Sequoia Hiking Trails
Hiking Sequoia National Park
Sequoia's hiking trails are what will take you to the truly magnificent sights to behold in the park. Trails range from short, easy, and paved, to long, steep, and rugged. Sequoia has a trail for every skill level!
Lace up your hiking boots, or slip on your sneakers – there are more than 800 miles of Sequoia hiking trails for people of every ability and inclination. From gentle ambles among giant sequoias to moderate day hikes and full-throttle ascents (including the highest point in the lower 48 states!), Sequoia hiking trails deliver peak experiences, whatever the topography and terrain.
Some of the park’s top hikes include Big Trees Trail, Crescent Meadow Loop Trail, Congress Trail, Tokopah Falls Trail,
Hazelwood Nature Trail, Alta Peak Trail, and the High Sierra Trail to Bearpaw Meadow.
What they all share is the grandeur of Sequoia National Park. Below are just a few examples of the hiking trails available in Sequoia. See you at the trailhead!
Hazelwood Nature Trail
Distance: 1 mile, self-guided loop
Time: 1 hour, round-trip
Trailhead: South side of General’s Highway, next to the now-deserted Giant Forest Village
Elevation Gain: 50 feet
Description: This pleasant Sequoia hiking experience will take you along gentle grades through excellent stands of giant sequoias. Trailside exhibits tell of historic figures who helped make these parks what they are.
Big Trees Trail
Distance: 1.2 mile self-guided loop trail
Time: 1 hour round-trip
Trailhead: Giant Forest Museum parking lot
Elevation Gain: 60 feet
Description: One of the most accessible Sequoia National Park trails in the park, this trail circles Round Meadow and features trail-side exhibits describing the area's ecology.
Crescent Meadow Loop Trail
Distance: 1.8 miles
Time: 2 to 3 hours, round-trip
Trailhead: Crescent Meadow parking lot
Elevation Gain: 200 feet
Description: This scenic loop trail takes you around the picturesque Crescent Meadow. Most impressive in the spring when wildflowers are in bloom, wildlife sightings are common in this area. The Sequoia hiking trail also goes by Tharp's Log, a hollowed out Sequoia tree that was converted into a summer cabin by one of the park's earliest settlers.
Congress Trail
Distance: 2 miles
Time: 1 to 3 hours, round-trip
Trailhead: General Sherman Tree, just off General’s Highway
Elevation Gain: 200 feet
Description: This popular, paved Sequoia hiking path loops through the heart of the Giant Sequoia Grove and is perfect for first-time visitors.
Tokopah Falls Trail
Distance: 3.4 miles
Time: 2 hours, round-trip
Trailhead: Just beyond Marble Fork Bridge in Lodgepole Campground
Elevation Gain: 500 feet
Description: The trail to Tokopah Falls is an easy walk along the Marble Fork of the Kaweah River. Tokopah Falls is 1,200 feet high and most impressive in spring and early summer.
Alta Peak Trail
Distance: 7 miles each way
Time: Approximately 7 to 8 hours, round-trip
Trailhead: Wolverton
Elevation Gain: 4,000 feet
Description: Though strenuous, this Sequoia hiking trail to Alta Peak is considered by many to be one of the best day hikes in Sequoia National Park. At 11,204 feet, the summit of Alta Peak provides jaw-dropping views of the Great Western Divide and the High Sierra. On a clear day you can even see all the way to Mt. Whitney!
High Sierra Trail to Bearpaw Meadow
Distance: 11.5 miles each way
Time: 5 to 10 hours, one way (average 7 hours)
Trailhead: Crescent Meadow, approximately 10 miles south of Wuksachi Lodge
Elevation Gain: 1,000 feet
Description: Well marked and easy to navigate, the High Sierra trail is considered moderate with a warm southern exposure. The trail follows a ridgeline of mixed conifers, offering spectacular views of the Great Western Divide and lush meadows along the journey. The journey gains and loses elevation the entire way. It is wise to rest and enjoy Buck Creek (it has a concrete bridge) because the last 1.3 miles gains 600 vertical feet and is without water. The High Sierra trail crosses three major tributaries before reaching Bearpaw High Sierra Camp®. A number of popular day hikes are accessible from the camp.
Click Here for more detailed information about the High Sierra trail in Sequoia National Park
