Hiking the Long Meadow Loop Trail in Sequoia National Park
Distance: 2.8 miles / 4.5 km
The Long Meadow Loop Trail is a trail not often hiked by most who visit Sequoia National Park, but this is truly what makes the trail so special when it comes to looking for wildlife in Giant Forest!
With that in mind, I honestly don’t think that Long Meadow Loop is an adventure worth prioritizing if it’s your first time visiting Sequoia National Park, as there are many other must-see trails that come to mind over Long Meadow that should be hiked in order to truly see the Giant Sequoias for which the forest is aptly named.
Nevertheless, the Long Meadow Loop Trail can make for a great early morning or late evening hike if you’re someone interested in seeing/ photographing the wildlife in the park!
U.S. National Park Pass
Did you know that the same America the Beautiful Pass that grants access to all 63 U.S. National Parks can be purchased in advance at REI?
Yes, you can save time when you arrive by purchasing your National Park pass, along with your other outdoor gear, at REI before traveling to the park!
Long Meadow Loop Trailhead Parking
Parking for the Long Meadow Loop Trail is located at the Wolverton Trailhead, down the road from the popular General Sherman Tree Trail.
In my experience, the Wolverton Trailhead is more often than not utilized by backcountry hikers rather than day hikers. However, it’s worth noting that Wolverton is one of the largest parking areas in Sequoia National Park, which can make it a great place to leave a car where its easiest and ride the free Sequoia shuttle to other, more popular areas within Giant Forest.
Google Maps Directions: Long Meadow Loop Trailhead (Wolverton)
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.
Osprey 3L Water Bladder - The Osprey 3L water bladder is the most universal hiking and backpacking water bladder on the market, and it’s my go-to because of the slide-off seal that allows it to be quickly filled from the top. Additionally, individual parts are easily replaceable, such as the bite valve.
Blister / Heel Protectors - I swear by these cheap, amazing heel protectors to prevent blisters for nearly every kind of hiking and backpacking that I do!
Black Diamond Headlamp - Personally, I recommend the Black Diamond Storm because it is one of the brightest, lightest, and longest-lasting headlamps on the market—and trust me, the weight-to-battery-life ratio really does matter!
Hiking / Trail Running Shoes - Depending on the type of trail, I prefer to use either the Keen Targhee for longer, more rugged hiking or the HOKA Zinal Trail-Running Shoe for lighter, less intense trails. In either case, both have been amazing to me for many years across countless environments, and both can be found in men’s and women’s sizes. - (Men’s Keen / Women’s Keen) (Men’s HOKA / Women’s HOKA)
Waterproof Rain Shell - You never know when it may rain, and I’ve learned over the years that a rain shell is far better than a rain jacket. By this, I mean that it’s best to have something that the water will roll right off of, which is why I recommend the Patagonia Torrentshell 3L available in both men’s and women’s sizes.
High SPF Sunscreen - Packing high-SPF sunscreen is a must for long days outside!
Hiking the Long Meadow Loop Trail
The Long Meadow Loop Trail begins on the Lakes Trail for the first 0.1 miles (0.2 km) before splitting off into the trail that circles the meadow.
Lakes-Lodgepole Junction
At this first split, go right to continue on the Lakes Trail, as the trail to the left leads down to the Lodgepole area, along with the General Sherman Tree.
Read My Separate Post: General Sherman Tree Trail
Long Meadow Loop-Lakes Junction
Then, almost immediately after the first junction, the Long Meadow Loop splits away from the Lakes Trail, beginning the roughly 2.1-mile (3.4 km) loop around Long Meadow.
Wolverton Creek
If you choose to hike the Long Meadow Loop early or late in the day, as I recommend to see wildlife, wet areas like Wolverton Creek and others along the meadow can be exceptionally buggy.
In fact, the entire Long Meadow Loop is one of the buggiest hikes in Giant Forest, which is why I recommend carrying this cheap bug net for hikes like this, as it can truly make the trail that much more enjoyable!
A millipede might not be the wildlife encounter that most hikers hope for, but they are quite common throughout the Sierras!
How to See Black Bears When Hiking in the Sierras?
