Gin Flat (T3)

This summit meadow is said to be named after a barrel of gin that fell off a freight wagon.

Plan Around Gin Flat (T3)

A good stop is not just something to read about. Once it belongs on the day, move into a saved trip and build the route around it.

Add to trip View park guide

Use this detail page to confirm that the stop is worth it, then carry that decision into a trip draft while the park context is still fresh.

Gin Flat (T3) Details

These days, this meadow is used to survey the snow and determine the amount of runoff that will occur in the springtime. There is a small interpretive sign located in the pull-off which describes the importance of the Sierra Nevada as a source of California's drinking water. The sign reads: "The Sierra Nevada is California's reservoir - nature's storage tank of water in the form of winter snow and ice. As the snow gradually melts, it releases the stored water into the streams and rivers. The depth of the annual snow pack indicates how much water we will have each year for necessities like drinking water and crop irrigation. In a warming climate, more moisture may come as rain instead of snow. How will it affect this natural storage, and what reservoir will we have to hold water to support our daily lives? The meadow in front of you is one of many places throughout the Sierra where snow survey teams measure the snowpack. Just three years of below-average snowpack can cause concern that we are entering a drought. This meadow may be showing signs of a warming climate. As meadows dry up, moisture-loving plants disappear, leaving a drier nutrient-rich soil more suitable for trees. The young trees you see here have all sprouted in the last forty years." Roadside marker: T3

Difficulty

Low

Distance

N/A

Estimated time

Region

Tioga Road (Rt 120 East)