{{Use American English|date=July 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}} {{Infobox hiking trail |name=Silver Knapsack Trail |photo= |caption= |length_mi=36.2 |location= [[Tulare County, California|Tulare County]], [[California|California, USA]] |trailheads=Summit and Clicks Creek Trailheads above [[Springville, California]]<br>{{coord | 36.180375 | -118.535071}} |use=Hiking, Backpacking |difficulty=Moderate to strenuous |highest_name=[[Florence Peak (California)|Florence Peak]] | highest_ft=12438 }}
The '''Silver Knapsack Trail''' is a {{convert|36.2|mi|km|adj=on}}{{r|group=lower-alpha|note_a}} trail in the [[Sierra Nevada]], near [[Johnsondale, California|Johnsondale]], [[Springville, California|Springville]], and [[Three Rivers, California]].<ref name="three" /> It is located in [[Sequoia National Forest]] and the southernmost part of [[Sequoia National Park]].<ref name="gorp" /> Much of the trail lies within the [[Golden Trout Wilderness]].<ref name="trout" /><ref name="hiketrout" />
==Background== There are seven glacier-carved lakes along the trail, and most of the trail is above {{convert|7000|ft|m}}.<ref name="gorp" /><ref name="sierra" /> The Summit Trailhead elevation is {{convert|8250|ft|m}}. The elevation of the trail ranges from {{convert|6050|to|9850|ft|m}}. The trail is open from July to October and is very popular with [[Scout (Scouting)|Boy Scouts]].<ref name="sierra" /><ref name="trail2" /> There are several intersecting and side trails that provide many options varying the exact length and path of a hike, backpacking, or camping excursion.
Starting from Summit Trailhead headed north, the landmarks on the trail are: South Mountaineer Creek, Jacobsen Meadow, Mowery Meadow, Alpine Meadow (which isn't actually alpine in nature), Griswold Meadow, Maggie Mountain, Maggie Lakes, Frog Lakes, Twin Lakes, Sheep Mountain, Quinn Patrol Cabin, Soda Spring Creek and Soda Spring (which has carbonated water), Newlywed Site, Walker Cabin (built in 1886), Mountaineer Creek, Grey Meadow Ranger Station, Clicks Creek, Clicks Creek Trailhead, and then back to Summit Trailhead.<ref name="hiketrout" /><ref name="sierra" /> Several of the cabins in the area were originally built by [[Shepherd|sheepherders]]; for example Quinn Patrol Cabin was built by sheepherder Harry Quinn circa 1900.<ref name="hiketrout" /><ref name="sierra" />
==Segments== The trail is a circle (loop) hike, generally starting from either the Summit or Clicks Creek Trailheads, both of which are in the southwestern portion of the trail. It is composed of the following segments:<ref name="gorp" /> * Summit Trailhead to Alpine Meadow ... {{convert|6.5|mi|km}} * Alpine Meadow to Maggie Lakes ... {{convert|6.4|mi|km}} * Maggie Lakes to Soda Spring Creek ... {{convert|9.5|mi|km}} * Soda Spring Creek to Little Kern River ... {{convert|7.5|mi|km}} * Little Kern River to Clicks Creek Trailhead ... {{convert|7.5|mi|km}}
==Silver Knapsack Award== [[File:Silver Knapsack Trail Award.png|thumb|Silver Knapsack Award]] Scouts and Leaders who meet the 9 requirements, can earn the '''Silver Knapsack Award''' patch.<ref name="miracosta" /><ref name="wlacchat" />
==See also== * [[Silver Moccasin Trail]]
==Notes== {{reflist|group=lower-alpha|refs= <ref name="note_a">Distances from 35 to 45 miles are listed and they can be accounted for by various trail options and slight measuring differences.</ref> }}
==References== <references>
