Parking
Start at Wolverton Trailhead off Wolverton Road. The route follows the Lakes Trail for its short approach and returns to the lot on Wolverton Road.
Overview
About Long Meadow Loop
Why go
- A quieter meadow walk with a chance to look for wildlife
Heads up
- The eastern side can be wet and very buggy
Long Meadow Loop is a 2.8-mile circuit from Wolverton Trailhead, with a short Lakes Trail approach and a road return. Allow about 1 to 1.5 hours. It’s a quieter forest-and-meadow walk, not the hike to choose for close-up giant sequoias. If this is your first Sequoia stop, do the General Sherman Tree or Congress Trail first; choose Long Meadow when you want a slower walk with room to watch the meadow edges.
Parkwolf’s verdictIs this the hike for you?Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Sequoia map
Full mapElevation7,218–7,507 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 Long Meadow Loop, 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 Long Meadow Loop
Walk it clockwiseFrom Wolverton, follow the Lakes Trail for the short approach, then circle clockwise.
From Wolverton, follow the Lakes Trail for the short approach, then circle clockwise. The eastern side by Wolverton Creek is the wetter, more tedious stretch, with damp ground and mosquitoes around the meadow margins. The western half is easier and opens out more beyond the trees. The route returns to the lot on Wolverton Road.
Slow down at the meadowLong Meadow is a wetland clearing framed by conifers and pale granite.
Long Meadow is a wetland clearing framed by conifers and pale granite. Look along the open edges for movement; the low brush can still hide animals, so sightings are a bonus. Sierra millipedes are common along the trail. The path through the meadow makes a strong photo frame with the open grass and tree line behind it.
Access and rulesStart at Wolverton Trailhead off Wolverton Road. Pets aren’t allowed on park trails.
Start at Wolverton Trailhead off Wolverton Road. Pets aren’t allowed on park trails. The route is mostly dirt path, with a wetter section around the creek and meadow; expect that side to take more care underfoot.
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.
