North Fork Kings River Country

After a short level walk up stream, you cross Fleming Creek, a difficult crossing early to mid season. After the crossing, the trail climbs steeply to a bench and through granitic ribs before leveling off for a short distance to the gaging station cabin, cable tram crossing, and other small structures. Farther down the trail at BM 8163 is a possible horse crossing of the nearby Kings River. A bit farther down the trail on the left is the unmarked but well-used trail to Devils Punchbowl.

Devils Punchbowl Junction to Guest Lake Junction: The trail upstream is mostly level or with a slight grade until the 8300 foot level, where there is a very steep climb up to a granite bench. The fairly viewless trail meanders along on the slight grade, crossing Fall Creek (difficult early to mid season). A sharp eye will see the old abandoned steep trail to Guest Lake about 300 yards or so beyond the ford of Fall Creek. The trail levels out as you near Maxon Meadow, where you will find a patrol cabin and other structures in a wide open pleasant and picturesque meadow. There are good campsites in the cabin area or just to the Northeast of the cabin across the trail. Continuing its level way on past the meadow area, the trail begins to climb to the trail junction for Guest Lake and Bench Valley. The Guest Lake trail is only marked with a sign declaring "This trail not maintained for stock use", and judging by the multitude of horseshoe prints, it does nothing to deter its use by stock.

Guest Lake Junction to Halfmoon Lake/upper North Fork KR Junction The hike continues its viewless way on a slight grade, occasionally climbing over or weaving among granite dikes. Infrequently, the trail meanders close to the river and the views open up, but generally it is a shaded climb, perhaps a welcome respite in the heat of the day, perhaps not during the thick of the mosquito season. As you near 9000 feet, the trail levels out in a bog and meadow area that stays wet all season. The trail is particularly bad here, and is in dire need for the Forest Service to build a wooden walkway similar to the ones that already exist along this trail. For about 25 yards, the trail is pounded into a knee-deep sludge by horses or split into myriad soggy paths and muddy pools. A careless step on seemingly solid bog could get you soaked in mud up to your knees, or worse. After carefully dancing through the bog, the hiker is finally rewarded with level walking in opening forest and wide views of the surrounding mountainsides and cliffs. The sometimes faint sometimes ducked smooth solid granite trail eventually makes it way over and down to the Kings River and to a wet (possibly difficult) crossing of the river in early season. The trail climbs steeply out of the river to level off in an extensive flat camping area among sparse large mature trees with ample shade and good access to water from the Kings River. Beyond the campsites the signed trail from Halfmoon Lake meets the main trail. If the Kings River cannot be crossed due to high and dangerous water, it is possible, due the open nature of the terrain, to continue up the river until a more suitable crossing is found, or you reach the headwater's area. Not far from the ford, the country opens up into a vast unjointed granite covered area ideal for cross-country travel, with an occasional band of forest here and there to navigate. Later, when you continue upstream on rough rolling forested trail, you will wonder what the trail builders had in mind when you can look across the river and see miles of truly mammoth open unobstructed areas of smooth white polished granite, perfect for ducked trail travel.

Halfmoon Lake/upper North Fork KR Junction to Portal Lake,/Crown Basin Junction: This section of the trail, for the traveler heading uphill, at last allows progressively improving views topped by a stunningly picturesque tableau as the trail levels out near Portal Lake.