Introduction. Want to do this trip yourself? After a day in a frontcountry lodge (with showers) we'll head deep into the remote backcountry of Kings Canyon National Park. His summer camp, a hollowed out Sequoia log near Crescent Meadow known as Tharp's Log, is popular with park visitors. With its 275-foot height and 36-foot diameter, this Sequoiadendron giganteum is the world's largest tree by volume. National Monument in Sequoia NF, CA. The Great Western Divide peaks through a storm viewed from Alta Meadow in Sequoia National Park. For us, the weather was clear and sunny all weekend. The closest city is Fresno which has an international airport served by United Airlines, US Airways, Horizon Air, and Delta Airlines. Background. This weekend getaway traverses the Alta Peak Trail into the high country of the park, climbing up to 11,207 feet before descending into the breathtaking Alta Meadow. Fees are $35 per vehicle or $30 per motorcycle. We stopped for lunch in gorgeous Alta Meadow. Description: This pleasant Sequoia hiking experience will take you along gentle grades through excellent stands of giant sequoias. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Pear Lake from Alta Peak, Sequoia National Park. Around 10,200ft, we found the remains of the old trail. We will walk among the giant sequoias and day-hike to the top of Moro Rock. The trail to Alta Peak is the same as the Lakes Trail for the first 1.8 miles. Toward the middle of the route as you continue north past Cattle Cabin to approach the 5-way junction with the Alta Trail and Congress Trail (1.6 miles). Sequoia National Park is a phenomenal place to hit the trails. It’s got bigger peaks, taller trees, and far fewer crowds. This description details the trip via Wolverton parking area and Panther Gap. Tokopah Falls is 1,200 feet high and most impressive in spring and early summer. Information about park alerts, giardia, bear containers, hypothermia, hiking in the heat and more can be found on the NPS safety page. Reaching these amazing views involves a long, strenuous climb gaining almost 4,000-ft. … The Great Western Divide peaks through a storm viewed from Alta Meadow in Sequoia National Park. It starts at Grant Grove Tree, but soon moved into the quieter North Grove where you can enjoy breathtaking views of sequoias with fewer people. Sequoia National Park is a national park in the southern Sierra Nevada east of Visalia, California, in the United States. As you travel along the trail, you’ll come across remains of sequoias left where they fell in the historic logging days. Numerous wide open cross … Recharge amidst these nearly immortal giant trees, and get inspired just like the many greats before … We ended up ascending the ridge a little lower and farther south than intended, so We climbed along the ridge over large talus before dropping down the opposite side. Trail maps and guides are available at the various gift shops and visitor centers within the parks and can also be purchased online from the SNHA Bookstore. At 11,204 feet, the summit of Alta Peak provides jaw-dropping views of the Great Western Divide and the High Sierra. I have been eagerly awaiting writing this tale of solo mountain summiting for quite some time now. In December 1937, an unnamed sequoia 275' (83.8 meters) high and 21' (6.4 meters) in diameter fell across the Crescent Meadow Road as a result of natural causes. Foothills. A storm in the distance was hovering around the mountaintops and obscuring the view. The Great Western Divide peaks through a storm viewed from Alta Meadow in Sequoia National Park. Other backpacking trails include the Alta Trail (which leads you through forests and meadows), the High Sierra Trail (which leads you along rugged terrain), and the Long Meadow Trail (which arrives at Summit Lake). And smoke from all surrounding hill. Learn more about staying safe on the trails. Flora & Fauna Alta Meadow in July is no sweet, pastoral scene, but a tilting terrain of soggy earth, trunk-like plants that drowned us up to our waists, swarms of bees, enormous flowers, and the vibrating energy of thousands of bugs just beneath every green surface. The Sequoia National Park, which is located in eastern central California, was created by the act of September 25, 1890, and enlarged by act of July 3, 1926. Visitors to Sequoia National Park can drive