Franklin Lakes 
Distance: 12.0 miles (round trip)
Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park, near Mineral King in California's Southwestern Sierra
Lower Franklin Lake
This popular day hike climbs to Lower Franklin Lake, nestled in a scenic basin beneath the Great Western Divide.
See Trail Detail/Full Description
- Distance: 12.0 miles (round trip) to Franklin Lakes
- Elevation: 7,790-ft. at Trailhead
10,488-ft. at Franklin Lakes - Elevation Gain: 2,698-ft. to Franklin Lakes
- Difficulty: moderate-strenuous
- More Hikes in:
Mineral King / California's Southwestern Sierra
Why Hike Franklin Lakes
This popular day hike climbs to a scenic promontory above Lower Franklin Lake, providing a bird’s-eye view of this pretty lake nestled in a photogenic cirque beneath the towering peaks and ridges of the Great Western Divide. Along the way the trail climbs the lovely East Fork Kaweah Valley and then traverses the Franklin Creek drainage through colorful hillside covered in red, brown and orange metamorphic rock.
Beyond the lake the trail climbs to Franklin Pass, a crossing on the Great Western Divide, used by backpackers visiting the scenic lake basins on the eastern side of the divide.
Elevation Profile
Trail Resources
Trail Detail/Full Description / Trail Photo Gallery / Trail Map
Basecamp(s) Information:
Region Information:
California's Southwestern Sierra
Other Hiking Regions in:
California