Free Shipping on Orders over $100 🚚
Free Shipping on Orders over $100 🚚
Shop Clothing
Shop Footwear
Shop Hike & Camp
Shop Climbing
Accessories
John Muir Trail (JMT) Comprehensive Guide
Planning the John Muir Trail can feel overwhelming. Permits, gear, resupply, food, footwear, weather, altitude, and figuring out what actually matters. We built this guide to simplify the process and help you avoid expensive mistakes.
Section 1: Start Here (Beginner Essentials)
- JMT Permits Explained
- Best Time to Hike the JMT
- How Hard is the JMT?
- First Time JMT Mistakes
-
What Happens When an Eastside Sports Employee Attempts the JMT for the First Time
Section 2: Gear Guides
- JMT Complete Gear Checklist
- Best Shoes for the JMT
- What Gear to Replace
- Best Backpacks for JMT
- Water Filtration
- Sleep Systems
Section 3: Food, Training, and Prep
Planning your John Muir Trail hike? We made a curated JMT Gear Collection with packs, footwear, water filters, bear canisters, layers, and trail-tested essentials to help simplify your kit.
Shop Our JMT Gear CollectionDisclaimer: The information in these guides is provided for general educational and planning purposes only. Conditions, regulations, weather, trail access, and product availability can change quickly. Always verify current information with official land managers and use your own judgment. Outdoor travel involves inherent risks. Eastside Sports is not liable for injuries, losses, or outcomes related to the use of this information.
How To...Manage Summer Heat & High Sierra Sun Exposure
June 29, 2026 6 min read
Summer in the Sierra demands more than sunscreen—it requires a layered sun system. This guide breaks down SPF vs UPF, explains UVA/UVB exposure at altitude, and shows how to build a complete protection kit using sunscreen, sun hoodies, hats, lip balm, and sunglasses for high-elevation environments.
How To...Choose What to Wear Hiking in the Eastern Sierra: A Complete Layering Guide
April 28, 2026 5 min read
Read More
How To...Hike the John Muir Trail: A First-Timer's Story & Comprehensive Guide
April 11, 2026 10 min read
What happens when a complete beginner accidentally commits to hiking the John Muir Trail? Overpacking, poor decisions, unexpected friendships, and 200+ miles of figuring it out the hard way. Read a first-timer's John Muir Trail story packed with real mistakes, lessons, and gear insights. Follow a beginner’s journey through Yosemite to Mount Whitney while learning what it actually takes to hike the JMT—from preparation and permits to daily mileage, gear choices, and surviving the Sierra.
Subscribe to our newsletter = Get Free Shipping
Sign up for the latest on area events and conditions, sales/promotions, new releases, and so much more…
You get a code for free standard shipping on an order over $20 after sign up! Check your email!