Where to Hike In Sequoia National Park: Visit Gigantic General Sherman And More
If you are looking for a great hike in Sequoia National Park, you have reached the right place! Hit the trails and visit the giants up close and personal. First, see if you can spot a black bear in the wildflower-filled meadows along the Big Trees Trail.
Then, head to the General Sherman Tree and marvel at its size! Afterward, take a gorgeous hike in Sequoia National Park to visit The Senate, Tharp’s Log, and more amazing meadows. Get the details below for an unforgettable visit on day 2 of your time at Sequoia National Park.
If you are looking for more epic activities in Sequoia National Park, check out our post on what we did during our first day.
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Need to Know Info
- Visit our Gear page to purchase your America the Beautiful Pass online at REI’s website. In some cases, you can purchase an annual pass at the entrance of some parks.
- Arrive early at Sequoia National Park to get a great parking spot. Arriving before or around 8 am is the best way to secure parking. We arrived around this time each day, and we were able to park across the street from the Giant Forest Museum in the front row! You know what they say about that early bird…
- The road to the high-elevation area of Sequoia National Park from Three Rivers, CA, is steep, winding, and narrow. It includes multiple hairpin curves and will take about an hour, depending on traffic.
- Plan on using the free shuttle system at Sequoia National Park. Start at the Giant Forest Museum each day and utilize the shuttle to reach the northern areas of the park along Generals Highway. This is a fast and timely service! Check out the map from 2024 below.
Safety and Weather in Sequoia National Park
- Cell phone coverage at Sequoia National Park is fairly good near the visitor center areas. However, don’t expect service when you head away from these locations.
- Do mosquitoes love you? Get our favorite bug spray here!
- Water: It’s recommended to carry at least 1 liter of water for every 5 miles you are hiking. Ditch those water bottles and carry a water bladder!
- Food: There are limited food options at Sequoia National Park. If you are looking for food here, your best bet is the Lodgepole Market & Grill near the Lodgepole area of the park.
- Restrooms: There are restrooms located in and around Sequoia National Park near the visitor center locations. Some have running water, and some do not. Don’t expect to find any along the trails in the backcountry.
- The weather can vary depending on your location in the park. Higher elevation areas will be cooler, especially in and around the shaded forest areas of the park.
- Temperatures in the summer months range from an average of 61°F to 97°F, depending on your location. In the Sequoia Groves, temperatures were in the 70s during our visit. Perfect!
- Be aware of forest fires: fire and smoke may be present in the park at any time.
- Poison oak will be present. Familiarize yourself with what this plant looks like.
Animal Safety in Sequoia National Park
Sequoia National Park has a diverse range of animals living in the park. Deer, black bears, mountain lions, bobcats, rattlesnakes, and marmots are just a few of the animals you might see. Review the steps to take if you encounter a black bear or mountain lion along the trail. That being said, it’s unlikely that you will encounter an aggressive animal, but always be prepared. Please, please, please, DO NOT leave food in your car!
Map
Above is a map of the route we took during our second day at Sequoia National Park. Use this along with the description of our entire day below!
Big Trees Trail – 2 miles – easy, loop
The first hike in Sequoia National Park to complete is the Big Trees Trail. If you get here early enough, you just might see a black bear or two grazing in the meadow! Plus, if you are an early riser, you are assured prime parking.
Just like day 1 at Sequoia, park across from the Giant Forest Museum. Then, use the connector trails to your northeast and walk parallel to the road. These short trails will lead you to the Big Trees Trail. From the parking lot across from the Giant Forest Museum, it’s about a half-mile walk. Additionally, this trail is paved and mostly flat.
Complete the walk in any direction. The insanely huge sequoias circling the lush green Round Meadow are a sight to behold! As you hike around the meadow, learn about how the weather, temperature, and fire affect the growth of sequoias.
Additionally, if you get up here early enough, it’s a great place to see a black bear ambling through the meadow. Finally, head back toward the Giant Forest Museum and prepare to take the shuttle to the General Sherman Tree.
➡️ Read next: Kings Canyon Itinerary: Hike to Mist Falls and Visit Waterfalls
The General Sherman Tree
First up, take a ride on the free shuttle to reach the General Sherman Tree. There is a small parking area right near the tree, but this is reserved for handicapped parking during peak season. Once you arrive at the shuttle stop, it’s a short walk to visit the largest tree in the world! According to the National Park Service, General Sherman has “more wood (volume) in its trunk than any other tree on Earth.” It is truly enormous!
Arrive here early to beat the crowds. When we arrived in the morning after taking the first shuttle out, we had this area mostly to ourselves, and it was great. However, as it gets later in the day, it will get busier.
By the time we finished our epic loop through the forest, it was a madhouse with a long line to get a picture with the tree.
🌲 Looking for tours and other fun things to do near Sequoia National Park? Check out the options from Viator!
An Epic Forest Loop Trail – 7.25 miles – moderate, loop
After you enjoy your time viewing General Sherman, hit the trails for a nice 7.5-mile hike in Sequoia National Park. This loop utilizes multiple trails to visit The Congress Group, The Senate, Tharp’s Log, Long Meadow, and more. Spend time hiking through the quiet forest with amazing towering giants. Let’s go!
