lake, over NAP to Long Lake, then out to Horseshoe Meadows. Since we will be leaving our car at the overflow parking lot of Horseshoe Meadows, what I wanted to know is if there is a trail we can take to get us from Horseshoe Meadows to the Cottonwood Pass trailhead, or do we need to hike along the road? My map is not all that clear, so if there is a trail, I am sure that someone will be able to tell me about it. Thank you. Big Whitney Mike

Hi Mike,

There is a trail.

It is hard for me to understand where you are leaving your car. Horseshoe Meadow parking is the trail head for Cottonwood Pass trail.

If you park at Horseshoe Meadow and finish at Cottonwood Lakes the shortcut trail takes you out of the way. Better to follow the road or cut through the woods to get to your car.

If you park at the Cottonwood Lakes Trail Overflow Parking and want to head towards Cottonwood Pass the shortcut trail will work great for you. The easiest way to find the trail is; find the large horse corrals (near the house) and go behind them. The trail runs beside and behind the corrals. After about a mile or so you intersect the trail to Cottonwood Pass, Go right, a good head start on your day.

The trail is on this map.

http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5337644.pdf

This is so easy. I hike many times over Cottonwood Pass (leaving my car at Cottonwood Trailhead) and exit Cottonwood Lakes trailhead.

Both trailheads are separated by a half mile. There are no ravines, gully's or such to hike to Cottonwood Trailhead from Cottonwood Lakes Trailhead.

So, when you hike out on the Cottonwood Trail, you will come to a junction in the trail, about a quarter of a mile to the trailhead. This junction is the side trail to, equestrian campsites and and finally the pack station.

Take this trail, it passes to the right of the equestrian campsites, then passes to the right of packers station. There will be horse arenas (filled with horses and mules) to your left (you're still on the trail), when you get to the end of the horse corrals, the trail heads west and meets up with the Cottonwood Trail, right at the junction of Trail Pass junction.

At this point, walk down the gentle slope (oh so easy, through the trees), angling to your left as of the you hike down, about a quarter mile, you, depending how much you angle left, you will either intersect with the Cottonwood trail, or parking lot where you left your car.

paul

Thank you for the quick replies. It sounds quite easy to find. I kind of figured that was the way to go, but just wanted to be sure.

We will be parking our car at the Horseshoe Meadows overflow parking area, which is the trailhead for the Cottonwood Lakes trail. Then we will hike over to the Cottonwood Pass trailhead, where we will hike to Chicken Springs Lake for the first night. When we come out a few days later, we will be right where our car is.

Big Whitney Mike