through a fallen sequoia, however. Take a stroll with National Park Service Plant Ecologist, Erik Frenzel around Long Meadow (in the Wolverton area). Moose Lake via Alta Meadow in Sequoia National Park. Description: Ready for a “hard rock” experience? Photo by Cade Castle. The Congress Trail. Trailhead: General Sherman Tree, just off Generals Highway. Description: One of the lesser-traveled trails in Kings Canyon National Park, the Big Stump hiking trail features many enormous stumps left over from the logging days. Location: From Wolverton parking lot begin the hike and follow the Lakes Trail. I’m bookmarking this report for next chance I get to plan something in the area! Alta Meadow is a wetland inside of Sequoia National Park. Sequoia Parks Conservancy, the official 501(c)(3) nonprofit partner of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks (National Park Service) and Lake Kaweah (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers), uses tax-deductible contributions to support these parks. We could see as soon as we arrived at Alta Meadow that this was not the case throughout the Sierra Nevada. Whitney. The Alta Trail leads to the summit of Alta Peak, which lies in western Sequoia National Park. Lakes Trail in Sequoia National Park, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park Picture: Alta Peak/Meadow Junction - Check out Tripadvisor members' 9,809 candid photos and videos of Lakes Trail in Sequoia National Park Moose Lake via Alta Meadow in Sequoia National Park, Echo Lakes to Eagle Falls via Lake Aloha and Dick’s Pass in Desolation Wilderness, Tamarack Lake, Lonely Lake, and Tablelands in Sequoia National Park – Plutonic Love. From the trailhead follow Lakes Trail eastward along the Wolverton Creek drainage. Time: Approximately 7 to 8 hours, round-trip. The beautiful Sequoia National Park features the tallest peak in the continental United States and the largest trees on the planet. When we reached the ridge, we had gorgeous views of the divide and Buck Creek’s magnificent canyon. Alta Meadow is southeast of Alta Peak. And, it’s the only way to see the diversity of the park. Description: The Hart Tree Loop is another less-traveled Grant Grove hiking trail located in Redwood Canyon, which contains the largest sequoia grove in the park. Garfield Grove Trail … Long Meadow is at 7,250 ft elevation, two miles north of the General Sherman tree in Giant Forest. It hangs on the side of the slopes below Alta Peak with a magnificent view of the Great Western Divide. Camp at the stunning Bearpaw Meadow or magical Hamilton Lake on night one and be on the lookout for meteors — the ultra-dark night skies here are perfect for them! When Steve and I were planning our trip to Sequoia National Park we thought it would be a good idea to explore some new terrain with our packs. You can also purchase a park specific annual pass for $70. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. Every couple steps I stopped to check if I could see a way up, but the route still wasn’t visible and with every stop, the clouds grew denser and the visibility worsened. Kings Canyon is laced with paths to everlasting hiking happiness. The Congress Trail. Description: A mile west of Roads End, Zumwalt Meadow Loop is best taken in the early morning as the gentle trail circles a picture-perfect Sierra meadow. We could see as soon as we arrived at Alta Meadow that this was not the case throughout the Sierra Nevada. Distance: 7 miles each way; 7-8 hours round-trip. A 3-day backpacking excursion to Alta Meadow with a day-hike to the summit of Alta Peak follows. We retraced our steps, (stupidly) staying high in the open forest as we headed back to Alta Meadow. A 3-day backpacking excursion to Alta Meadow with a day-hike to the summit of Alta Peak follows. It hangs on the side of the slopes below Alta Peak with a magnificent view of the Great Western Divide. Alta Meadow Alta Meadow is a plain in Tulare County and has an elevation of 9019 feet. The full-length POV video of my hike to Alta Meadow (elevation 9300 feet), in Sequoia National Park, in California. A storm in the distance was hovering around the mountaintops and obscuring the view. A scenic, 1.5-mile self-guided trail circles the area and offers magnificent views of high granite walls, verdant meadows, and free-flowing Kings River. The trail can be accessed via Wolverton parking area, General Sherman Tree or Giant Forest Area. See . The following summer, a Civilian Conservation Corps crew cut a tunnel through the tree. This section of the trail is only 2 miles, but it is the steepest part, especially the last mile. Thank you for signing up for email alerts! 