Devils Postpile National Monument Opens New Trail For Backpackers

This new trail provides backpackers with safer access to the John Muir and Pacific Crest trails. NPS photo.

Backpackers now have a much safer way to get from the overnight hiker parking lot just outside of Devils Postpile National Monument to the Devils Postpile trailhead, which accesses the John Muir and Pacific Crest trails as well as many wilderness destinations on the Inyo National Forest.

Previously, when overnight backcountry users departed from the Devils Postpile Trailhead, the only way to access the trailhead was to walk from the parking lot down the busy and narrow access road to Devils Postpile. Visibility on that stretch of road is limited and this put many hikers at risk.

This new trail, built in partnership with the Inyo National Forest and a crew from the American Conservation Experience, or ACE, is approximately 800 feet long and links the overnight hiker parking lot with the main day use area at Devils Postpile.

The trail follows the north side of the Devils Postpile access road and winds through the lodgepole pine forest, providing a much safer and more pleasant experience for visitors to both Devils Postpile and the Inyo National Forest.