A woman standing in front of a lake and mountains.

Thru-hike the John Muir Trail: Gear List & Strategy 2025

Considered the most iconic thru-hike and backpacking trail in the US, the John Muir Trail (also called the Nüümü Poyo Trail) is a 211-mile hiking trail in the Sierra Nevada mountains. The California trail climbs Mt. Whitney, travels through Yosemite and Sequoia National Park, and passes by Half Dome.

I’ve thru-hiked the JMT four times, spent four summers living in the Sierra hiking along the JMT as part of my work, and authored the book Long Trails: Mastering the Art of the Thru-hike.

Continue reading to learn more about what you need to hike the John Muir Trail, written by Liz Thomas.

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Media Mentions

It all starts with Sawyer Squeeze + Cnoc VectoX 2L, the best and most reliable filter-bladder combo and the core of my backpacking water storage and filtration system.