Bench Lake via Taboose Pass

Overview

Bench Lake is a glistening jewel of the Sierra Nevada in a remote part of northeast Kings Canyon National Park in central California, so-named because it sits on a high ledge, or bench, above an intersection of two deep valleys. Bench is a big, pristine lake with an expanse of open water at the western end and an amoeba-shaped shoreline full of rocky peninsulas and inlets on the east. Towering above is dramatic 11,300 ft. Arrow Peak, a symmetrical pyramid that dominates the western end.

There's no easy way to reach Bench - access requires an intense climb over steep and rugged Taboose Pass or several days from other passes along the John Muir Trail. Although it's only a few miles from the popular JMT, it's along a remote section and up a mountain so it's well off the beaten path. Generally the only people you'll see at Bench Lake have chosen it as a destination - an idyllic spot for solitude and wilderness rejuvenation. Camping is fairly limited. There are 3-4 established campsites among shady trees along the north shore foot path, the only path at the lake. The west and south shores are mostly boulders and scree. Through the tangle of peninsulas and inlets at the east/southeast end, suitable spots are challenging to find among the dense growth and boulders.

Taboose Pass is an infamously steep and strenuous climb over the eastern Sierra front range, with an elevation gain equal to summiting Mt. Whitney (tallest peak in the contiguous USA) from Whitney Portal - over 5700 vertical feet in about 6 miles. Taboose is one of the few eastern entrances to Kings Canyon, an access passage to the John Muir Trail and the gateway to the Lakes Basin, one of the more remote wilderness areas in the Sierra.

From a dirt road in the Owens Valley, the Taboose Pass trail follows Taboose Creek west up the mountain and out of the desert, ascending a deep v-shaped, flower-filled valley beneath soaring canyon walls, beside a dramatic waterfall and up endless switchbacks to a boulder-strewn high alpine plateau of perennial ice and snow. Crossing in to Kings Canyon National Park at the top is a dramatic change from stark desert brown walls into an open arena of lush green.

Trip Report

I spend considerable time researching hiking destinations and this is an area I'd been through briefly on my John Muir Trail trek that I want to see more of. Exploring the Lakes Basin in northeast Kings Canyon National Park has been on my list ever since I read of it in the excellent novel The Last Season about a vanished backcountry ranger. I didn't have enough time off to hit the Basin this season so a 3 day scouting trip over Labor Day weekend would have to suffice.

I'd heard tales of Bench Lake being a fine destination of itself and it was mostly the same route to the Lakes Basin, so I reserved my permit and made plans. I'd hike up and over Taboose Pass and into Kings Canyon on day one, then do the last few miles to Bench Lake the next morning, set up camp and enjoy a day exploring the lake. The third day would be a long trek back to the trailhead and the drive home. This is a very ambitious timeline and not conducive to a leisurely fun amble, but going solo means I have only my own limitations and set my own pace. It's important that I've been working out regularly and feel good about long, hard hours climbing.

I'd recommend doing this hike as a minimum 4 day outing to lessen the exertion: Day 1, camping at one of the nice sites below the big cascade around mile 4, then topping the pass and making Bench Lake late morning on Day 2. On the return trip, a late start on Day 3 will get you back to the same camp site and then a 4-5 hour descent for Day 4 to reduce the stress on the joints.

I did the return trip back down in a little over 7 hours but the last few miles and hours took a toll on my knees that I suffered through for the next two weeks, and I still had a 3.5 hour drive home in the dark.

Day 1: Trailhead to the top of Taboose Pass and 2 miles into Kings Canyon Nat. Park

I drive up from LA on Thursday night after work and stay at the Whitney Hostel in Lone Pine. It's $25 to share a dorm room with 4 bunk beds. In the morning, I'm at the Inyo Visitor Center just south of town when they open at 8am. A large group of hikers, campers, tourists and fishermen are waiting to get permits. The mood is upbeat but anxious because many are here for the coveted Whitney walk-in permits and a handful of reserved but no-show permits and only a few will leave happy. No one is going up Taboose. I half expect to find the trailhead parking empty. A half hour later with permit in hand, I hit the road for the hour drive north past Independance to the Taboose Pass trailhead.

