Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias

An absolute must-do on your trip to Yosemite - the valley is beautiful but this area is so different that it merits the drive out to explore. You will take a shuttle to the grove area where a easy to sometimes moderate hike takes you through the grove of giant trees - absolutely breathtaking! Allow yourself plenty of time - you don't want to hoof it on the hike and miss the majesty of this area. You will be hard-pressed not to stop every few feet in awe to take another picture; it is all just so amazing. They have a small gift shop, restrooms, and ranger outpost at the parking lot as well. Fun fact - really decent cell signal in the parking lot that quickly diminishes as you go into the park, so if you need that keep that in mind.

Located in the southern part of Yosemite, the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias is the largest sequoia grove in the park, home to over 500 mature giant sequoias. The Mariposa Grove holds historical significance as the birthplace of the national park idea. In 1864, President Lincoln signed legislation to protect both the Mariposa Grove and Yosemite Valley for "public use, resort, and recreation." This landmark act, passed during the Civil War, marked the first time in U.S. history that the federal government set aside scenic natural areas for future generations to enjoy. The grove was later incorporated into Yosemite National Park in 1906 and remains one of the park's most popular destinations.In spring 2015, the Mariposa Grove closed for a large-scale restoration project, aimed at improving both the habitat for the giant sequoias and the visitor experience. The project, formalized through the Mariposa Grove Restoration Project Final Environmental Impact Statement, focused on addressing the negative effects of human development, such as roads, trails, and buildings that were encroaching on the roots of the ancient trees, as well as hydrology issues. The grove reopened on June 15, 2018, after the restoration.To ensure a quality experience, it's important to arrive early, as parking can fill up quickly. Be sure to check for any road closures in advance and plan to catch the shuttle at the bus stop to reach the trailheads for hiking.

Luckily, the shuttles were running during our visit to Yosemite. It was about 1.5 miles to drive up to the begging of Mariposa Grove. From my understanding, you cannot drive your own vehicle up there, so taking the shuttle is your best bet. The shuttles run every 20 mins. It takes about 1.3 miles to get to the Grizzly Giant from the entrance of the trail. We had the chance to see many of the sequoias that were knocked down. Short and cool hike.

"I don't like either the word [hike] or the thing. People ought to saunter in the mountains - not 'hike!' Do you know the origin of that word saunter? It's a beautiful word. Away back in the middle ages people used to go on pilgrimages to the Holy Land, and when people in the villages through which they passed asked where they were going they would reply, 'A la sainte terre', 'To the Holy Land.' And so they became known as sainte-terre-ers or saunterers. Now these mountains are our Holy Land, and we ought to saunter through them reverently, not 'hike' through them."John MuirMariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias is PRECIOUS! It is such a magical place. We hiked a total of ten miles looping everywhere to see the giant Sequoias. Highly recommended it!

No waterfalls here. It's literally a stroll in the forest. I loved the fresh smell of pine. It was a lot of looking up since these trees are giant. Pine cones are strewn everywhere. There's a section on the trail that is not clearly marked. A rough idea to not get lost is to stay within the fallen logs and rocks. There are informational and educational signs along the trail.During my visit in the first weekend of May, there was still snow on the wooden walkway. They did pave paths, so that was nice. Once you got past the Mariposa Tree though, you needed crampons because it was white everywhere.At the Wawona Point, it was foggy so there was no clear view. This was around 5~6 PM in the evening. Sunset was due around 7:30 PM.How to get here: the shuttle busses were not running due to winter. We had to park at the Welcome Plaza and walk ~2.3 miles up the road to the trailhead. A shuttle ride would have been really nice though. The restroom at the trailhead was closed. Use the one at the Welcome Plaza.This is a great spot to see redwoods and sequoia trees if you aren't going to the Sequoia National Park.

Definitely worth the visit!! The shuttle doesn't run year around so if its not running its a bit of a hike to see but I would say its well worth it. Clear trails and well marked.

You can only visit this area via a free bus ride, except for those with a handicapped placard with their vehicle, where you travel behind the bus to and from the Mariposa Grove of Redwood trees. The last time I was here, you could take an open tram throughout this area, but because of the harm from exhaust emissions to the sequoia trees, vehicle traffic has been limited. Try to walk the entire route to see all the various redwoods, with one in particular, which you can walk through. Expect to stay at least a couple of hours to take in the sites.

I had seen so many reviews saying this was a must see. We parked in the lot then walked for approx 1.4 miles. To my surprise the 1.4 miles was a hike to the "beginning" of the actual hike around Mariposa Grove. There is a short walkway around the trees you can enjoy, but if you truly want to enjoy the majestic trees you have to be ready to hike some more. We had kids with us and it was raining so we decided to take a quick picture and head back down. On this day the shuttles weren't running, but I recommend you take a shuttle to the entrance of the actual hike. From what I hear only the shuttle can go up there. I did see about 4-5 disability parking spots too!

The entrance took about an hr or so but once your in The views!!! The shuttles are fast! Parking was easy.

We came midweek in October. Hardly any crowds at 9:00 am. Parking available at the visitor center and a shuttle bus runs every 15-20 minutes to take you to the entrance. Without a shuttle it'll be a 2 mile hike. People who have a disability plaque can drive to the entrance, however there's limited parking.There's 4 trails ranging from "easy" which takes 1-2 hours, not so easy which takes 2-3 hours, moderate and hard/ challenging which takes 4-6 hours.We chose the not so easy and it did take about 3 hours to hike, but we took our time for pictures. There is a bathroom right before the Grizzly tree, but otherwise there's one at the entrance and visitor center. Water fountain and bottle refill at the entrance. In October it was cool but a windbreaker was sufficient. The trail was very dusty and my boots were filthy after the hike. We enjoyed the visit and heading back to Yosemite Valley we found a picnic area for lunch.