| GPS | N 37 14.64 W118 29.55 |
| Elevation gain | 9,500-10,400 ft |
| Season | Best: April-November |
| Terrain | rocky in parts |
| Difficulty | moderate |
| Required Vehicle | Stock 4×4 with high clearance. |
| Time | hour |
| Length | 8.6 miles |
Directions to Coyote Flat Trail: This off-road trail branches off of the Coyote Creek Trail in the Californian Eastern Sierra at the intersection of 8S18 and 7S10. Where the trail splits, take a left to Coyote Flat.
Site Location and Description: Taking a left off of Coyote Creek at the GPS coordinates above will take you south of the Coyote Creek Trail and across through the West Fork of Coyote Creek before coming across the Coyote Flat Trail. A side trail off of Coyote Flat (GPS N37 13.04 W118 29.08), takes you toward Funnel Lake and Rocky Bottom Lake. The main overland trail follows the flat passing below Sugarloaf Peak. This part of Coyote Flat is Sanger Meadow. The meadow was named after a family who raised horses in this area. There is a small track on the left (GPS 37 11.76 W118 27.23) that leads over Sugarloaf and eventually into Big Pine, but this is a difficult and very rocky trail. Heading across the flat you will come to a wooded area with pristine primitive camping opportunities. There are other campsites further along as you get toward Baker Creek (GPS N 37 10.12 W118 28.78) and the end of the trail. These have limited facilities (pit toilets). This area of Coyote Flat and Coyote Creek is well worth a couple of days exploring and vehicle supported adventure camping.
For current road conditions call: Inyo National Forest White Mountain Ranger District 760-873-2500
Did part of the trail last weekend. Beautiful area demands much more time to explore. Got stopped out heading to the mine in the north section of the area. The trail I was following in a book now is closed. There are other routes to that mine – maybe next time.
Glad you enjoyed it Chris. I think it’s my favorite area I did this year so far. We’ll definitely do a long weekend camp trip next year earlier in the season so there’s water in the lakes.