After missing the turnoff and doubling back, then anxiously navigating the rough, unmarked roads to the the trailhead, I'm surprised to see a dozen cars crowded in to the tiny spot where the road ends. Other than a couple at their car, I don't see anyone for the rest of the morning. I'm on the trail at 9:45, temperature 86 degrees, elevation approx. 5700 ft. Starting across the hot desert toward the giant mountain, it becomes apparent that the trail follows Taboose Creek, completely covered by a dense canopy of thirsty bushes and greenery.

Three hot hours of climbing and three thousand feet of vertical later, I break for lunch. A couple of guys are waiting at a shady stream crossing for their friend to catch up so they can continue up but are concerned to hear that I haven't seen or passed anyone all morning. Maybe he climbed down out of sight off the trail to cool off by the stream, but there are few places to hide.

For the first few miles through the deep v-shaped valley, it seems unlikely

The big cascade marks the transition to high alpine.

that the towering escarpment ahead will be passable, but as you get higher up, the layering of the canyon walls reveals a zig zag passage. At about the 4 mile mark, there are a series of campsites beside the stream below a long cascade and a steep wall of rubble. Above them is the steepest and most strenuous section of the climb - a seemingly endless series of switchbacks over a path of sharp stones where every step risks a twisted ankle and the trail is sometimes indistinquishable from the surrounding rocks.

Towards late afternoon I'm surprised to see another solo hiker far above and as I catch up to him, I discover he's a pretty old guy - easily 70 years old with a full white John Muir beard (and missing teeth) - and an outsized pack. His load is way big and he seems a little frail for such a strenuous climb, but appearances can be deceiving. He's been struggling on this steep grade in the full heat of the sun. He tells me it's not fun at the moment and wants to camp but there are no spots on the steep slopes among the sharp boulders and it's becoming more exposed and rugged the higher we climb. He ends up descending to return to the established sites we'd passed earlier, which must be a painful but wise course of action.

The final miles to the top are through drifts of ice and snow and around giant boulders and deep blue tarns. The sun is painting long shadows, the wind blows in gusts and the temperature has cooled dramatically. I'm on top of the pass at 5pm, 7.25 long, hot hours after I started, with an elevation gain of 5600 ft. I still have several miles to go to get down to a sheltered spot for the evening. The west side of Taboose Pass is one of the few eastern entrances to Kings Canyon National Park as the great wall of the eastern Sierra is an impressive barrier. Once in Kings Canyon, the landscape is refreshingly green and verdant. A short way down from the pass and the view expands to a dramatic panorama. In the distance, Bench Lake sparkles on a high ledge above a deep valley.

Making camp near a lively stream on the western flank of Taboose Pass. In the distance, the peaks of Cartridge Pass.

Descending the west side of Taboose Pass, the trail diverts south of a wide and wondrous plateau filled with ponds and meadows then drops into the deep north-south valley west to intersect the John Muir Trail. After refilling my water at a small but rushing creek still high on the mountain, I have a tired near-fall backwards crossing slippery rocks in rushing water (!), saving myself from a nasty situation by catching my fall with my trek poles and pushing hard for several awkward moments to regain my balance.

I am very tired and decide to stop for the evening and make camp at a nearby spot with a panoramic view. I have no trouble falling asleep instantly.

Day 2: Hike to and enjoy a day at Bench Lake

In the morning I resume my trek down the mountain and arrive at the John

Bench is a large beauty of a lake where the fish are jumping.

I trekked all around the eastern shores of the lake to find the perfect vantage point campsite.

Muir Trail which I follow south a short distance to the Bench Lake Trail. A sign says it's 1.5 miles to Bench Lake, but it's mostly uphill and feels like 3. The trail climbs to a wide meadow with an impressive view of the tall peaks to the north where the JMT goes over Mather Pass. After climbing up through thick forest and past 2 smaller lakes, I arrive at an inlet of Bench Lake where the full glory of Arrow Peak is reflected in the big open water. The use trail continues around the north end of the lake and ends at an area of tumbled boulders and scree on the west side. Along the way are several nicely shaded waterfront campsites, but I'm looking for something a little more exclusive and backtrack towards the east side.

On my way, I meet Ed and Susan, veteran Sierra hikers from the Bay Area, who've been doing an extended trek and we have a fun conversation about our favorite Sierra places. They're camped up on the pond-filled plateau and are day-hiking. It appears the 3 of us are the only people anywhere near Bench Lake, amazing on such a long and beautiful Labor Day weekend. Barring some late arrivals, it appears I'll have this entire giant wilderness lake all to myself tonight.

