Lunch Meadow
Lunch Meadow Trail is a 6.9-mile trail in Stanislaus National Forest, California. The Forest Service rates it trail class 3, developed. It is open to hiking and horse and pack stock. It enters Emigrant Wilderness and Yosemite Wilderness.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Stanislaus 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 | 38.2177° N, 119.6814° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 38.1701° N, 119.6008° 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 | 6.9 miles |
| Trail class | 3, developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical grade | 12-20 percent |
| Typical tread width | 18-24 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Closed to all motorized use year-round |
| Accessibility | Not evaluated |
| Trail numbers | 21E04 |
| Forest | Stanislaus National Forest (unit 0516) |
| 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
- Emigrant WildernessFS · about 89% of the line is insideWilderness Connect ↗
- Yosemite WildernessNPS · about 11% of the 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.
Trails nearby
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.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedD54 Rx Pile Burning
33 mi from the trail midpoint
- PrescribedFy27 Hemlock Rx
34 mi from the trail midpoint
- PrescribedBig Trees State Park Broadcast Burn Rx
37 mi from the trail midpoint · 170 acres
- PrescribedD51 Rx Pile Burning
42 mi from the trail midpoint
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.
Explore
Park units nearby
Historic places nearby
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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 Lunch Meadow Trail?
The Forest Service records 6.9 miles under this name in Stanislaus National Forest, the sum of 1 segment.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Lunch Meadow Trail?
Hiking and horse and pack stock are allowed. The trail is closed to motor vehicles year-round.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the Lunch Meadow Trail start?
The line begins at 38.2177° N, 119.6814° W and ends at 38.1701° N, 119.6008° W. 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 Lunch Meadow Trail in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters Emigrant Wilderness and Yosemite Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Source: Emigrant Wilderness
Where can I camp near the Lunch Meadow Trail?
No federal campground is recorded within five miles of the trail. The camping section covers dispersed camping, which most National Forest land allows.
How developed is the Lunch Meadow 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 Lunch Meadow Trail?
The typical grade is 12-20 percent. The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Lunch Meadow Trail?
Stanislaus National Forest, Forest Service unit 0516. The trail is in California.
Is there a fire near the Lunch Meadow Trail?
The interagency feed shows 4 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest D54 Rx Pile Burning at 33 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 1 segment named Lunch Meadow in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0516. 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.