Yosemite National Park is home to many beautiful Giant Sequoia groves throughout the park’s boundaries. The Mariposa Grove is the most well-known, with some truly impressive trees, but Tuolumne Grove is also a great spot to visit if you want to see big trees and not have all the crowds. I snowshoed to the grove a few years ago, and I finally got a chance to check out the grove during the summer in 2020. Here is all the information.
Details
- 2 miles round trip
- 500 feet of elevation gain
- Parking can fill in the summer
- Read about all my favorite Yosemite spots here
Getting There
Tuolumne Grove is located at the beginning of Tioga Road, which goes through Tioga Pass. If you are coming from Yosemite Valley and planning to drive Tioga Road, this is a great first stop about 45 minutes from the valley. You can see more of my recommendations for Tioga Road here.
Video
Here is a video I made from my trip in 2020.
The Trail
This hike is 2 miles round trip with 500 feet of elevation gain and loss. Parking is in the lot near the trailhead but it can be busy in the summer.
It is a reverse hike so save your energy for the way back up. Also, bring water as there is no water at the grove.
The trail is easy on the way down as it is paved and relatively shaded, plus there are lots of signs along the way. On the way up, though, you will feel the steeper grade that you don’t notice on the way down.
The trail is relatively straightforward and not super exciting on the way down, but the grove at the bottom makes up for it.
Eventually, at around the one mile mark, you will reach the grove and finally begin to see some of the massive trees.
The grove features over two dozen Giant Sequoias, and there is a small loop trail that takes you around to the different trees.
The most impressive tree is the one you see right at the beginning of the grove loop trail. Make sure to do the whole loop though, so you don’t miss any.
The fallen tree is another popular stop on this trail. It is a great way to see how massive these trees are as you walk alongside them.
Along the upper portion of the grove, you will reach the other famous tree, which is the dead giant.
This tree has a tunnel carved through it that is almost big enough for a car to fit through. It is a unique way to see the interior of these massive trees and is a popular photo spot on the trail.
From here, you simply have to start the one mile walk uphill back to the car to finish your hike.
One other note, this is actually a great trail for snowshoeing in the winter, if you have your own snowshoes and want to check it out.
I love this trail in Yosemite since it is family-friendly and has some great trees to see. I will say that the Mariposa Grove Trail is the most impressive if you want to see large trees though. However, if you are looking for something different to do when you are in the park, then check it out and let me know what you think in the comments.