The north side of the lake is several hundred yards from the big cliffs that make up "the bench", where there is an excellent vantage point on smooth slick rocks to scout the cross-country route up Cartridge Pass into the Lakes Basin.

Navigating the trail-free east side of the lake is slow going as it's made up of thick forest, wooded inlets and rocky peninsulas. Through the trees and

It was a struggle to find a flat spot on the rocky peninsulas.

bushes and rocks, it's hard to see how far you can go south following the shoreline before realizing you're on a peninsula and have to double back. The terrain is mostly boulders, angled slabs of rock and tangles of roots and there are very few flat spots. After a half hour of exploration, I make my way to a remote site with an excellent view across the lake to Arrow Peak and interesting rock formations on which to lounge.

As evening arrives, Sierra clouds rise up from the heat of the ground.

Pre-dawn stillness on Bench Lake.

It feels like I'm the first human ever to stand on this spot. The noon day sun is beating down and after setting up camp, it's time for a siesta in the shade of my tent.

Later in the afternoon, I gather flat rocks and fashion a lounge chair against a sloped boulder over-looking the lake, a perfect place to relax, read and watch the sunset - my bench on Bench Lake. The temperature change in the evening draws dramatic clouds into huge shapes and the sunset is truly impressive. After dinner, comfortable on my lounge chair above the lake with a hot cup of cocoa, I get the perfect zen relaxation I'd trekked so hard to enjoy - the calming lapping of the water, majestic Arrow Peak reflecting across the lake, the calls of night birds and a spectacular starry sky full of shooting stars and satellites.

Day 3: Bench Lake, over Taboose Pass to trailhead

I have a leisurely morning enjoying my lakeside accomodations. It's another typically spectacular Sierra morning with

My lakefront perch where I made a bench out of flat stones.

Another clear Sierra morning and Arrow Peak above Bench Lake.

cloudless skies and a gentle breeze. Such a beautiful spot is hard to leave, and the hike ahead of me will be arduous. I hit the trail at 11:45. 2.25 hours later, I'm atop Taboose Pass again.

The afternoon is spent making a million careful steps down jagged rocks on steep switchbacks and ramps, all the while marveling at the surreal vista of the distant valley floor miles away. Airplanes fly far below. Later in the day and miles down the east side I meet a large group of guys who've just set up camp at one of the established sites along the stream below the big cascade. They're exhausted from the long climb but in high spirits, so I don't mind teasing them that the most difficult part is still ahead on the endless switchbacks above them.

I push on and I'm making good time as the sun falls behind the jagged peaks

Looking north to Mather Pass, which I climbed on my John Muir Trail trek the previous year

west behind me. The shadows grow long and the clouds roll in over the ridges and spot the valley below with purple shadows. Even with regular rest stops, my knees are starting to feel rubbery. The incessant descent is jarring on the joints and the pressure builds up. Without trekking poles, a descent like this would be murder on the knees. Still high up and with miles to go, evening falls fast and I'm wondering how much more I can take and slow my pace dramatically.

Dropping out of the mountain onto the desert at last, my legs feel completely

The meadowy pond-filled bowl below the pass is one of the highlights of the hike.

The wooden National Park Service sign atop Taboose Pass has seen better days but the metal one has held up well.

rubbery and keeping mbalance is a challenge. Having your leg muscles give out is a very disconcerting feeling for a hiker and not one I'd experienced to this degree before, but Taboose Pass is one of the most intense descents I've ever done. The mileage of this trek isn't so dramatic but the thin air, the grade, the trail of jagged rocks and the constant battle to stay upright is a strain. The last mile I'm truly hobbling along.

I'm back at the trailhead at 7pm in the purple shadows of the Owens Valley twilight - a little more than 7 hours from Bench Lake over Taboose Pass and down to the trailhead. As always, it's a welcome site to see my car is still there and intact. Now, its a 200 mile drive home and back to work the next day, where no one will be able to imagine what a strenuous feat of stamina and endurance I've pulled off in 3 short days, with such a sublime wilderness payoff. What I do for fun, most would consider torture!

