Hiking the Little Baldy Trail in Sequoia National Park
Distance: 3.4 miles / 5.5 km
The Little Baldy Trail is the best all-around sunrise and sunset hike in Sequoia National Park!
I say this because the summit rises to just over 8,000 ft (2,438 m), high above the surrounding landscape, with expansive views of the high Sierras to the east and amazing views across central California to the west.
That being said, the Little Baldy Trail is truly the sister hike of Big Baldy, a similar but completely separate hike located just a few miles north off Generals Highway in Kings Canyon National Park. However, the west-facing views from the summit of Big Baldy Peak are much better at sunset, as opposed to sunrise, making the Little Baldy Trail the better all-around day hike, regardless of the time of day you plan to visit!
Little Baldy Trailhead Parking
Parking for the Little Baldy Trailhead is located directly off Generals Highway, about 6.7 miles (10.8 km) up the road from the Lodgepole Visitor Center.
With that in mind, the Little Baldy Trailhead can, unfortunately, be one of the more dangerous trailheads as traffic passes by, which is why it’s important to be mindful of yourself and others in your party when starting or ending the hike.
Google Maps Directions: Little Baldy Trailhead
Hiking Checklist - Sequoia-Kings Canyon
Here is a complete list of must-have things that you will want for any hike in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park.
That being said, bear spray is purposefully excluded from this list because, while the Sierra Nevadas are home to a large black bear population, bear spray is not allowed in either Sequoia or Kings Canyon National Park.
Hiking the Little Baldy Trail
The Little Baldy Trail begins on the east side of Generals Highway, adjacent to the road.
Following the highway, the Little Baldy Trail begins climbing almost immediately, ascending roughly 700 ft. (213 m) from the trailhead to the summit.
That being said, the Little Baldy Trail is all about the three main switchbacks that climb up the side of the mountain, excluding the initial quick switchbacks shown below that immediately follow the trailhead.
This is the first longer stretch that ascends up Little Baldy toward the first switchback.
After about 0.5 miles (0.8 km), the Little Baldy Trail reaches the first of the three major switchbacks that climb the mountain.
On a different note, it’s important to mention that I have hiked the Little Baldy Trail in both the early and late summer travel season, and from experience, micro-spikes were a necessity during my visit to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks when the winter snowpack was lingering around trails like Little Baldy in mid-June.
This is the second of the three main switchbacks, which also climbs the shortest distance before the trail turns back around toward the summit of Little Baldy.
Then, the Little Baldy Trail reaches the third and final switchback, with only about 200 ft. (61 m) of elevation to gain in order to reach the summit.
These flatter sections before the summit are a nice break from the constant elevation gain at the beginning, but in my experience, they can also be some of the snowiest parts if you’re hiking Little Baldy during the early summer season.
This is where the final ascent to the summit of Little Baldy begins, with only about 0.2 miles (0.3 km) remaining.
Little Baldy
According to the National Park Service, the summit of Little Baldy in Sequoia National Park is 8,044 ft. (2,452 m).
In any case, don’t forget to pack a good headlamp if you plan on hiking Little Baldy for sunrise or sunset, as the slopes through the lower forest can make the trail much darker compared to the areas toward the top of the hike.
Sequoia National Park
Kings Canyon National Park
