Heads up about the water crossing on the Rae Lakes Loop in Kings Canyon

I did the Rae Lakes Loop in Kings Canyon last month and nearly got swept off my feet at the crossing near Dollar Lake. The creek was running way higher than I expected for late July, probably from the snowmelt still coming down. There is no bridge there, just rocks you have to hop across, and one of them was completely underwater by the time I got there. I had to backtrack a quarter mile to find a wider spot to cross, and even then the water was up to my thighs. A guy I met on the trail said he saw a hiker slip and lose their whole pack there two days before. Has anyone else run into this on the south side of the loop this season?

2 comments

2 Comments

anthony_wells28d ago

Saw a ranger talk about that crossing being sketchy this season.

the_morgan28d ago

Jumped into that exact crossing a few weeks ago and it was no joke. I literally had to toss my pack across to my buddy on the other side and then wade through with my poles out wide for balance. The water was so cold it took my breath away, like instant numbness in my legs. Totally get what you mean about those rocks being sketchy, one of them shifted under me and I almost did a full faceplant into the creek.