Congress Trail – 1 mile
Start this trail from the General Sherman Tree by hiking on the Congress Trail. At about 1 mile in, you will reach The Senate and Congress groves. These two areas absolutely can’t be missed and are stunning! These groves are a great place to gain perspective on how small we really are.
Trail of the Sequoias – 2.6 miles
Next, hike along the picturesque Trail of the Sequoias. This section of the hike is very scenic and has great views of the area as well as a few small stream crossings. Certain areas of this trail allow views of snow-capped peaks in the distance. After about 2.3 miles or so, you’ll reach a small connector trail on the right. Follow this and the signs to Tharp’s Log.
🏡 The best way to stay near Sequoia National Park is to book a VRBO. Check out all the options right here.
Log Meadow Loop – 0.6 miles
Next, take a right after the connector trail onto the Log Meadow Loop. After a quarter mile on this trail, you will arrive at Tharp’s Log. Tharp’s Log was built in 1861! Using a downed sequoia, Mr. Tharp built a cabin here and used the nearby meadow for cattle grazing during the summer months.
From Tharp’s Log, continue to the north or to the right of the cabin when facing it. This will lead you through a beautiful fern-lined section of the trail, and you’ll feel like you’re in a movie set. Eventually, Tharp’s Log Cutoff will lead you to Chimney Tree and the Crescent Meadow Loop.
Crescent Meadow Loop – 1.2 miles
Once you reach the junction, continue your hike in Sequoia National Park and take a left onto Crescent Meadow Loop, and continue south on the trail. To your right, the amazing meadow of wildflowers basks in the golden, glowing sunlight.
This meadow is another great location to spot a black bear ambling through the tall grass. We saw one here! Next, at the junction, continue straight. Then, make a right onto the High Sierra Trail. This will lead you to the Crescent Meadow Picnic Area and Trailhead. There are pit toilets here and a shuttle stop.
Hopefully, you aren’t tired yet, because this great hike is not over! When you’ve rested and are ready to continue, take the Crescent Meadow Loop Trail north. Again, watch for wildlife in the meadow to your right. After about half a mile, you’ll reach the Huckleberry Trail. Take a right, head to the Washington Tree Trail, and continue on this trail.
👉🏽 Don’t miss Day 1 at Sequoia National Park. Learn more about it here!
Washington Tree Trail – 0.5 miles
Next, take this trail toward Cattle Cabin using a short connector trail on the right after another half mile to reach Circle Meadows Loop.
Circle Meadows Loop – 0.7 miles
Circle Meadows Loop will lead you to Cattle Cabin. This cabin is a remnant of a local colony from the 1880s and is on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. Picture yourself living here in the 1880s. Could you do it? Finally, stay on the trail until you reach a large junction with 5 different trails. Go straight onto the Congress Trail.
Congress Trail – 0.6 miles
Use this trail to reach the General Sherman Tree and the shuttle stop. Along this trail, you will encounter a small human-sized tree tunnel as well! Here, you will also notice that you no longer have the trails to yourselves as you did along the Trail of the Sequoias.
This is a great time to circle back to General Sherman for one last look before you begin your drive toward Kings Canyon National Park. To follow this larger loop trail online as you hike, we recommend using Hiking Project, which has free downloadable maps!
Drive Toward Kings Canyon National Park
Following your epic hike at Sequoia National Park, take the shuttle back to the Giant Forest Museum and drive north toward Kings Canyon National Park. If you are looking for more hiking options along the way, stop at the Buena Vista Trail.
This is a short trail that leads to a nice overlook of Kings Canyon, which is where you will be heading following your time in Sequoia National Park. Finally, continue your drive to Squaw Valley and rest for the evening.
Where to Stay While Visiting Sequoia National Park
If you don’t mind driving mountain roads, we recommend staying in nearby Three Rivers, CA. It’s about 1 hour to Sequoia National Park, but has great amenities and restaurants nearby. Check out the best places to stay below.
- A VRBO – there are plenty of homes in the area that you can rent for a few days to have a place to yourself. This is the way to go if you ask us, and it’s exactly what we did! Reserve your place now.
- Comfort Inn & Suites Sequoia Kings Canyon – free breakfast and a seasonal shuttle to the park. Check it out now on Booking.com or Expedia.
- Rio Sierra River Resort – top-rated! Three custom rooms with private entrances. Pricey, but right on the scenic river. Book this epic property on Expedia or Booking.com.
Final Thoughts
In closing, we really enjoyed our second day in Sequoia National Park. Highlights included seeing General Sherman and taking a longer hike in Sequoia National Park to be able to get away from the crowds.
Crescent Meadow was also a favorite on the list, and we were excited to see a black bear at this location, even though it was somewhat far away. If we have one tip to give you for visiting this great park, use the free shuttles as much as you can! This will cut down on any parking headaches.
Finally, the short Buena Vista hike gave us a taste of what’s to come in Kings Canyon. And let’s just say, Kings Canyon is underrated and gorgeous! Head here to learn more!
🛏️ Don’t forget to book your stay at a local VRBO in Three Rivers.
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