California · Trail 3409

Little Whit to Big Whit Meadow

Little Whit to Big Whit Meadow Trail is a 7.4 miles trail in Inyo 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 Golden Trout Wilderness.

Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Inyo 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 end36.4350, -118.2766 · Directions ↗
Other end36.3726, -118.3423 · 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 is recorded as 2 segments.

The trail

Length7.4 miles
Trail class2, moderately developed
Typeland trail
Surfacenative material
Typical grade8-10 percent
Typical tread width24-36 inches
Motor vehiclesClosed to all motorized use year-round
AccessibilityEvaluated and does not meet accessibility guidelines
Trail numbers3409
ForestInyo National Forest (unit 0504)
StatesCalifornia
Detail publishedmanagement 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

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Little Whit to Big Whit Meadow Trail20°30°40°50°60°70°January: 8.72 inches of precipitation, 42.4 inches of snowFebruary: 7.87 inches of precipitation, 61.5 inches of snowMarch: 6.42 inches of precipitation, 37.1 inches of snowApril: 3.24 inches of precipitation, 22.2 inches of snowMay: 2.05 inches of precipitation, 6.0 inches of snowJune: 0.69 inches of precipitation, 1.1 inches of snowJuly: 0.61 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 0.15 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 0.65 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 2.27 inches of precipitation, 3.4 inches of snowNovember: 3.65 inches of precipitation, 11.7 inches of snowDecember: 6.87 inches of precipitation, 35.0 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 28.3°F averageFebruary: 29.7°F averageMarch: 33.6°F averageApril: 37.8°F averageMay: 45.7°F averageJune: 54.0°F averageJuly: 61.0°F averageAugust: 60.0°F averageSeptember: 54.6°F averageOctober: 45.0°F averageNovember: 35.0°F averageDecember: 27.3°F average0 in20 in40 in60 in80 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Lodgepole, 27 miles from the trail midpoint at 6,735 feet, station USC00045026 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 43 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 220 inches a year on the same inches scale. The station sits about 2,900 feet lower than the trail midpoint, so temperatures on the ground run cooler.

Allowed uses

HikingAllowed year-round
Horse and pack stockAllowed 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

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

No federal campground is recorded within five miles of the trail. Dispersed camping is allowed on most National Forest land outside posted closures. The forest office has the current rules.

Explore

Reference

Questions people ask

How long is the Little Whit to Big Whit Meadow Trail?

7.4 miles, the sum of the 2 segments the Forest Service records under this name in Inyo National Forest.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

What is allowed on the Little Whit to Big Whit 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 Little Whit to Big Whit Meadow Trail start?

The line begins at 36.4350, -118.2766 and ends at 36.3726, -118.3423. 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 Little Whit to Big Whit Meadow Trail in a wilderness area?

Yes. It enters Golden Trout Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.

Source: Golden Trout Wilderness Wilderness

Where can I camp near the Little Whit to Big Whit Meadow Trail?

No federal campground is recorded within five miles of the trail. Dispersed camping is allowed on most National Forest land outside posted closures. The forest office has the current rules.

Source: Inyo National Forest official page

How developed is the Little Whit to Big Whit 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 Little Whit to Big Whit Meadow Trail?

The typical grade is 8-10 percent. The typical tread is 24-36 inches wide.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Is the Little Whit to Big Whit 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 Little Whit to Big Whit Meadow Trail?

Inyo National Forest, Forest Service unit 0504. The trail is in California.

Source: Inyo National Forest official page

Source

This page is built from 2 segments named LITTLE WHIT TO BIG WHIT MEADOW in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0504. 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.