Hiking through the Mariposa Grove in Yosemite is like walking through J.R.R. Tolkien’s forest of Fangorn in The Two Towers. The giant sequoias look like Ents (tree-like fantasy creatures). Unlike in Fangorn however, I think there must be female Ents in these woods. As I looked at one particular tree, it was easy to imagine her as a grand dame–judging my character in an instant.
The Mariposa Grove Trail
Last October, my husband and I walked to the Mariposa Grove via the Washburn Trail. The shuttle was not running. We left late in the day, so as a result, we didn’t get far into the grove. This last June however, we left early in the morning, and the shuttle was running. We saved two miles by taking the shuttle, allowing us (well, me . .) the energy to hike the entire seven-mile Mariposa Grove Trail. We took some offshoot trails as well, making the entire hike add up to 8.75 miles.
They call this a “strenuous” trail, yet it’s not as hard as that. The elevation gain is 1600 feet, but it’s a gradual climb. It’s a beautiful hike in a fairy-tale setting. I saw patches of wildflowers, two chipmunks, a Scarlet Tanager bird, and a family of deer. They walked right next to us.
The Giant Sequoia
Giant Sequoias can grow as tall as 300 feet and as wide as 35 feet. They can live for more than 3000 years. Some of their branches are as wide in diameter as a normal-sized tree.
The Mariposa Grove Trail takes hikers by some notable Sequoias, but all the trees are beautiful.
In The Yosemite by John Muir, Muir wrote that the Giant Sequoia was “awfully solemn and earnest; yet with all its strangeness it impresses us as being more at home than any of its neighbors, holding the best right to the ground as the oldest, strongest inhabitant.” That is true. There is no doubt who owns the forest.
It is hard to believe that Giant Sequoias come from such tiny seeds. They are only about 1/4 inch long, hidden deep within one to two-inch cones.
Wawona Point
We hiked up the Mariposa Grove Trail to Wawona Point, an elevation of 6800 feet. For part of the time we had it to ourselves, so we sat on a wall, eating our picnic and enjoying the view. It felt easy hiking back to the shuttle, although I got tired at the end. Definitely worth it!
If you go
The Mariposa Grove Welcome Plaza is twelve miles from the Wawona Hotel, near the South Entrance to Yosemite. A free shuttle runs from around mid-April to the end of November, depending on weather conditions. If the shuttle is not running, visitors can hike, snowshoe, or cross-country ski two miles to the entrance of the grove.
Toilets and water are available at the welcome plaza. Bring plenty of water if you are hiking. Wear sunscreen, bring snacks, and carry a flashlight in case you hike back after dusk. See this website for more information.
