Round Meadow

Round Meadow is a wetland in Giant Forest, encircled by the 0.7-mile paved Big Trees Trail. It is an easy way to see meadow grass set among giant sequoias, with benches and interpretive panels along the nearly level loop.

Follow signs from Giant Forest Museum; the trailhead is about 0.3 mile away. Use the main parking lot across from the museum. A small lot beside the trailhead is for vehicles with disability placards; when winter roads are snowy, it opens to all vehicles. Pets are not allowed on park trails.

The biggest sequoias are near either end of the loop, and the meadow opens into view around halfway. For a photo that feels like Round Meadow, frame the grassy clearing with the giant trunks at its edge; the trees give the open space its scale.

Bears are often seen in meadows here, especially in spring and early summer. Yellow-bellied marmots and other wildlife are also possible, though sightings are never guaranteed.

When the road to Giant Forest was completed in 1903, Round Meadow became its terminus and a center for summer camps and concession buildings. Cabins beside the meadow built in 1921 formed the core of the lodging area; the name Giant Forest Lodge was first used in 1926. By 1930, more than 200 structures stood in the grove, many among the sequoias. The old lodging complex was later removed as the park restored Giant Forest toward a more natural state.