Parking
Use the small lot at Merced Grove Trailhead on Tioga Road; it has about a dozen spaces and a vault toilet. There is no drinking water at the lot or in the grove.
Overview
About Merced Grove Trail
Why go
- A small, secluded grove of mature giant sequoias.
- A historic ranger patrol cabin adds a human story to the grove.
Heads up
- A steep, sustained uphill return after the downhill walk.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Yosemite map
Full mapElevation5,370–5,882 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Best time to go
Safety
4 active Yosemite alerts
- ClosureDome Fire closes Glacier Point Road and trailsGlacier Point Road is temporarily closed because Dome Fire smoke reduces visibility and to allow firefighting operations; some trails south of the road are also closed.Official details
- CautionMist Trail access limited during October repairsThe Mist Trail between its John Muir Trail junction above the Vernal Fall footbridge and the top of Vernal Fall has limited access through October for repair work.Official details
“Merced Grove's trailhead is ahead, for a walk to the smallest and most secluded of Yosemite's three sequoia groves. About twenty mature giants stand down in the forest, beyond sight of the parking area.”
Yosemite Tour Guide
Yosemite, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Yosemite 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 Yosemite audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Merced Grove0:00 / 0:24
“Merced Grove's trailhead is ahead, for a walk to the smallest and most secluded of Yosemite's three sequoia groves. About twenty mature giants stand down in the forest, beyond sight of the parking area.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Yosemite Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Living Color on the Rocks
- When Fire Fell from Glacier Point
- Tuolumne Grove and the Dead Giant
- Crane Flat Gas Station
- 125 audio storiesacross Yosemite’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Black Bear, Peregrine Falcon, Mule Deer, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 141 trails, 99 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“We just drove through Yosemite and it made our trip listening to this app as we drove through. Like having a tour guide in the car with you.”
Trail guide
Hiking Merced Grove Trail
The walk in briefMerced Grove Trail is a 3-mile round-trip out-and-back from Merced Grove Trailhead to a…
Merced Grove Trail is a 3-mile round-trip out-and-back from Merced Grove Trailhead to a secluded stand of giant sequoias. The route follows an old road through forest, beginning gently before dropping to the grove; allow 1.5 to 3 hours and expect about 520 feet of climbing on the return. The downhill start makes the walk feel easier than the climb back. This is a good choice if you want a quieter grove visit and are comfortable with a sustained uphill finish.
Follow the old roadThe first half mile is level and easy.
The first half mile is level and easy. At the junction, keep left, then descend about another mile to the grove. The broad, smooth tread follows an old road for much of the way. The giant sequoias are not visible from the parking area, so continue to the grove rather than turning back at the first trees. Return by the same route.
Among the sequoiasMerced Grove is the smallest and most secluded of Yosemite's three sequoia groves, with roughly…
Merced Grove is the smallest and most secluded of Yosemite's three sequoia groves, with roughly 20 mature giant sequoias. An old ranger patrol cabin is part of the grove's history; it once served as a summer retreat for park superintendents. Dogwoods bloom here in spring.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Yosemite
732 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
1,747 sightingsMule DeerMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
332 sightingsCoyoteMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
11 sightingsPeregrine FalconMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
276 sightingsPikaMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
677 sightingsYellow-bellied MarmotMost seen around 8 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Yosemite. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