Info

Reservations and Permits
Taboose Pass trailhead begins on the eastern flank of the Sierra Nevada north of Independance, California on Hwy. 395 in the Owens Valley. The eastern side is in Inyo National Forest and managed by the US Forest Service; the western side is in Kings Canyon National Park and managed by the National Park Service. A permit for overnight camping is required from the agency which manages your entry trailhead. Permits are free but reserved permits are $5 per person. Download the Wilderness Permit pdf from the site below and fax it in and you'll receive a reservation in the mail, (or else the bad news that quotas are full for your trailhead whereby you can try for a walk-in permit). Bring this reservation to the closest permit station to get your actual permit the day before or the morning of your hike. The closest permit station to Taboose Pass is the Eastern Sierra InterAgency Visitor Center 2 miles south of Lone Pine.

Bear canisters are mandatory in Kings Canyon National Park and recommended in Inyo National Forest.

Camping
The trail up the eastern side climbs a deep v-shaped valley most of the way up so there are only a handful of established camp sites among the vertical walls. The first are in the tall trees about 2 mi. up but there is no water nearby. At the 3.5 - 4 mi. mark, there are several more sites along the stream, some suitable for a larger group. Between the big cascade above this area and the top, it will be a struggle to find a suitable spot as the terrain is rugged and exposed.

Because the trailhead begins at a much lower elevation than most other eastern Sierra passes and requires more effort and time to get over the front range, most hikers will summit the pass on day two, but it can be done in one long day.

There are several nice campsites along the north shore of Bench Lake suitable for large groups.

Preparedness
Taboose Pass is a long, tough climb up an enormous mountain in hot, dry desert wilderness conditions. If you're not in very good shape, it will not be a fun trek and could even kill you. Although the trail is well maintained, there are exposed sections where you need to stay alert. To avoid altitude sickness, it's recommended to acclimate the day(s) before by hiking and camping at higher elevations. Drinking a lot of water before your hike is said to help. Even though the water supply in the high Sierra seems straight from the sky, it's recommended that you filter all drinking water. Trekking poles are essential to avoid unnecessary strain on the joints.

Directions from the south
Route 395 north of Independance is a 4 lane divided highway through a big open desert with few landmarks. It's easy to miss Aberdeen Station Road as there is no large highway sign marking it, only a small road sign on a post. From Independance, it's 14 miles north. After passing Goodale Creek Campground, look for a left turn lane to Aberdeen Station Rd.
On Aberdeen Station Rd., it's 5.7 mi. from Hwy 395 to the Taboose Pass trailhead. There were no signs for the trailhead on my trip. After 1.2 miles the pavement ends and becomes a series of dirt roads meandering generally west/northwest. There are half a dozen forks splitting off but it's not too hard to tell which is the main road to stay on.

At 3.9 miles the main road splits in two. A sign should show the left fork is Road 11S02 which looks like it takes you up the mountain to the correct place. Stay right - the trailhead doesn't begin up the mountain. The last 3 miles is rough dirt and sand with sharp fist-sized, tire-puncturing rocks protruding and it's slow going unless you have big thick 4WD tires. (It's recommended you have a spare tire at the ready) I have a sedan and it took about 20-25 minutes from Hwy. 395. The surrounding scrub and berm hides the true direction and there is little to go on but faith that you're driving out into the desert on the right road. Then, suddenly, around a turn, the road just ends among the rocks, with virtually no turn around. Hopefully there will be cars there to alert you. There's no parking lot, parking is along the shoulder. If the dozen or so spaces are full, there's no place close to park - but you're a hiker. The trailhead is up on the mound east of the road.

Links
Inyo National Forest site
Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park (SEKI) website
SEKI Wilderness Permit info and reservations
Whitney Portal Store Message Board A popular resource frequented by people who climb Whitney & the eastern Sierra year round and really know the area.
Whitney Portal Hostel, Lone Pine CA 760.876.0030 Cheap lodging, built and run by mountain enthusiasts, in the middle of town.
National Weather Service (NOAA) Current forecast for the Lone Pine area

Pictures

Getting there
Approaching the Taboose Pass trailhead on easy-to-miss Aberdeen Station road.	After 5+ miles over unsigned jagged rock roads into the remote desert, you're still unsure you made the right turn, when suddenly, a dozen cars.	There's no parking lot at the trailhead- the road just ends, with almost no turnaround space. NFS Trailhead sign shows you're indeed here.

