There are three giant sequoia groves within Yosemite National Park. During our six-night stay, we were able to visit two of them—though not on the same day.
Having just come from Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, giant sequoias were no longer a novelty for us. That perspective definitely shaped how we experienced these groves in Yosemite.
Mariposa Grove
This grove was the furthest from our campground in El Portal, which made it a bit more of a commitment to visit. From where we stayed, it required roughly a 1-hour drive, depending on traffic.
At the time of our visit in September 2023, many shuttle services throughout Yosemite were limited, but the shuttle system at Mariposa Grove was running. We parked at the Mariposa Grove Welcome Plaza and caught the shuttle to the trailhead, which made access much easier.
Because of the distance from our campground, I was surprised to see a mother and her school-age child visiting the grove on a daytrip. I later learned they were from Fresno. Turns out the coming from Fresno, access to the Mariposa Grove is much easier than coming from El Portal.
One thing that stood out immediately was how dusty the trail was. Compared to the lush forest floors we had seen in Sequoia and Kings Canyon, this grove felt drier and less scenic overall. It ended up not being my favorite sequoia grove, with one exception:
The Grizzly Giant
The Grizzly Giant is the 26th largest giant sequoia tree in the world – but it’s first in my heart.
I just thought it was so fun! He kinda looks like an angry tree, so it’s easy to see why it’s the Grizzly Giant. He’s got all these massive arms and it looks like he’s swinging them in a fight – almost like an octopus throwing punches.
Standing underneath the tree, I was amazed at the sheer size and weight of those branches. I’m kind of surprised those enormous tree branches haven’t surrendered to gravity after all this time.
So basically, since this grove holds what I consider to be the best and most fun sequoia tree, it’s worth coming to see.
Trail Details
To reach the most notable trees in Mariposa Grove, you’ll need to opt for the longer loop trail.
There is a 0.3-mile loop starting at the Mariposa Grove Arrival Area that is mostly flat and wheelchair accessible. However, this short loop only provides a small introduction to the grove.
To see the more iconic trees, you’ll need to take the 2.1-mile loop. It starts in the same place. It includes roughly 300 feet of elevation gain. It’s worth doing, and if you skip it, you miss out on seeing The Grizzly Giant, along with the California Tunnel Tree, and the Bachelor and Three Graces cluster.
Tuolumne Grove
The Tuolumne Grove is located in the Crane Flat area of Yosemite.
What can I even say about this grove? It was the least memorable for us.
That doesn’t mean it wasn’t worth visiting—but compared to the other groves we had seen on this trip, it didn’t stand out.
One important thing to know about this hike is that it starts with a downhill walk, which can feel easy at first. The challenge comes on the return trip, when you have to climb back uphill. The trail is about 2.5 miles roundtrip and includes about 500 feet of elevation gain on the return trip.
If you’re short on time or energy, this is probably the grove I would skip. But if you’re already in the Crane Flat area, it’s worth a visit.
Merced Grove
The Merced Grove is the third giant sequoia grove in Yosemite, and the only one we didn’t get to see.
At the time of our visit in September 2023, this grove was closed for restoration as part of the Biomass Removal Project. In simple terms, this project involved removing dead trees, fallen branches, and excess vegetation from the forest floor. The goal was to reduce wildfire risk by creating what are called fuel breaks, which help slow or stop the spread of fires.
Maybe we’ll get a chance to see it next time?
So Which Sequoia Grove Should You Visit in Yosemite?
If you only have time for one sequoia grove in Yosemite, choose Mariposa Grove.
It has the largest collection of trees, the most famous landmarks, and obviously the best feature is the Grizzly Giant, the sequoia with an attitude!
Up Next
In the next post, I’ll walk through the major hikes we did in Yosemite National Park – other than the Half Dome of course. That’ll get it’s own post. Stay tuned!
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