Savage-Lundy Loop

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Features Birding · Fall Colors · Fishing · Geological Significance · Historical Significance · River/Creek · Spring · Swimming · Views · Wildflowers

This hike is a strenuous 7.8-mile round-trip beginning on a pine and oak-covered mountaintop offering amazing views of the South Fork River Canyon. It then drops steeply, 2,369 feet in 2 miles. Next, the trail meanders another 2 miles along the "Wild and Scenic" South Fork of the Merced River at the base of the imposing Casa Diablo rock formation. Take your time here and look for pathways that lead to the river.

Perhaps you'll find a historic horse camp hidden among the oaks before starting the long push-up out of the Devil's Gulch drainage, a steep 3.5-mile uphill switchback grind (2,378-foot ascent in elevation) on the Savage-Lundy Trail. Here, the trail offers incredible views of the South Fork Canyon, but it comes at a price—a steep slope with practically NO shade. Thus, the best time to hike this trail is when temperatures are cooler, which you'll find from mid-October through early May. Even during this time, if warm-hot temperatures exist, you may find it best to hike in the early morning or the evening hours.

If you find yourself in the heat, avoid heat exhaustion or heat stroke by choosing to rest in or near the cool waters of the South Fork or Devil's Gulch. Hike out when the rays of the sun are not directly shining on the trail. Be sure your flashlight batteries are charged. Better yet, go on a guided moonlit hike with Mariposa Trails.

This is a remote area of the forest. There are no restrooms or services. Fellow hikers will be few, if any. Cell service is spotty at best. River and creek water is present, but only at bottom of the trail, almost 2,000 feet below the trailhead. If you opt to travel in this area, be fully and independently reliant. Always carry a water filter and full containers of water. As a low elevation hike in a chaparral plant community, hot temperatures are common in the spring, summer and fall. Combine this with the steep unshaded trail, and you enter into an extremely dangerous situation. Be aware. Be prepared.

The best direction of travel is to start the hike at the parking area by the gate, then hiking down the Hite's Cove 4x4 Road for 2 miles, then turning right, not far past Marble Point (an excellent viewpoint), onto a minimally signed footpath which travels upstream alongside the "Wild and Scenic" South Fork of the Merced River for about 2 miles to Devil's Gulch.

At the gulch, keep right where you'll then connect to the bottom of the Savage-Lundy Trail. The trail to the left and which heads further up the river, is the very difficult "South Fork Trail." But your hike will continue on the right (facing upstream). Before heading up the Savage Lundy Trail, be sure to have treated yourself to rest and relaxation by the river, possibly even staying there until evening if the day is hot.

It's best to time the hike so that you are climbing out of the gulch in the early evening, not in the heat or blazing sun; give yourself a couple of hours to hike this segment back to the parking area. Once near the top of the trail, you'll notice young Knobcone Pines growing. It seeds only after a fire. The young trees you see all germinated after the Ferguson Fire of 2018.

Backpacking: There are no established campsites along this trail; all campsites are considered "dispersed camping." Several campsites can be found off the trail downstream of Devil's Gulch. A campfire permit is required. Keep bears wild and alive by placing food and all scented items in a bear box or container.

The trail traverses oak-pine woodland and chaparral plant communities. Raptors, including hawks and eagles, as well as great blue herons may be seen. Deer, bears, mountain lions and coyotes also live in the area. Be watchful for rattlesnakes as well.

Hite's Cove Road History: In 1867, access to Hite's Cove from Mariposa was solely by way of a pack animal trail. From 1871 to 1875, a narrow wagon road was constructed from Snyder's Ranch to Hite's Cove, providing access to the booming gold mine.

Savage Lundy Trail History: As early as 1870, a trail plunged into the gorge to reach mining areas in the canyon, and which extended eastward into Yosemite Valley via Pinoche Ridge. Then, about 1927, another trail was cut down to Devil's Gulch by pioneers Savage and Lundy. In 1976, the USFS constructed a longer but less steep route that is still in use today.