Parking
Start at Mountain Home Trailhead near Shake Camp. Follow Long Meadow Trail about 7.6 miles to Summit Lake, then continue onto the Cyclone Meadow segment; no closer road access was found.
Overview
About Cyclone Meadow Trail
Why go
- The mapped trail passes through its namesake open meadow.
Heads up
- The Mountain Home approach is 7.6 miles before this segment begins.
Cyclone Meadow Trail is a roughly 2-mile, one-way path from the Summit Lake side through its namesake meadow, then north along a backcountry track. It’s point to point, not a loop; allow about 1¼ hours for this segment. The trail heads downhill from the high Summit Lake area. The far-end junction isn’t clearly documented, so if you need to return to Summit Lake, retrace the 2 miles and treat it as a 4-mile extension.
Parkwolf’s verdictThe meadow is the payoffMap & elevation
The route
Loading the Sequoia map
Full mapElevation8,842–9,439 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 Cyclone Meadow 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 tour- 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 Cyclone Meadow Trail
Getting to the startThe road access is Mountain Home Trailhead near Shake Camp. Long Meadow Trail climbs about 7.
The road access is Mountain Home Trailhead near Shake Camp. Long Meadow Trail climbs about 7.6 miles to Summit Lake before the Cyclone segment begins. That puts the meadow route roughly 9.6 miles from Mountain Home one way; retracing the route makes the full walk about 19 miles. This is a serious backcountry trip for most visitors. Reports describe several river crossings on the Long Meadow approach, and their difficulty changes with water levels. Check current conditions before setting out.
Permits, water and petsOvernight travel requires a wilderness permit.
Overnight travel requires a wilderness permit. The Long Meadow entry is handled by Sequoia National Forest. No food, toilets, or treated water service was found along this route, so plan to carry what you need. Pets aren’t allowed on park trails or in the wilderness.
Pause in the meadowThe open clearing has a distinctive high-country look: grass framed by conifers with ridges…
The open clearing has a distinctive high-country look: grass framed by conifers with ridges beyond. A 1963 archival photo shows pack stock grazing here, but that doesn’t mean you’ll see animals today. If the meadow is open, include some tree line and the distant ridge to show its scale.
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.
