Elizabeth Pass Camping

Kings Canyon National Park

photo of Ranger Meadow, Deadman Canyon, Kings Canyon National Park, California
photo of Ranger Meadow, Deadman Canyon, Kings Canyon National Park, California

Elizabeth Pass Camping

Kings Canyon National Park


Camping and Exploring in Deadman Canyon

The hike from Roaring River Ranger Station to the summit of Elizabeth Pass up Deadman Canyon is the highlight of the trip. Several locations along the way have interesting histories and nearly every mile of trail leads to amazing vistas of soaring canyon peaks and scenic meadows.

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Barton-Lackey Cabin

The Barton-Lackey cabin is across the bridge and downstream from the Roaring River Ranger Station. The cabin was erected in 1910 by cattleman Hudson DeCamp Barton as a summer pasture outpost. Barton's daughter, Sylvia, married Al Lackey, a forest ranger. Lackey operated the family cattle business until 1940 when Kings Canyon National Park was established. In 1977 the cabin was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Lackey Cabin, Roaring River, Kings Canyon National Park, California

Barton-Lackey Cabin, Roaring River

Into the Canyon

After leaving the well-traveled trails of the previous days, hikers find the trail leading into Deadman Canyon narrow and overgrown. In our most recent trip up the canyon we saw only one other person. The first several miles offer few good campsites. Near the gravesite, for which the canyon is named, there is a small clearing among the trees.

Alfred Moniere Gravesite

The wooden grave marker in Deadman Canyon reads "HERE REPOSES ALFRED MONIERE, SHEEPHERDER, MOUNTAIN MAN, 18-TO 1887". Various stories have been told about his death, but the most probable is that the Iberian sheep-herder fell ill and died while his partner had gone to Fresno for help.

Gravesite, Deadman Canyon, Kings Canyon National Park, California

Alfred Moniere Gravesite


High Camp


Pushing as far up the canyon to locate a final camp before crossing the pass, the best choice is among the last cluster of trees at timberline on the west side of the canyon. The camp is up against a slope of glacier smoothed granite which provides a nice place to sit, looking out over a nearby meadow and watching the fading light of evening.

While in camp on our recent trip, we suddenly heard what sounded like the thundering of hooves coming our way out of the meadow. A moment later a young bear appeared, barreling through the middle of our camp without giving us a glance and scrambling on up the granite slope, soon disappearing among the trees.

Deadman Canyon, Kings Canyon National Park, California

Deadman Canyon and Elizabeth Pass


A Higher Camp

Hikers who don't mind the exposure to the elements without the shelter of trees often push even farther up the pass and find level granite benches with amazing views of the canyon below. The campsite is at about 10,000 feet and only a mile from Elizabeth Pass.