Paradise Ridge Trail

Paradise Ridge Trail is a point-to-point wilderness route from Atwell Mill to Redwood Meadow Grove. The listed distance is 10 miles one way. It climbs through Atwell Grove’s giant sequoias, crosses open brushy slopes with views down the East Fork Kaweah Valley, reaches a forested saddle, then descends to the remote grove. There’s no loop; hiking back to Atwell Mill doubles the distance.

The Paradise Ridge saddle is just under three miles up; turning around there makes a roughly six-mile out-and-back and includes the route’s main climb. The saddle itself is forested with no panorama, but there are open valley views before it. Beyond the saddle, a trail marker gives another six miles to Redwood Meadow. That marker and the mapped line point closer to nine miles from Atwell Mill, while the listed full route is 10 miles. Use the larger figure for planning.

The climb is steep, hot and dry. Atwell Grove appears in patches: a lower stand with fire-scarred trees, a greener stretch near a stream, and an upper grove marked by a massive sequoia with a broad scar on its trail-facing side. Between the groves, the brush opens to views across the valley toward Hengst Peak. On that open slope, include the opposite ridge’s sequoia crowns beneath the valley in a photo; they help show how far the grove spreads. The saddle is quiet forest, not a summit viewpoint.

The trail continues about six miles beyond the saddle to Redwood Meadow Grove. The meadow is only glimpsed briefly; the better stop is the grove intersection, where a campsite sits beneath two large sequoias. About half a dozen big sequoias are visible from the trail, so expect a remote forested destination rather than a wide-open meadow panorama.

Use the signed hiker parking lot at the upper end of Atwell Mill Campground. Walk west along the campground road, then along Mineral King Road about a quarter mile to the signed trailhead; there’s no parking at the trailhead. Mineral King Road is narrow and winding, with an unpaved upper section, and closes to general vehicle traffic at the park boundary in winter. The first permitted overnight campsite, Paradise Ridge, is about three miles in and has no water. Overnight trips require a wilderness permit, and pets aren’t allowed on park trails. Allow about seven hours one way for the full route; returning to Atwell Mill makes it a roughly 20-mile outing.