Kaiser Pass
Kaiser Pass Trail is a 16-mile snow trail in Sierra National Forest, California. The Forest Service rates it trail class 3, developed. It is open to snowmobile, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.
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 | 37.2555° N, 119.1614° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 37.3106° N, 119.0260° W · 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 | 16 miles |
| Trail class | 3, developed |
| Type | snow trail |
| Surface | snow |
| Typical grade | 10-12 percent |
| Typical tread width | over 120 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Open to at least one motorized use |
| Accessibility | Evaluated and does not meet accessibility guidelines |
| Trail numbers | 26E6015 |
| 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
| Snowmobile | Allowed year-round |
| Snowshoeing | Allowed year-round |
| Cross-country skiing | 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.
Trailheads
Potter Pass Trailhead No season published | under 0.1 mi |
Kaiser Pass Toilet Area Trailhead No season published | under 0.1 mi |
Potter Cutoff Trailhead No season published | 0.1 mi |
Badger Flat Trailhead No season published | 0.1 mi |
Distance is from the point to the nearest part of the trail line. Season text is what the forest wrote and is often a season name rather than a date.
Trails nearby
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
- PrescribedRx White Deer
36 mi from the trail midpoint · 35 acres
- PrescribedCrooks Rx
36 mi from the trail midpoint · 15 acres
- PrescribedGrant Grove Fall Rx
39 mi from the trail midpoint · 466 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.
Explore
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Kaiser Pass Trail?
The Forest Service records 16 miles under this name in Sierra National Forest, the sum of 1 segment.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Kaiser Pass Trail?
Snowmobile, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are allowed. The trail is open to at least one motorized use.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the Kaiser Pass Trail start?
The line begins at 37.2555° N, 119.1614° W and ends at 37.3106° N, 119.0260° W. The nearest recorded trailhead is Potter Pass Trailhead, under 0.1 miles from the line. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Kaiser Pass Trail in a wilderness area?
No. The trail line does not cross any polygon in the National Wilderness Preservation System layer.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Where can I camp near the Kaiser Pass Trail?
Badger Flats Group (under 0.1 mi), Bolsillo Campground (under 0.1 mi) and Rancheria (0.1 mi) are within five miles of the trail. The camping section lists all 8 with site counts and booking links.
Source: Campsite Atlas
How developed is the Kaiser Pass Trail?
Trail class 3, which the Forest Service describes as 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 Kaiser Pass Trail?
The typical grade is 10-12 percent. The typical tread is over 120 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Kaiser Pass 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 Kaiser Pass Trail?
Sierra National Forest, Forest Service unit 0515. The trail is in California.
Is there a fire near the Kaiser Pass Trail?
The interagency feed shows 3 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Rx White Deer at 36 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 1 segment named Kaiser Pass 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 November 1, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.