Piute Meadow, Sonora

In Sonora Pass there are some very popular trails for horseback riding. One of the best trails is Leavitt Meadow to Piute Meadow. It is a turnout,  located opposite the highway and west of Leavitt Meadow Pack Station and provides a place to park horse trailers before you set out at Leavitt Meadow, on the east side of Sonora Pass.

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Across the highway from the turnout and between the private campground and pack station is an access trail. Best time to do this trip is mid-summer to fall. At the beginning of the year the West Walker River is too high to ford. The trail to Piute Meadow is about 10 mi/16 km with a 1000 ft/304.8 m elevation gain.

Piute Meadow is a magnificent landscape with Tower Peak looming above. There is a ranger station at the Meadow. You should visit Leavitt Meadows Pack Station, located beside Highway 108, in Leavitt Meadow, on the east side of Sonora Pass. One of the trail rides offered is The Meadow Ride, an one hour loop around Leavitt Meadows.

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You pass through the magnificent meadow and alongside the river. If you want a little bit of time in the saddle, this is the perfect ride. The Secret Lake Ride is a 2 hours long ride, that follows the pack trail and then heads to Secret Lake. During the ride you overlook Pickle Meadow and Leavitt Meadows.

The Falls Ride is an approximately 4 hour ride, that follows the pack trail past Lane and Roosevelt Lake. One of the pack trips available is Spot Pack Trips, on which you ride with a packer to a campsite and then dropped off for as long as you like.

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On Backpack Drop trip, you and your backpacking equipment are taken in the backcountry and left to continue your backpacking trip. Last on Base Camp Trip you are packed in with your equipment to a base camp, set up by your guide.