Cold Springs Nature Trail
What to Expect
Safety Advisory
Marmots in Mineral King are notorious for chewing on car wiring and radiator hoses — wrap your vehicle's undercarriage with a tarp and secure it with rocks before hitting the trail. This is not a joke; the rangers sell tarps for this reason.
The trail sits above 7,500 feet — if you drove up from the valley floor the same day, take it slow and watch for signs of altitude discomfort, especially in kids.
Trail Details
Pro Tips
Use this trail as a warm-up on your first evening at Cold Springs Campground — it starts right from the campground loop, so you can be on the trail within minutes of setting up camp.
Mineral King Road is 25 miles of white-knuckle switchbacks with no guardrails — budget at least 90 minutes from the turnoff on Highway 198, and do not attempt it in a low-clearance vehicle or after dark.
The interpretive signs along the trail are genuinely informative, not the usual 'this is a tree' variety — they cover the area's mining history and ecology, so slow down and actually read them.
Photos
NPS
