Parking
Start at the west end of Wolverton Parking Area. The lot has accessible spaces and flush toilets. The route ends at the Bear Hill Trail junction, away from the car, so plan the return before starting.
Overview
About Alta Winter Trail
Why go
- A marked winter route from a ridge into giant-sequoia forest
- Accessible parking and flush toilets at Wolverton
Heads up
- Hard, tree-filled downhill terrain
- Point-to-point logistics and conflicting distance measurements
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Sequoia map
Full mapElevation6,473–7,592 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
8 active Sequoia alerts
- CautionStage 1 fire restrictionsStage 1 fire restrictions are in effect due to high fire danger and catastrophic-wildfire risk; the restrictions reduce the possibility of accidental human-caused fires that could threaten visitors…Official details
- ClosureGrant Grove trails and areas closed for prescribed burnSome trails and areas around Grant Grove and the General Grant Tree are closed for safety during a prescribed burn and until they are cleared of hazards.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Sequoia Tour Guide
Your drive to Alta Winter Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Sequoia National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Sequoia audio tourRecorded for this area
Wolverton Meadow and Lakes Trail0:00 / 0:28
“Wolverton is coming up, with picnic tables beside a wetland meadow. It's a good lunch stop without committing to the big hikes that start here.”
Plays on the road 0.1 mi from the trailhead in the Parkwolf Sequoia Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Lodgepole Village
- Lodgepole and Tokopah Falls
- The Red Plant Without Chlorophyll
- The Songbird That Dives
- 71 audio storiesacross Sequoia’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Black Bear, Mountain Lion, Bobcat, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 99 trails, 68 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“…The kids and my husband and I all agree that the narration really added to our experience driving through the parks. We learned so much about the history and the flora & fauna.”
Trail guide
Hiking Alta Winter Trail
A winter crossingAlta Winter Trail is a one-way route from the west end of Wolverton parking, over a ridge and…
Alta Winter Trail is a one-way route from the west end of Wolverton parking, over a ridge and down through the Giant Forest to the Bear Hill Trail junction. The posted winter distance is 6.2 miles one way, while the connected mapped corridor measures about 5.0 miles. Use the longer figure to plan and check the current winter map before setting out. This is the lower forest route, separate from the Alta Peak summit climb.
The listed time is 6–8 hours round trip. The trail itself ends away from your car, and no return connection is described, so settle the other end before you start.
From Wolverton to PantherBegin at the west end of Wolverton parking and climb southwest onto a ridge.
Begin at the west end of Wolverton parking and climb southwest onto a ridge. The ridge-top stretch is described as an easier mile to the Panther Trail junction. Yellow triangles with a sequoia-cone symbol mark the winter route; follow them where snow hides the tread. The path then drops steeply into Giant Forest.
Through the sequoiasThe descent reaches the McKinley Tree Trail and Crescent Trail junction, then continues through…
The descent reaches the McKinley Tree Trail and Crescent Trail junction, then continues through Giant Forest before dropping again to Bear Hill Trail. It is a long traverse that changes from an open ridge to forest and a steeper, tree-filled descent; the endpoint is a trail junction, not a loop back to Wolverton.
Winter footing and facilitiesThis is designated for cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing is allowed.
This is designated for cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing is allowed. In snow or ice, hiking without traction devices is not recommended. The route is rated hard, with steep terrain and many trees, and pets are not allowed. Wolverton parking has accessible spaces and flush toilets.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Sequoia
691 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
17 sightingsMountain LionMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
18 sightingsBobcatMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
24 sightingsCoyoteMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
15 sightingsGolden EagleMost seen around 11 AMSighting map
20 sightingsSpotted OwlMost seen around 7 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Sequoia. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
