Goat Mountain Trail

Goat Mountain Trail climbs out of the Bass Lake basin in Sierra National Forest, a few miles south of Oakhurst, to a decommissioned 1934 fire lookout with some of the best views in the area — Bass Lake spread out below, the foothills rolling west toward the San Joaquin Valley, and the High Sierra crest along the horizon. It's more of a workout than a stroll, but the payoff at the top holds up, and the trail draws a steady mix of hikers and mountain bikers rather than crowds.

On the Trail

AllTrails lists the full out-and-back at 9.9 miles, rated moderately challenging with an average completion time around 4.5 hours; a shorter option covers 6.7 miles with roughly 1,105 feet of elevation gain. The route mixes old fire road with singletrack and connects to the Spring Cove Trail (22E18), so hikers who'd rather not backtrack can turn it into a loop. Oak and pine cover most of the climb before the views open up near the summit.

A Retired Fire Lookout

The steel tower at the top went up in 1934 and served as a working fire lookout for decades. It's no longer staffed for fire detection — these days it functions as a radio relay site — but the perch it occupies hasn't lost any of its draw. On a clear day you can pick out Bass Lake directly below and the Sierra crest stretching east.

Good to Know

• Trailhead access is out of the Bass Lake area, a short drive from Oakhurst.
• This is a shared-use trail: Trailforks rates the singletrack sections as intermediate (blue) for mountain biking, so stay alert on blind corners if you're on foot.
• There's no water source along the route — carry what you'll need for the full climb.