This is the home of the biggest trees on Earth. Giant Forest packs thousands of sequoias into a few square miles, and Moro Rock stands at its edge with the whole Great Western Divide in view. Give it two days: one for the giants and Moro Rock, one for a longer climb into the high country. Mornings under the big trees are cool and quiet, while summer afternoons can bring thunderstorms to the peaks. Here are the walks and hikes we'd build a visit around.
TRAILS
1 OF 7
Moro Rock
Difficulty
Moderate
Length
0.5 mi
Elevation gain
300 ft
Giant Forest · Moro Rock parking — A granite dome with a staircase of more than 350 steps built right into it, ending at a railed summit. From the top you look straight across the Kaweah canyon to the jagged Great Western Divide, and the evening light here is hard to beat. It's short but steep and very exposed. Ride the summer shuttle, since the small lot fills fast.
⚠︎ Don't climb with ice or snow on the steps, or when thunderstorms are near.
Photo: King of Hearts, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
2 OF 7
General Sherman Tree
Difficulty
Easy
Length
1 mi
Elevation gain
200 ft
Giant Forest · Sherman Tree trailhead — The largest tree on the planet by volume, and still growing after more than 2,000 years. A paved path with some stairs drops from the main lot to its base, so the climb back up at 7,000 feet is the hard part. Take it slow and look up. Accessible parking sits closer to the tree for visitors with a disability placard.
Photo: Roman Tokman, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
3 OF 7
Congress Trail
Difficulty
Easy
Length
2 mi loop
Elevation gain
200 ft
Giant Forest · General Sherman Tree — Keep walking past the Sherman Tree and the crowds thin out fast. This paved loop winds through some of the densest stands of giant sequoias anywhere, including the President and the tight clusters called the House and the Senate. Benches along the way make it easy to sit and take in the scale. It's the best two miles in the park for big trees.
Photo: Fabio Achilli from Milano, Italy, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
4 OF 7
Tokopah Falls
Difficulty
Moderate
Length
3.4 mi
Elevation gain
500 ft
Lodgepole · Marble Fork Bridge — A gentle climb up the Marble Fork of the Kaweah River into a glacier-carved granite canyon, ending below a long cascade that pours over the cliffs. The towering Watchtower rises above the trail on the way. Early summer is when the falls are at their loudest. Watch for marmots near the end, and keep food away from them; they chew on anything.
Photo: National Park Service Digital Image Archives, public domain, Wikimedia Commons
5 OF 7
Big Trees Trail
Difficulty
Easy
Length
0.75 mi loop
Elevation gain
50 ft
Giant Forest · Giant Forest Museum — A paved, accessible loop around Round Meadow, ringed by giant sequoias. Trail signs explain why these trees need fire and wet meadows to thrive. In early summer the meadow is bright green and full of wildflowers. A good first walk, and an easy one for every member of the family.
Photo: Daniel Mayer (mav), CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
6 OF 7
Crescent Meadow and Tharp's Log
Difficulty
Easy
Length
2 mi loop
Elevation gain
150 ft
Giant Forest · Crescent Meadow — A quiet loop around a long green meadow framed by sequoias, with a stop at Tharp's Log, a fallen giant that a pioneer rancher turned into a summer cabin. Black bears often graze at the meadow edges in early morning and evening, so keep your distance. It's one of the calmest corners of Giant Forest. The road out here is narrow, so the summer shuttle is the easy way in.
Photo: David Fulmer, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
7 OF 7
Alta Peak
Difficulty
Strenuous
Length
14 mi
Elevation gain
4,000 ft
Wolverton · Lakes trailhead — The big day hike from Giant Forest, climbing from red fir forest past Panther Gap and Mehrten Meadow to a granite summit above 11,000 feet. From the top, the Great Western Divide fills the eastern sky and, on clear days, you can pick out Mount Whitney far beyond. The last mile is steep and rocky, and the thin air slows everyone down. If you want something shorter, the Lakes Trail from the same trailhead leads to Heather Lake, about four miles in.
⚠︎ Snow often lingers on the upper trail into July. Start early to stay ahead of afternoon storms.
Photo: Martin Bravenboer, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Plan your Sequoia trip
The Nova Bound app builds the whole trip around these trails: where to stay, where to charge, and what to see each day. Coming soon to the App Store.
Distances are round trip unless noted, from NPS.gov and rounded. Trails, permits and road openings change; always check nps.gov before you go. Trail write-ups by Nova Bound.