Summary:
Circle the picturesque meadows of Giant Forest – John Muir’s “Gem of the Sierra” – to a spectacular view of the Great Western Divide.

Keeping the meadow to your left, take the paved Crescent Meadow Trail around its south end. Cross a couple of footbridges over branches of Crescent Creek, then climb gently to a junction after two minutes. Keep left on the paved trail, and enjoy lovely views up Crescent Meadow as you stay close to its east side. Cross another footbridge, this time over a creek that runs between the southern ends of Crescent and Log Meadows, and reach a second junction.

Turn right for Tharp’s Log, and head through fir forest towards Log Meadow (ignoring the narrow path to the right after 0.1 mile). The paved trail heads up the west side of Log Meadow to Tharp’s Log, at the 0.8-mile mark. Hale D Tharp, the first white man to visit the Giant Forest, used the meadow to graze his cattle in the 19th century. He built a primitive cabin into the trunk of a downed sequoia and lived here every summer from 1861 to 1890.

Bear right onto unpaved Trail of the Sequoias, around the north end of Log Meadow and across a couple of creeks for 0.3 mile. Keep ahead at the junction to continue for 0.5 mile down the east side of the beautiful meadow, covered with grasses and wildflowers in summer. At the south end turn left, away from the meadow, for the short connection to High Sierra Trail. This 70-mile route heads east across the Park, all the way to the summit of Mt Whitney, the highest point in California.

At the four-way junction on the very edge of Giant Forest, bear left along High Sierra for 0.25 mile to Eagle View. Climbing gently on a rockier path, a sign describes the far-reaching consequences of just one person’s thoughtless act: “A carelessly discarded cigarette along the Middle Fork of the Kaweah River started the Buckeye Fire in October of 1988. The fire quickly spread through the tinder-dry foothill vegetation, burning 3,100 acres from the riverbank to the forest above the High Sierra Trail. It required 1,200 firefighters over a week to extinguish the blaze, and cost $2.5 million.”

With just low shrubs to the side of the path, the views are excellent – and as the trail along the open ledge bears left you arrive at Eagle View. It is well named. The panorama encompasses: the peaks of the Great Western Divide to the left; Castle Rocks directly ahead; the canyon of the Middle Fork of the Kaweah River to the right; the San Joaquin Valley far in the distance, as usual shrouded in smog; and to the extreme right, the granite dome of Moro Rock.

Wander a little further down the level trail. Either side, above and below, is thick with flowering shrubs, a garden landscaped by nature, accompanied by a magnificent view of the mountains. Deserted when we were there in May, it is a fabulous spot.

Retrace your steps to the four-way junction and keep ahead, descending very gently for 0.4 mile through the forest back to the southern end of Crescent Meadow. 0.1 mile before Crescent Meadow parking area, climb off left to Bobcat Point. The path winds through woods on the edge of the Forest, undulating through low manzanita bushes and tiny wildflowers covering the ground.

In no more than 10 minutes, you reach a granite knoll with a wide view of forested hills. This is Kaweah Vista. Bobcat Point is just a minute or so further on, and Moro Rock looms ahead as you approach it. The outcrop has another great view of Moro Rock, Middle Fork of the Kaweah and Castle Rocks, but from here the mountains are largely hidden by trees.

The trail leaves the outcrop and heads downhill back into the forest. Winding down to the next junction in 0.2 mile, you hear Crescent Creek just before you spot it through the trees. Emerge onto a large expanse of rock, follow the cairn and jump across the pretty creek at its narrowest point. This is another beautiful spot, the creek cascading through eroded boulders with a backdrop of hazy hills in the distance.

The trail bears left and climbs away from the creek a very short way to the junction with Old Pine Trail. Left leads to Moro Rock in 0.9 mile; you turn right to return to Crescent Meadow in 0.5 mile. Follow the creek as you climb the rocky path through open forest. In a few minutes, a sign indicates some Indian mortars to the right. Carved in the bedrock about 100 ft off the trail, these large holes were used by Indian women to food. Continuing ahead on the trail, across more granite slabs, it is now an easy climb through the woods. At the final trail marker, bear left for the parking area, a minute away.

Moro Rock
A distinctive landmark as you drive up Generals Highway, the parking area for this grand monolith can be accessed by road, or on foot from Crescent Meadow via Old Pine Trail. From there, the popular climb to the top is up nearly 400 steps built into the rock, with metal handrails in places. Although it is rather over-developed, it is well worth the 0.3 mile/0.5 km, 300 ft/90 m climb for the amazing views all the way up, particularly to the peaks of the Great Western Divide (see main picture). In our view though, it still cannot beat the tranquility of Eagle View.

Directions: From Visalia, take Hwy 198 through Three Rivers to the Ash Mountain Park entrance and Foothills visitor center. Continue up Generals Highway, a steep, narrow and winding road (not advised to long vehicles), for around 45 minutes to Giant Forest.

Trailhead: Crescent Meadow parking area. Turn sharp right off Generals Highway immediately before the new Giant Forest Museum and continue to the end of the road.

Length: 3.7 miles / 5.9 km

Trail Type: Loop

Elevation Change: 200 ft / 61 m
Total climb 400 ft/122 m

Duration: 2 hours

Trail Condition: Well maintained with marked junctions, paved initially.

Features: Meadows, forest (some giant sequoia), panoramic views.

Climate: Best in spring and fall. Summer brings hot temperatures, mosquitoes and lots of visitors. Heavy snow in winter.

Accommodation: Inside the Park, Lodgepole is the nearest campground and Wuksachi Village the nearest lodging – 3 and 4 miles north of General Sherman respectively along Generals Highway. Further accommodation at Three Rivers and just before the Ash Mountain entrance.

Trail Notes: Buy trail map at Foothills and Lodgepole visitor centers. For greater solitude, avoid weekends or set out early. Take insect repellent during early summer months.