Kennedy Meadows, Sonora

Hiking trails are spread everywhere across the mountains. There is something for everyone in the Sonora Pass region, as there are all kind of trails, easy, intermediate and high elevation and long day adventures. One of the best trails to hike is Kennedy Meadows to Relief Reservoir.

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It is a one way, 3 mi/4.8 km, moderate trail with elevation gain of 1000 ft/304.8 m, that takes you to the shores of Relief Reservoir. You can begin your adventure at Kennedy Meadow. The first mile is an easy stroll going through the meadow, where some of the episodes of “Little House on the Prairie”, the famous Michael Landon’s television creation, were filmed.

After crossing a bridge, you begin a steep climb on a trail, that is wide and carved out of the mountainside, right after the Relief Dam was being constructed in the early 1900’s. Later on another bridge and steep climb takes you past an old P G and E building.

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Not far away you find the area around the dam. While continuing on the hiking trail, along the hillside high, above the reservoir, you turn onto a use trail to reach the dam.