Lodgepole

For a charming interpretive walk at the Lodgepole Village area, head down the Hazelwood Nature Trail (Giant Forest Lodge). Signs along this flat one-mile stroll tell the history of humans’ relationship with the giant sequoia trees—good and bad, beneficial and destructive. This walk works well for families with school-aged kids.

In the same vicinity, you can putter along the quarter-mile Trail For All People. This interpretive nature walk’s pride comes in spring, when the wildflowers bloom.

A bit longer but perhaps the most representative of life in Sequoia National Park [1], the Congress Trail starts at the General Sherman Tree [2]. Grab a pamphlet with map at the Sherman Tree to get the best experience on this trail, which includes many of the park’s most famous named giant sequoias. This two-mile round-trip trail is paved, making it wheelchair accessible and a non-strenuous walk even for folks who usually aren’t big hikers.

How can you resist a hike to a granite formation called Little Baldy (11 miles north of General Grant Grove [3])? This moderate climb takes you up about 700 feet to the top of the cutely named granite dome. Look down from the peak, which tops out at over 8,000 feet, into the Giant Forest and snap a few photos.

Or if you prefer water to stone, head for Tokopah Falls (Lodgepole Campground). Early summer, when the flow is at its peak, is the best time to trek out the almost two miles along the Marble Fork of the Kaweah River to this fantastic 1,200-foot waterfall.

Hardcore hikers willing to brave steep climbs at high altitudes can either take day hikes or obtain overnight backcountry passes for the region’s major trails. The Lakes Trails (Wolverton picnic area) vary in length, but you’re definitely going to have to climb a ways up to the glacial lake areas. From the trail, you’ll be able to visit Heather Lake, Emerald Lake, and Pear Lake. The minimum distance round-trip for a day hike to Heather Lake is eight miles.

Heights-lovers choose the Alta Peak Trail, which ascends all the way up to the 11,204-foot summit of Alta Peak. Pick a clear day for this grueling 14-mile hike and you’ll get a view of Mount Whitney [4] across the Great Western Divide.