Trail of 100 Giants in Sequoia National Monument
The Trail of 100 Giants is a lovely hike that meanders through the Long Meadow Grove of Giant Sequoias within the Sequoia National Monument.
The trail starts across the road from the parking and picnic area. We visited on a brisk October morning, trying to fit the last of our mountain adventures in before the snow hit the Sierras.
The Long Meadow Grove is over 340 acres and protects 125 Giant Sequoias larger than 10 feet in diameter. There are also around 700 giant sequoias that are still young and less than 10 feet in diameter. The trail is about a mile and a half, with several loop options to extend for repeat views of these stunning trees.
Hiking the Trail of 100 Giants
On our hike through the trees, we first encountered the Proclamation Tree. It’s a stunning 2000-year-old, 245-foot-tall, 18-foot-wide Giant Sequoia with burn scars hundreds of years old high on its trunk. On April 15th, 2000, President Bill Clinton stood at the base of the Proclamation tree and created the Giant Sequoia National Monument under the Antiquities Act.
Further down the trail, we passed several other beautiful trees, including a “goose pen.” When two or more giant sequoias grow near each other, eventually, they can grow together. The often leave a hollow space between the trunks on the ground. Early settlers and pioneers would use these hollow spaces to hold livestock, especially at night, to keep them safe, hence the name goose pen.
Walking along the trail, we came to a fallen giant with a completely exposed root system. It had been lying there a long time since there wasn’t any caked-on dirt and sediment disrupting the view of the maze of roots. Giant Sequoias have relatively shallow root systems, only extending 6 to 8 feet in the ground, but they spread out horizontally up to an acre in search of water. A fun fact: Sequoias can drink 500 gallons of water a day.
Luckily for us and anyone traveling on the 100 Giants Trail, one of the loop options takes you right by the largest sequoia in the whole grove! It is 70 feet around and still growing!
Fall was definitely in the air on this trail. While the sequoias were evergreen, as is much of the forest here, the Aspens were showing their lovely yellow and orange hues.
On our way back to the parking lot, we noticed it filling in quite a bit—a stark change from the almost empty lot we pulled into just an hour earlier.
If you are a Big Tree enthusiast like me, I would highly recommend that you put this on your list of hikes.
Where is Trail of 100 Giants located?
The Trail of 100 Giants is located in Sequoia National Monument.
How long does it take to visit?
We spent about an hour here, but you could meander for several if you were so inclined. There is also a picnic day use area near the parking lot that would make a great lunch spot.
Where to stay?
There is a Campground located here, even accessible by trail from the 100 Giants Loop. Unfortunately, it was closed for the season already. Rest assured it has been added to our list of future campgrounds we want to stay at and enjoy.
