Yosemite's Giant Sequoias: Hiking Mariposa Grove & Tuolumne Grove ~ Adventures in Southern California

Mariposa Grove – Yosemite National Park

If you only have time to visit one giant sequoia grove in Yosemite, I would recommend the Mariposa Grove located near the park's southern entrance. This is the largest sequoia grove in Yosemite, with over 500 mature giant sequoias. You can no longer drive your own car directly to the grove unless you have a disability placard. Instead, park at the Mariposa Grove Welcome Plaza and take the free shuttle about two miles up to the trailhead. The Grizzly Giant Loop Trail is approximately 2 miles long, with about 300 feet of elevation gain, and takes about 2 hours. Along the way, you'll see the Fallen Monarch, a massive fallen sequoia with its exposed roots, the Bachelor and Three Graces, the enormous Grizzly Giant, which is estimated to be around 3,000 years old, and the California Tunnel Tree, which you can walk through.

I would definitely recommend taking the shuttle rather than walking up from the Welcome Plaza. The hike from the parking lot to the grove is about two miles each way, with roughly 500 feet of elevation gain on the way up. It's a long uphill walk that I don't think is particularly interesting, especially when you could save your energy for exploring the actual grove. Taking the shuttle lets you spend more time among the giant sequoias instead of walking up the access road or trail. The shuttle generally operates from spring through fall, depending on weather and road conditions, and runs about every 15 minutes. If you're visiting during the winter when the shuttle isn't running, you'll need to hike the extra four miles round trip just to reach the grove and return to the parking lot. That turns the two mile long Grizzly Giant Loop into a roughly six mile long hike.

Tuolumne Grove Trail – Yosemite National Park

The Tuolumne Grove is one of the easiest places to see giant sequoias in Yosemite National Park, and it's definitely worth a stop if you're coming into or leaving Yosemite Valley on Highway 120 near Tioga Road. The trail starts near Crane Flat and follows a wide, mostly paved old road downhill for about one mile to the grove. It's a beautiful, shaded hike through the forest with a descent of about 500 feet. Once you reach the bottom, there's a short half-mile loop through the giant sequoias, including the famous Dead Giant Tunnel Tree, which has a large opening carved through its trunk that you can actually walk through. The entire hike, including the loop and the return to the parking lot, is approximately 2.5 miles round trip.

The Tuolumne Grove is much smaller and not nearly as impressive as the Mariposa Grove, but I still think it's worth visiting. There are about two dozen mature giant sequoias here, and the tunnel tree is probably the highlight. The hike down is easy, but remember that you'll have to climb those 500 feet back up to your car. Allow about 2 hours for the entire hike. Tioga Road typically closes from November through late May or early June because of snow. However, the closure begins just beyond the Tuolumne Grove near Crane Flat, so you can still drive to the trailhead from the western side of Yosemite when road conditions permit. The grove remains open year-round, although the trail can be covered in snow and ice during the winter.