6 miles on trail, 3 miles cross-country, +3900ft/-600ft. Keep your binoculars ready and steady. Day 1 Beautiful! The experience of overcoming that physical and mental struggle that tries to weigh … Below are just a few examples of the hiking trails available – see you at the trailhead! Sounds like a great trip. Alta Peak is a 11,204 foot mountain in Sequoia National Park which resides in the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California. From the meadow, it was easy going back down the trail to Wolverton. With its flat, gentle trails, the meadow is great for kids—and makes an ideal introduction to the park. In addition to the meadow and the history, you will also get a chance to see some of the noteworthy sequoias in an impressive cluster of trees just north of Circle Meadow. Description: The trail to Tokopah Falls is an easy walk along the Marble Fork of the Kaweah River. Picturesque tarns, sprightly rivulets, conifer-studded slopes – whatever the trail or terrain, it’s bound to feature the incredible grandeur of Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks. I was scheduled to give a colloquium talk at Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, CA on Monday, June 16, so I decided to bookend the drive down from the bay area with … Description: This popular, paved Sequoia hiking path loops through the heart of the Giant Sequoia Grove and is perfect for first-time visitors. Sequoia National Park is a national park in the southern Sierra Nevada east of Visalia, California, in the United States. Distance: 1.2 mile self-guided loop trail, Trailhead: Giant Forest Museum parking lot. In the foreground: the shy and speedy peregrine falcon, free-wheeling in the surrounding sky it calls home. Covering an impressive 404,063 acres, there is so much to explore including the Giant Forest. Wilderness Trails. There is a sign at this point saying Converse Basin Grove, Stump Meadow and Boole Tree Trail. When you reach the end of the forest, you'll climb to Panther Peak for a great lookout. On a clear day you can even see all the way to Mt. The trail going to Alta Peak is similar to Lakes Trail for the first 1.8 miles. 6 miles on trail, 3 miles cross-country, +600ft/-3900ft. Sequoia National Park is an American national park in the southern Sierra Nevada east of Visalia, California.The park was established on September 25, 1890 to protect 404,064 acres (631 sq mi; 163,519 ha; 1,635 km 2) of forested mountainous terrain. Sequoia National Park’s Giant Forest comprises an area of about 1,800 acres and … Modern Hiker /hike/hike-alta-peak-and-alta-meadow-in-sequoia-national-park • 1 • PLACE. For lofty meadows to clear the mind. It was established on September 25, 1890. Of course, the Great Western Divide was there to keep us company. ( Log Out / After making a few phone calls I was put in touch with Yogi Bair (I’m not kidding) a 20 year resident of the park who has the enviable habit of spending three months every summer trekking through the backcountry of Sequoia. Decades ago there was a trail from Alta Meadow to Moose Lake, but these days the maintained trail ends in the meadow. For the intrepid, there’s Big Baldy (8,209 feet) Ridge Trail. Plus, the permitting system is much better suited for last-minute weekend warriors looking to leap into the high alpine. Start in Sequoia National Park at the Crescent Meadow Trailhead, winding through a grove of towering sequoia trees before being spit out onto a narrow ledge with a killer view of the Great Western Divide. To get to the trailhead, drive south on Generals Highway from Grant Grove and turn right at Quail Flat onto a dirt road. The journey gains and loses elevation the entire way. For us, the weather was clear and sunny all weekend. ( Log Out / Let the “Nation's Christmas Tree” at the Grant Grove in Kings Canyon National Park … Distance: 2.5 miles, self-guided loop. The Alta Trail leads to the summit of Alta Peak, which lies in western Sequoia National Park. 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