Personally, I find that open areas like this are much easier for spotting Black Bears, as they can be quite easy to miss in denser areas of the forest.
By this, I mean that if you’ve never seen a Black Bear in the forest before, you might be surprised by how small they really are. Bushes only a few feet in height can easily hide them as you walk right by.
Therefore, it’s important not only to look for movement among the trees but also to listen for sounds that are obviously not hikers, such as sticks breaking or heavier-than-normal breathing. I’ve jokingly said that bears sometimes sound like horses in the forest!
While I realize that saying all this isn’t as comprehensive as it could be, I could honestly write an entire article about how to improve your chances of seeing bears in bear country, as I seemingly have no trouble finding them wherever they may be.
This wetter area toward the far side of Long Meadow is a nice sign that the easier side of the loop is about to begin.
For this reason, I like to hike the Long Meadow Loop clockwise, as the eastern half is slightly more tedious to hike than the western half.
Long Meadow Loop-Alta Connector Junction
Other than the intersections near the trailhead in the beginning, the only other junction on the Long Meadow Loop is the short Alta Connector Trail.
Here, go right to continue back to the Wolverton Trailhead. However, I think it’s worth mentioning that the Alta Connector is a great option for those interested in shortening the long hike to Alta Peak, which officially begins much further away at the Giant Forest Museum.
Once the hike breaks out of the forest canopy, it typically gets much easier and less buggy than the sections around the east and south sides of Long Meadow.
Then, just as I thought I wasn’t going to see much in the way of wildlife this hike, I randomly decided to look to my left and saw a beautiful mom and her cub up the slopes above the trail.
They were making no noise, and there was really no reason, other than pure chance, that I decided to look in their direction, which hopefully shows how easy it can be to miss an opportunity like this, as an inconspicuous bear may always be right next to you in Sequoia!
Finally, the end of the Long Meadow Loop reaches a short service road that connects to Wolverton Road shortly after.
Here, go right down the service road, then right again on Wolverton Road to return to the Long Meadow Loop Trailhead.
More Sequoia-Kings Canyon Adventures
If you’re interested in reading about some more amazing adventures within Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park, check out my separate posts below!
Sequoia National Park
Kings Canyon National Park
Best Way to Find Places to Stay!
Wherever I travel, I love to start my search for places to stay on VRBO.
Even if I don’t end up booking through them, I think it’s one of the best ways to see what’s in the area!
Washington
Best Way to Book Rental Cars!
I travel quite a bit, and I know firsthand that finding a good rental car deal can be a challenge, but that’s why I recommend comparing all of your options with Discover Cars.
In short, Discover Cars is a well-known, reputable business that allows you to search for the best deal across companies, and they have the best full-refund cancellation policy I’ve ever seen, valid up to 72, or sometimes even 48, hours prior to your reservation!
Book Here: Discover Cars
Discover Cars!
Safety
Most importantly, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park is bear country, and while hiking in black bear territory generally presents less of a risk as opposed to hiking with grizzlies, it‘s important to never get complacent.
That being said, bear spray is not allowed within either Sequoia or Kings Canyon National Park, but storing your food properly, both on your person and in your vehicle, is not only necessary but required. For this reason, always keep your food and trash with you, and follow these basic rules from the NPS with regards to food in your vehicle.
On a different note, there is one venomous snake found in both parks known as the Western Rattlesnake, and surprisingly, I have encountered it many times, both in dry landscapes and in the meadows of both parks.
Finally, during winter months, you may be required to carry tire chains or have them on your vehicle before entering either park. In addition, micro-spikes may be necessary to stay safe on certain trails, such as Little Baldy and many others during the early and late summer season.
As always, find the most up-to-date information and conditions on the official Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park website.
National Park Service: Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park
U.S. National Parks Pass
Did you know that the same America the Beautiful Pass that grants access to all 63 U.S. National Parks can be purchased in advance at REI?
Yes, you can save time when you arrive by purchasing your National Park pass, along with your other outdoor gear, at REI before traveling to the park!
More U.S. National Parks
If you’d like to read more about some of my best recommendations when visiting other U.S. National Parks, check out some of my other posts below!
Disclaimer
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