Weather forecast for the John Muir Trail in October

October in the Sierra Nevada region sees an array of weather developments, testing hikers with varying conditions.

In the early days, many locations like Happy Isles and Sunrise Creek enjoy mostly sunny skies, albeit with sporadic rain episodes. High temperatures fluctuate between late teens and low twenties Celsius, while lows can sometimes drop to just above freezing, reminding hikers of the approaching winter.

Further along, areas such as Lower Cathedral Lake and Tuolumne Meadow occasionally encounter rain showers, accompanied by lower temperatures, as highs barely reach the mid-teens during rainy spells. Heavy precipitation dominates certain days, impacting the otherwise lucid sky.

As the journey progresses towards higher elevations like Donahue Pass and Garnet Lake, conditions are more severe, with occurrences of snow showers and freezing rain lowering the temperature significantly, especially during evenings and nights.

Alternating sunny and overcast days define spots from Lake Virginia to Marie Lake. Precipitation varies, with moderate rain showers breaking the streak of dry days. Highs tread along the upper teens, while nights remain chillier.

Trail sections leading to Muir Trail Ranch and beyond highlight the fluctuating climate, combining sunny periods with sporadic heavy rain instances, especially near Center Basin Creek and Wright Creek, where intense showers shake the calmness.

Towards the concluding days on the route, close to the Whitney Zone and Whitney Portal, the weather balances out, providing a gentle closure to the hike under sunny skies occasionally disturbed by clouds, whereas the chill during the nights underscores the altitude’s effect.