Vermilion Valley Resort (VVR)
Overview
Vermilion Valley Resort is a remote lakeside outpost near the Lake Edison area that PCT and JMT hikers can reach via side trails. It is an optional but notable resupply stop in the central Sierra.
Key points
- Accessed by side trails from the PCT/JMT corridor toward the Lake Edison region.
- Connection may involve shoreline walking, a ferry when operating, or road access depending on lake level and season.
- Provides meals, limited lodging or camping, and the option to receive resupply packages.
- Operates as a backcountry-oriented facility rather than a full-service town.
- Used by some hikers to shorten the distance between high Sierra resupply intervals; others bypass it depending on plan and timing.
Details
Vermilion Valley Resort sits near Lake Edison and functions as a backcountry-friendly facility for long-distance hikers and other visitors. Reaching it from the PCT/JMT typically requires following marked side trails toward the lake. Depending on conditions, route specifics, and lake level, access can include walking near the shoreline, taking a seasonal ferry if available, or traveling by road from a nearby trailhead.
Hikers who choose VVR as a resupply point often do so to subdivide longer food carries between other nodes such as Kearsarge Pass exits, Red’s Meadow, or Tuolumne Meadows. At the resort, visitors may find prepared meals, limited lodging or camping options, and a system for receiving resupply boxes mailed in advance.
Because it lies off-trail and operates in a more limited, seasonal way than a typical town, VVR is considered an optional stop rather than a universal waypoint. Decisions to include or exclude it from a resupply strategy generally reflect personal preferences about side trips, time, and the weight of food carries elsewhere in the Sierra.
Related topics
- pct-kearsarge-pass-independence-bishop-resupply
- pct-reds-meadow-mammoth-lakes-resupply
- pct-sierra-nevada-kennedy-meadows-south-to-tahoe-overview
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Illustrative hiking footage
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