Round Meadow

Length 1.9 mi · Climbing 150 ft

California > Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks > Giant Forest

Round Meadow

Background

Seeing almost any part of the Giant Forest on a weekend now requires either a lengthy walk or a shuttle ride, since the parking lots for the Sherman Tree, Round Meadow, Crescent Meadow, and Moro Rock have been closed to all but handicapped visitors. However, there's still one little-known parking spot on the Generals Highway where it's possible to park and step right into an especially nice part of the Giant Forest without the need for a shuttle. The short hike from the Hazelwood Nature Trail to Round Meadow avoids the worst of the crowds around the Giant Forest Museum and isn't nearly as touristy. The unusually lush vegetation also makes it one of the more scenic walks in the area.

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Hike description

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To find the parking area, first find the Round Meadow parking lot, which is reserved for handicapped parking only. If you're driving south, if possible turn into the lot and make a U-turn, so that you're headed north (uphill) on the Generals Highway. Drive a few hundred yards and look for a pullout on your right, big enough for maybe five cars. Park here.

From the pullout, an unmarked trail enters the woods. Take this trail, which immediately passes by some huge sequoias, and after a hundred yards turn right onto the Hazelwood Nature Trail. Cross the footbridge and at the next intersection continue straight.

Round Meadow

Perhaps because of its relatively low elevation, the woods here are unusually lush, with a groundcover of grasses and ferns, an understory of small trees, and a moderately dense canopy overhead. At the same time, the woods are still very open, allowing good views of the big sequoias. Overall it's a very pleasant walk.

The Alta Trail (this part is also called the Hazelwood Nature Trail) descends gently through some impressive sequoia forest. Shortly after the trail becomes paved and passes through a hole cut into a fallen tree, turn right onto the paved trail marked "Big Trees".

Round Meadow

Crossing the road, the trail passes through the Round Meadow parking lot, which is for handicapped parking only. Continue straight and follow the paved trail around the meadow. This is one of the best meadows in the Giant Forest, with a lot of really big sequoias right at its edge. The biggest trees are at the beginning and end of the loop, but there are some more big trees and great views of the meadow at about the halfway point.

On the way back, take the right-hand branch of the Hazelwood Nature Trail. It's longer and maybe a little less impressive than the left-hand branch, but it's still very scenic and a nice way to see a little more of the Giant Forest. At the apex, there's a narrow, scenic meadow to your right, alongside the Alta Trail.

Hazelwood Nature Trail