Pinoche Peak

Pinoche Peak sits just outside Yosemite's western boundary, in the Sierra National Forest above Midpines — a quiet, lightly visited summit on Pinoche Ridge at roughly 5,765 feet, with neighboring Brown Peak close by. This isn't a park trail with a paved lot and a sign; it's forest-service backcountry, and it rewards the effort with wide views over the South Fork Merced and Merced River canyons without another hiker in sight.

Getting There

The route starts off Road 3S30, an unpaved forest road that requires a high-clearance or four-wheel-drive vehicle. Signage is sparse to nonexistent along the way, cell service is unreliable, and a map, compass, or GPS track is essential rather than optional.

On the Ridge

Trail data for Pinoche Peak varies by source because there's more than one way up: one documented route runs about 7.6 miles round trip along the ridge past Barrel Spring and Cathewood Saddle, while other reported approaches from different trailheads run longer with considerably more elevation gain. Either way, plan on a full day. Reaching the actual summits of Pinoche and Brown Peak involves optional Class 2 scrambling — hands-on rock travel, not technical climbing.

What to Expect

The path crosses oak-pine woodland and chaparral still recovering from the 2018 Ferguson Fire, so expect deadfall and brush in stretches. Barrel Spring is the only reliable water source along the way. Near Canty Meadow, old mining equipment marks the area's earlier history — one more reminder that this ridge has always been working land, not a manicured overlook.