Hike Tuolumne Grove

Tuolomne Grove Trail

From Tioga Road To Tuolomne Grove is 2.5 miles round trip with 500-foot elevation gain.

Tuolumne Grove stands tall for hikers. In Yosemite days of old, park visitors drove Big Oak Flat Road right up to the towering sequoias. Now paved, six-mile long “Old” Big Oak Flat Road is closed to vehicle traffic and travelers must walk a mile to admire the grove.

Tuolumne Grove’s modern orientation to travelers afoot extends to its most famed attraction—Dead Giant. This gargantuan sequoia stump was tunneled in 1878 in order that horse-drawn wagons, and later automobiles, could drive through it. Nowadays Dead Giant is a “Walk Through” tree.

Travelers from around the world hike to Tuolomne Grove and you may hear exclamations of wonder in many languages. However, the steep return climb from the grove is often more hike than these visitors expected and the sentiments expressed on the way back are best left untranslated.

Directions to trailhead: Tuolumne Grove is located in the Crane Flat area of the park. The trailhead is located off Tioga Road just 0.5 mile north of its intersection with Big Oak Flat Road.

The hike: Descend through a mixed forest on the paved road. About a mile out, a sign welcomes you to Tuolumne Grove and two more minutes of walking brings you to the first giant sequoias.

A signed right fork leads to the Dead Giant. Walk on through and descend to a picnic area situated in close company with more huge sequoias. From the picnic area, a 0.25-mile dirt trail loops through the tall trees.