<ref name="sierra">{{Cite book |last1=Jenkins |first1=J. C. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Cksp-wOzLZUC&q=Silver+Knapsack+Trail&pg=PA133 |title=Exploring the Southern Sierra, West Side |last2=Jenkins, Ruby Johnson |publisher=Wilderness Press |year=1995 |isbn=0-89997-181-4 |volume=2 |location=Berkeley, CA |pages=133–136 |access-date=October 28, 2010}}</ref> <ref name="hiketrout">{{Cite book |last=Swedo |first=Suzanne |title=Hiking California's Golden Trout Wilderness |publisher=Globe Pequot Press |year=2004 |isbn=0-7627-2655-5 |series=A Falcon Guide |location=Guilford, CT |pages=43-€"47, 82-€"84 |chapter=4,12 |access-date=October 28, 2010 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=d9JncpYEwS4C&q=Silver+Knapsack+Trail&pg=PA43}}</ref> <ref name="gorp">{{Cite web |url=http://www.gorp.com/parks-guide/travel-ta-sequoia-national-forest-hiking-and-backpacking-sidwcmdev_116326.html |title=Sequoia National Forest: Hiking - Silver Knapsack Trail |publisher=Gorp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101211225354/http://www.gorp.com/parks-guide/travel-ta-sequoia-national-forest-hiking-and-backpacking-sidwcmdev_116326.html# |archive-date=2010-12-11 |access-date=2010-10-28}}</ref> <ref name="trout">{{Cite web |url=http://www.trails.com/activity.aspx?area=14767 |title=Golden Trout Wilderness Hiking |publisher=Trails.com |access-date=2010-10-28}}</ref> <ref name="trail2">{{Cite web |url=http://www.trails.com/tcatalog_trail.aspx?trailid=HGS457-012 |title=Silver Knapsack Trail |publisher=Trails.com |access-date=2010-10-28}}</ref> <ref name="wlacchat">{{Cite web |url=http://www.wlacchat.org/silverknapsackaward.htm |title=Silver Knapsack Trail |publisher=Western LA County Council High Adventure Team |access-date=2010-10-28}}</ref> <ref name="miracosta">{{Cite web |url=http://www.miracosta.edu/home/bpickett/FinalProject/Activities/Silver_Knapsack.html |title=Silver Knapsack |publisher=Mira Costa College |access-date=2010-10-28}}</ref> <ref name="three">{{Cite web |url=http://alltrails.com/nearby/us/california/wishon-campground/hiking |title=Hiking Trails Near 'Wishon Campground' (Springville, CA) |publisher=All Trails |access-date=2010-10-28}}</ref>
</references>
==External links== * {{Cite web |url=http://www.highadventureawards.com |title=Boy Scout Area 4 High Adventure Awards (2018)}} * {{Cite web |url=http://www.troop484.com/camping/maggie.html |title=Boy Scout Troop 484 on the Golden Trout Wilderness |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021107144026/http://www.geocities.com/troop484.geo/camping/maggie.html |archive-date=2002-11-07}} * {{Cite web |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ObxX2yagdyUC&q=Silver+Knapsack+Trail&pg=PA36 |title=''Boys' Life'' article from 1976 that mentions the Silver Knapsack Trail|date=September 1976}} * {{Cite web |url=http://lakeisabella.net/hiking/file/schedule.pdf |title=Lake Isabella and Silver Knapsack Trail|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722200551/http://lakeisabella.net/hiking/file/schedule.pdf|archive-date=2011-07-22}} * {{Cite web |url=http://whitsett.org/oldstuff/oldstuff.htm |title=Memories, Photos, and Patches|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101204025518/http://whitsett.org/oldstuff/oldstuff.htm|archive-date=2010-12-04}} * {{Cite web |url=https://goldentroutwilderness.wordpress.com/sequoia-nf-trips/up-to-7-days/silver-knapsack-trail |title=Silver Knapsack Trail map and detailed trip guide|date=15 November 2011}}
{{California hiking trails}}
[[Category:Hiking trails in California]] [[Category:Sierra Nevada (United States)]] [[Category:Protected areas of Tulare County, California]] [[Category:Scouting monuments and memorials]]