South Fork San Joaquin River Bridge damaged
Reconstruction of the bridge across the South Fork San Joaquin River (mile 854.5), damaged in the winter of 2022-23, has begun. Project contractors have installed a cable pedestrian bridge at the original crossing for their use during construction. The public can utilize this bridge, but it is not fully engineered; signs on either side will read “This bridge is not certified for visitor use – Use at your own risk”. Please be mindful of workers in the area and note that the bridge is NOT suitable for stock use. The park anticipates the temporary bridge will be left in place until the permanent bridge is installed, which may be in fall of 2024. The Bishop Pass to Piute Pass detour is still a viable option for PCT long-distance permit holders this season. Please see the PCT Closure Map to view the detour(s) and read on for more important information about them.
Detour to the East via Bishop and Piute Passes
Long-distance permit holders not fording or utilizing the temporary bridge should use Piute Pass and Bishop Pass to detour around the area. Please do not use other trails or routes, as protecting the wilderness and fragile natural resources is important for all of us. Equestrians should be aware that the Dusy Creek Bridge on the trail to/from Bishop Pass is broken and an impediment to travel. If you are traveling northbound with stock, you will need to exit the Sierra farther south via Kearsarge Pass, Bubbs Creek or Woods Creek. Please protect the Sierra from damage caused by hikers by traveling through and not lingering There is shared concern over the increased number of hikers this detour will bring to the area and the damage that could result. Additional use to this already popular route could cause damage unless users are very careful about following Leave No Trace. While trails themselves are resilient to footsteps, the surrounding ecosystem is not, especially when it comes to camping. Snow blankets the mountains in early season and trails will be wet. Please take extreme care to not pollute water sources: do not defecate in the snow, or too close to water or trails. Walk on the trail, even if it’s wet, to prevent trail expansion and trampling of sensitive plants. Please do not walk cross country – by staying on trails, your impact is concentrated to one area. By traveling with care, you are protecting the Sierra for future generations.
Northbound travel
Leave the PCT at mile 832.2 near the Le Conte Ranger Station. Travel east across Bishop Pass to the road at South Lake. This is 12 miles with 3,450 feet of elevation gain and 2,380 feet loss. Make your way between South Lake and North Lake. From the North Lake Trailhead, travel over Piute Pass and stay on the Piute Canyon (upper trail) to rejoin the PCT at mile 857.2. Please stay off the Golden Trout Lake Trail. This is 16.4 miles with 2,450 feet of gain and 3,700 feet of loss.
Southbound Travel
Leave the PCT at mile 857.2, traveling up Piute Canyon and across Piute Pass. Please stay on the high trail and off the Golden Trout Lake Trail. Reach the road at North Lake, a distance of 16.4 miles with 3,700 feet of gain and 2,450 feet of loss. Make your way between North Lake and South Lake. From South Lake, travel over Bishop Pass to rejoin the PCT at mile 832.2. This is 12 miles with 2,380 feet of gain and 3,450 feet of loss.
Traveling between South Lake and North Lake
Utilizing this detour will require prior planning to secure a ride between the two trailheads. The roads are not safe to walk. Eastern Sierra Transit Authority is no longer running the local Bishop Creek Shuttle. Find information about other shuttle companies below at the link for local transit options. The Tyee Lakes Trail requires an additional quota permit for overnight use. It is not covered by your other permit that you are using on the PCT/JMT. The Tyee Lakes Trail may be impacted by snow in early season.
How PCT Long-distance Permits work on this detour
The PCT Long-distance Permit has special Terms. Please note: - PCT Long-distance Permits do not allow for camping off the PCT corridor, this includes while traveling to and from trailheads. If you cannot do this travel in a day, you must obtain local permits if you wish to take this detour and camp on it. - PCT Long-distance Permits allow for travel off the PCT to resupply or access trailheads within fifteen trail miles of the PCT. This travel must be done on the most direct trail between the PCT and the trailhead. A special allowance is made for travel on the Piute Pass Trail, a distance of 16.4 miles, for the purpose of detouring around the South Fork San Joaquin River Bridge. The Bishop Pass Trail is ~12 miles and is already allowed under the Terms of the permit. PCT Long-distance Permits do not allow for travel across Lamarck Col nor other cross-country routes, such as the Sierra High Route, in the area. Travel on detours other than the Bishop Pass Trail and Piute Pass Trail require additional permits from the local land management agencies. - Normally, continuous travel is required in the area. If permit holders skip any portion of the Southern Sierra and wish to return to travel through the area, they must obtain new permits from the local land management agencies. This Term is waived for the purpose of traveling between South Lake and North Lake while utilizing the detour. PCT Long-distance Permit holders may exit via one trailhead and rejoin at the other and their permit will remain valid in the Southern Sierra.
How “local” wilderness permits (ie. non-PCT Long-distance Permits) work on this detour
PCT Long-distance Permits have rules that are different than those for permits issued locally under trailhead quota systems. Local trailhead permits do not have itinerary restrictions similar to PCT Long-Distance Permits. As long as a permit is available and issued for a specific trailhead for a specific date of departure, the permit holder is generally free to plan the continuous wilderness itinerary of their choice including traveling on the JMT, PCT, other trails or off trail travel (with a few notable exceptions such as exiting Whitney which requires availability of an additional quota). The Inyo National Forest website wilderness permits page (Inyo National Forest – Recreation Passes & Permits (usda.gov) states that “If you have a break in continuous wilderness travel, a new permit would be required from the agency where the next section of your trip begins.” The continuous wilderness travel requirement will not be enforced for those that have a break in continuous wilderness travel for the purpose of travelling the reroute. No other trailhead quota permit rules have changed.
Important information about campgrounds
North Lake Campground and Willow Campground, the closest campground to South Lake, are small, first-come, first-served campgrounds with fees and limits on the number of people and tents per site. They typically open in May or June. Have a plan should you arrive and they are full or closed. Camping outside of a campground (ie. dispersed camping) is not allowed in this area. You may need to stay in one of the other campgrounds in Bishop Creek Canyon, including Mountain Glen, Four Jeffrey, Big Trees, Intake, Bishop Park, or Sabrina. Alternatively, you may consider staying in the town of Bishop.
