Seer of the Sierras

On April 21, 1838, John Muir was born. Muir was a naturalist who championed the creation of the first National Forests in the United States of America and co-founded the Sierra Club. As an explorer and writer, he inspired President Theodore Roosevelt’s innovative wildlife conservation programs and advocated the establishment of Sequoia and Yosemite National Parks.

Among many tributes to him are Alaska’s Muir Glacier and California’s Mount Muir. In the State of California, Muir’s birthday is designated as John Muir Day.

The John Muir Trail, or JMT, weaves through the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, a memorial to Muir’s vision and spirit. The trail’s creation required a 46-year cooperative effort that included the Sierra Club, the State of California, the US Forest Service and the National Park Service. The JMT runs just over 338 km (210 mi) from Yosemite Valley southwest through meadows, mountains, wilderness, and forests to end atop Mount Whitney in Sequoia National Park. Here is a brief glimpse of what you experience.

B Bondar / Real World Content Advantage