Grizzly Giant Loop Trail

Grizzly Giant Loop is a moderate 2-mile circuit from the Mariposa Grove Arrival Area, with about 300 feet of climbing and a 1.5–2 hour hiking time. Pick it when you want a proper walk among the grove’s famous sequoias without committing to the upper grove. The route passes the Bachelor and Three Graces, the Grizzly Giant, and California Tunnel Tree, then winds along the edge of the grove. The trees are the payoff, so leave time to stop and look up instead of treating this as a quick photo circuit.

Start at the Arrival Area and follow Mariposa Grove Trail to the Big Trees Loop junction. The short shared approach uses packed dirt and boardwalk before the circuit branches onto ground trail along the grove’s edge. It returns to that same junction, so retrace the access to reach the Arrival Area. Give it the full two hours if you want to stop at the trees; the 300-foot climb is spread through the loop.

This is different from the 6.5-mile Guardians Loop and the 7-mile route to Wawona Point. Both continue into the upper grove, with more distance and climbing; this loop returns from the lower grove.

The Bachelor and Three Graces make a first stop. At Grizzly Giant, the park’s 3,000-year-old sequoia, step back to take in its massive trunk and spreading crown; a tight bark photo loses the scale. California Tunnel Tree is another landmark, with an opening cut through its trunk.

Mariposa Grove is Yosemite’s largest grove, with more than 500 mature giant sequoias. This circuit brings you to some of its best-known trees without going into the upper grove.

In 1864, during the Civil War, President Lincoln signed legislation protecting Mariposa Grove and Yosemite Valley for public use, resort, and recreation. It was an early federal protection of scenic land; the grove became part of Yosemite National Park in 1906. That history gives this short walk a longer story than its mileage suggests.

The grove closed in 2015 for a major restoration and reopened in June 2018. The work addressed roads, trails, and buildings encroaching on sequoia roots, as well as hydrology, while improving visitor access. Stay on the path around the trees: their root zones extend well beyond what you can see above ground.

Use the Welcome Plaza lot, which has about 300 spaces and can fill by late morning, then take the free shuttle to the Arrival Area. The shuttle normally runs from mid-spring into late fall, though dates vary with road and weather conditions. A valid disability placard allows driving to the Grizzly Giant parking area for a wheelchair-accessible section; the full circuit is not classified as wheelchair accessible.

When the shuttle is off and the road is closed to ordinary cars, add about 2 miles each way and 500 feet of gain via Washburn Trail or Mariposa Grove Road. That approach is extra to the loop’s 2 miles, and winter snow or ice can slow the walk. Water is available year-round at Welcome Plaza and in summer at the Arrival Area. There is no food service at either; the Depot at Welcome Plaza has books, maps, gifts, and general information.

Pets are not allowed on any Mariposa Grove road, trail, or shuttle. Seasonal flush or vault toilets are at the Arrival Area, and a vault toilet is near Grizzly Giant. Before a winter visit, check current access and plan for the extra approach.