Helms Meadow
Helms Meadow Trail is a 7 miles trail in Sierra National Forest, California. The Forest Service rates it trail class 2, moderately developed. It is open to hiking and horse and pack stock. It enters Dinkey Lakes Wilderness.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Sierra National Forest official page carries current alerts and closure orders.
Map
One end Other endLine simplified to about 100 metres. Basemap from the USGS National Map.
| One end | 37.1664, -119.0688 · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 37.1248, -118.9787 · Directions ↗ |
The ends are the two ends of the longest connected chain of segments. The record does not say which is the usual start.
The trail
| Length | 7 miles |
| Trail class | 2, moderately developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical grade | 10-12 percent |
| Typical tread width | 24-36 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Closed to all motorized use year-round |
| Accessibility | Evaluated and does not meet accessibility guidelines |
| Trail numbers | 27E56 |
| Forest | Sierra National Forest (unit 0515) |
| States | California |
| Detail published | management level, with uses |
Values are the set across all segments. Class 1 is minimally developed and class 5 is fully developed. Grade and width are the forest's typical values, not measured extremes.
Weather by month
Allowed uses
| Hiking | Allowed year-round |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed year-round |
A use is listed when the Forest Service records it as managed, accepted or discouraged on any segment. Discouraged still means legal. Uses marked restricted are left out. Where the forest publishes a Motor Vehicle Use Map, that map governs motorized use.
Wilderness
- Dinkey Lakes Wilderness WildernessFS · the whole line is insideWilderness Connect ↗
Inside a designated wilderness, bicycles and motor vehicles are prohibited by law regardless of the trail record, and permits or group limits may apply.
Trailheads
The Forest Service recreation layer records no trailhead within a third of a mile of this trail's line. Many trails start from a road pullout or another trail with no trailhead record. The forest's recreation pages list the trailheads it does publish.
Camping nearby
Campsite Atlas cards carry site counts and booking links from Recreation.gov. Forest Service cards come from the recreation layer and link the agency page.
Fire nearby
- WildfireDome
43 mi from the trail midpoint · 1,177 acres · 10% contained
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.
Explore
Historic places nearby
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Helms Meadow Trail?
7 miles, the sum of the 1 segment the Forest Service records under this name in Sierra National Forest.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Helms Meadow Trail?
hiking and horse and pack stock. The trail is closed to motor vehicles year-round.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the Helms Meadow Trail start?
The line begins at 37.1664, -119.0688 and ends at 37.1248, -118.9787. No Forest Service trailhead is recorded within a third of a mile of it. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Helms Meadow Trail in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters Dinkey Lakes Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Where can I camp near the Helms Meadow Trail?
Voyager Rock Camping Area (1.3 mi) is within five miles of the trail. Site counts and booking links are on Campsite Atlas.
Source: Campsite Atlas
How developed is the Helms Meadow Trail?
Trail class 2, which the Forest Service describes as moderately developed. Class 1 is a minimal, unimproved route and class 5 is fully developed, often paved.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
How steep and how wide is the Helms Meadow Trail?
The typical grade is 10-12 percent. The typical tread is 24-36 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Helms Meadow Trail accessible?
No. The Forest Service evaluated it and found it does not meet its accessibility guidelines.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Helms Meadow Trail?
Sierra National Forest, Forest Service unit 0515. The trail is in California.
Is there a fire near the Helms Meadow Trail?
1 active incident within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-09-18, the nearest Dome at 43 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 1 segment named HELMS MEADOW in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0515. Wilderness overlap is tested against the National Wilderness Preservation System layer from Wilderness Connect. Trailheads and Forest Service campgrounds come from the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer. Data refreshed September 17, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.