Round Meadow Encompasses the Beauty of Sequoia National Park
This has to be one of the most spectacular hikes in all of Sequoia National Park considering it’s length and level of difficulty.
Shelby and I completed this hike after spending a day in Pinnacles National Park the day before. Exhausted from our long hike in Pinnacles we planned our travel itinerary to fit in a couple of short and rewarding hikes, Round Meadow being one of them.
Fully immerse yourself among the giants in one of their most productive habitats.
Location Info & Details
Sequoia National Park is located in California’s Southern Sierra Mountains with the closest city being Visalia, located 46 miles east of the parks entrance. We found cheap lodging in Visalia along with good food, and even visited the one of the few breweries in the city – Sequoia Brewing Company.
Furthermore, the park is adjacent to Kings National Park and the closest major city is Los Angeles down south.
Entrance Fees
Prices are for one 7 Day Pass to both Sequoia and Kings National Parks
• Private Vehicle $20
• Foot or Bike $5
• Annual Park Pass $80 (1 Year, Any National Park)
Round Meadow Parking
You’ll find the Round Meadow loop within Sequoia National Park off of Generals Hwy 198. Technically it’s part of the longer Big Trees Trail, but it can be accessed and completed on it’s own. It’s just a hop and a skip away from the Giant Forest Museum parking lot.
While Round Meadow does have a small parking lot it often fills up quick. In addition to a few regular spots much of the parking lot is reserved for handicap. We appreciate this.
Luckily there’s a pull out where you can park just across the hwy. If you’re pulling out of the Round Meadow parking lot you’ll turn left onto the hwy headed North and almost immediately on your right you’ll see the pull out. Roughly 5 cars can fit here and we had no problem getting a spot in the afternoon on a weekend.
National Parks tend to have more visitors and more congestion when it comes to parking and on the trails. You can save some headache by doing group travel and taking one car rather than multiple.
Round Meadow Loop Details
• 1 Mile Loop
• Paved and Wheel Chair Accessible
• Virtually No Elevation Gain (Flat hike)
• Lots of Really, Really Big Trees
This hike is more of a nature walk. There is virtually no elevation gain and the entire loop is paved.
If you have a person in a wheel chair in your party Round Meadow loop is the place to take them. Here you both can witness the monarch sequoias in this surreal old growth forest.
We still recommend you know the 10 Essentials to Hiking. Equally important, bring water to Stay Hydrated too. Of course there’s no need for a giant bladder, a 16oz water bottle per person will do.
Laying your eyes onto the Round Meadow and surrounding forest is a legit “WOW” factor.
The landscape is lush green with plants, ferns, trees, and grass. A mix of water, sunlight, and lower elevation feed this old growth forest.
2 Trees 1 Stump
The start of the Round Meadow loop gives you the option to start from the left or right side. If you swing left you’ll find restrooms (non-flush).
Directly in front of you at the foot of the Meadow you’ll be greeted by one of the most iconic trees in the park, The Ed By Ned Trees.
Uniquely, these are 2 sequoias that conjoined at the base due to how close they sprouted next to each other.
Today their joined bases are 34 feet long and 25 feet wide. It may be hard to wrap your head around numbers, but don’t worry they’ve embedded an outline of the actual foot print of this tree along the loop. Standing within the outline puts everything into perspective.
Why Don’t Sequoias Grow Within Round Meadow?
You’ll find signs throughout the loop with teachings of the old growth forest and the “Round Meadow.” With every sign read your appreciation for this meadow and all surrounding life will grow.
The massive sequoias surrounding the Round Meadow thrive off of the water it holds. Moreover, the meadow is abundant with water making the soil too soft for the sequoias or any other trees to grow in.
Instead the surrounding trees send roots into the meadow to absorb the water they need to survive and flourish and we really mean flourish! We’re talking sequoias over 250 feet tall.
Aside from sequoias you’ll also see dogwood trees, massive rock boulders, small natural streams, and an array of flora.
Bear Aware – American Black Bears
Yep. As a matter of fact there are bears out here.
There’s no guarantee that you’ll see a black bear (the only bear species left in California), but if you do they should be viewed from afar.
Bears will dig in meadows seeking grass and roots. Not to mention there’s water source nearby making Round Meadow a perfect spot for a bear to find it’s basic needs. With that being said, the Round Meadow hike is often populated and bears typically like to keep their distance.
Bear Encounter Basics
• Keep Your Distance
• Don’t Stick Around Too Long
• Never Feed a Bear
• Stay Close Within Your Group
• Do Not Get Between a Mother Bear and Her Cubs
In the first place, minimizing human contact with bears gives them a greater chance at survival. Correspondingly, if a bear becomes accustomed to humans it often ends with the bear being put down.
In addition, Lauren Groh of Two Tents Down goes into more detail with 6 Tips for Bear Safety.
Round Meadow – Where Monarchs Flourish
This hike is perfect for anyone of any age. A one mile loop takes you into one of the oldest forests in the world with some of the biggest trees you’ll ever lay eyes on.
Moreover, with handicap parking and a paved path, any person in a wheel chair can also enjoy the beauty of Sequoia National Park.
If you only have a little bit of time left in your day or you just want an easy, immersive hike then you should visit the Round Meadow loop. It truly showcases the most unique parts of the park in one condensed nature walk.
Looking for the biggest tree in the park, let alone, the entire world? Visit General Sherman Tree and stand below the largest tree on Earth, just 10 minutes away from Round Meadow.
If you love lush green landscapes like this one, you’ll love Mammoth Lakes just an hour up north! See our favorite woodland region with an incredible amount of pristine lakes. Don’t forget Dixie National Park over in Utah. A much further drive, but our second favorite forest to adventure and camp.
Have you hiked the Round Meadow loop? What season did you visit in? We’d love to hear about your experience in a comment below!
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I love your article! I’m planning a family trip and knowing the details of an accessible but worthwhile trail traveling with some older folks is really helpful! Excited to visit, thanks for the insight!
Thank you so much Julia! We’re so happy to hear that this content is helpful for you and your family. Adventure is out there!