On the trail
The trailhead and view west to Taboose Pass, out of sight behind the front ridges.	The trail follows the greenery snaking up the mountain, which hides Taboose Creek rushing down from perennial snowfields high above.	Throughout the beginning of the climb, it seems unlikely that this giant wall will be passable.	Finally, after 3 hard-won miles, the mountain begins to reveal a passage that becomes Taboose Pass. Most climbers break for the evening at one of the numerous creekside campsites in this stretch but I press on.	Once the high alpine comes into view, marked by a lively waterfall (center), the most difficult part of the climb - steep, rocky and exposed - begins.	The stream has carved a 20 ft. high snow cavern through a drift, illustrating the hazards of traversing melting snow fields.
After an exhausting climb over sharp boulders, there are a series of rugged plateaus to ascend.	Looking back at the high walls towering over the final plateau at the end of treeline.	View east back to the White Mountains across the Owens Valley.	The afternoon is drawing to a close and big shadows start to form.	The final miles to the top pass through rubble fields and snow drifts.	Clear blue tarns dot the rugged landscape atop Taboose Pass.
This sign announces the top of 11,352 ft. Taboose Pass, one of the few eastern entrances to Kings Canyon National Park.	In the distance you can already see Bench Lake lying high on a plateau to the west. Towering above is 12,958 ft. Arrow Peak.	Between here near Taboose Pass and Bench Lake is a deep valley running north (right) to south (left) that the John Muir Trail passes through.	West of exposed Taboose Pass, the greenery of Kings Canyon is an immediate and welcome change.		The trail arrives above a large plateau of ponds. It's still several miles - and another descent and ascent - to reach Bench Lake.
Looking east back to Taboose Pass. The evening arrives quickly and exhausted, I set up camp near a lively stream.		The next morning brings another brilliant Sierra day for the last few miles to Bench Lake.		After crossing the John Muir Trail and starting up the Bench Lake trail, this view north of the ridgeline that holds Mather Pass (distant center).
A steady ascent through woods and meadows and then the first of several lakes on the trail to Bench Lake.	A second lake just east of Bench Lake.	The water is cold and crystal clear.	An inlet on the east shore of Bench Lake	West across the lake, Arrow Peak stands guard.	Arrow Peak and Bench Lake in Kings Canyon National Park
Scouting sites, I follow the shoreline path to this spot at the far western edge of the lake.		Far across the lake to the east is Taboose Pass (center)		North across the deep valley to Cartridge Pass, entrance to the remote Lakes Basin region. Cartridge Pass was the original route of the John Muir Trail before construction of the Golden Staircase portion north of Mather Pass.
A look northeast. Below is the valley you take from the JMT to climb in to Lakes Basin.	These gnarled trees framed Arrow Peak nicely.	The view southeast. Between the closest mountains is the valley which holds the JMT.	I was disappointed that my camera dropped out almost half of the vivid colors that I enjoyed at sunset. It was a dramatic show.	The next day, I explored the south side of Bench Lake. It's a tangle of inlets and peninsulas which offer little flat ground on which to camp.	After breaking camp, a nice view north towards Mather Pass where Norman Clyde Peak and Middle Palisades loom.
Another look north at this big meadow panorama of the Mather Pass ridgeline.		Climbing to Taboose Pass from the west.		West to Bench Lake on the climb to Taboose Pass.
There are flaking stones here that look just like rusting iron.	Last look back at Bench Lake	At the top of the Sierra Nevada on Taboose Pass.		The snow and ice on top remain a challenge to cross year round.
The beginning of the long descent to the Owens Valley far below.		Dropping slowly through endless boulder fields.		In this view east, you can see how the high layered walls of Taboose Pass appear deceptively impassible from below.
Its a long way down to the valley floor.	View east from the Taboose Pass trail		Approaching the steep section down to treeline.	The trail here is linear piles of jagged stones.
Long hours dropping down the mountain and still very high up as the afternoon draws down.		Clouds swirl in and purple shadows quickly fill the Owens Valley.	View west up the mountain. My knees felt like rubber now but I pushed on.	These green plants seemed to glow phosphorescently in the evening light at the end.