Numerous scenic and adventurous day hiking excursions are easily accessible from the Sequoia High Sierra Camp. At Camp, you'll find literature, including topography maps that will help you with more detail. We'll help you pack your own picnic lunch and choose the one (or more) that best suit your interests and athletic abilities.
In this section, we have outlined a brief description of some of our favorite day hikes - for your travel planning.
Originating from Camp
A lovely mixture of glacially carved lakes, expansive mountaintop views, quiet streams and wildflower filled meadows are all within day hiking reach from the Sequoia High Sierra Camp. Every hike will leave you with special memories and beautiful photographs! Here are some of the most popular with our guests:
Rowell Meadow
Total Distance
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4 miles round-trip
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Average Hiking Time
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4 hours
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Difficulty Level
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Easy (With a 600' elevation gain)
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As one of the shortest distance day hikes from the Sequoia High Sierra Camp, this is a good choice if you are seeking an easy excursion. The grassy, expansive meadow is our favorite location to recommend for seasonal wildflower viewing - and it boasts several creeks that are popular for trout fishing. Along the trail, you'll pass an interesting old snow survey cabin - and will likely see several curious marmots scampering about!
From the Sequoia High Sierra Camp, you'll take the access trail that leads to/from the Marvin Pass Parking Area. At the SHSC trail marker (posted wooden sign), continue south on this same trail (this will be a left turn) toward Marvin Pass for one more mile, past the Marvin Pass/Forest Trail junction. Stay on the Marvin Pass Trail (toward Rowell Meadow) for another mile to the Seville Lake Trail junction. At this point, take the right fork (southwest) to your destination of Rowell Meadow. A great place to enjoy a picnic lunch!
Mitchell Peak
Total Distance
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6 miles round-trip
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Average Hiking Time
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4 hours
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Difficulty Level
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Strenuous (elevation climb of 1,995')
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This day hike is the most popular excursion with Sequoia High Sierra Camp guests. The trail rises 2,000 feet during a 3-mile distance - then ascends steeply to a spectacular 360-degree vista on top of a towering 10,365-foot granite peak. The payoff is spectacular!
From the Sequoia High Sierra Camp, take the access trail that leads to/from the Marvin Pass Parking Area. At the SHSC trail marker (posted wooden sign), continue south on this same trail (Marvin Pass Trail) for one mile to Marvin Pass. Here, you will turn left at a trail signed Mitchell Peak and follow the route 1 mile to another sign for Mitchell Peak. Again, turn left (northeast) for a gradual climb to the base of the peak. The last portion of the climb requires scrambling up granite rocks until you reach the pinnacle - which provides incredible views highlighted by the Kings River Canyon, Monarch Divide, Sierra Crest and Great Western Divide. Please do not forget your camera!
Seville Lake
Total Distance
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12 miles round-trip
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Average Hiking Time
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8 hours
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Difficulty Level
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Moderate
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This hike is lengthy, and will take approximately 6 hours of hiking. However, our guests who hike to/from Seville Lake say that it was well worth their effort and time. Located at the base of the Silliman Crest, Seville Lake is a pristine example of a glacially carved alpine lake - rimmed with green grasses, tall firs and white granite cliffs while also offering clear water for swimming, great sunning areas and excellent trout fishing.
From the Sequoia High Sierra Camp, take the access trail that leads to/from the Marvin Pass Parking Area. At the SHSC trail marker (posted wooden sign), turn left and continue south on this trail (Marvin Pass Trail) for one more mile, and you will reach Marvin Pass. You will stay on the Marvin Pass Trail (toward Rowell Meadow) until you come to the Seville Lake/Rowell Meadow/Roaring River junction. Take this fork (southeast) and follow it to the trail's end at Seville Lake.
Lookout Point
Total Distance
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4 miles round-trip
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Average Hiking Time
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2 hours
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Difficulty Level
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Fairly Easy
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This relatively short hike from Camp does not provide the spectacular scenic rewards such as the hikes to Lookout Peak or Mitchell Peak. However, if you are looking for a fairly easy excursion that won't take too long - you might try this one.
From the Sequoia High Sierra Camp, walk downhill along a dirt road (private camp service road) toward the Marvin Pass Parking Area. On your right side, you will see a sign posted that says "Lookout Point" with an arrow. Follow the arrow to leave the road and join the hiking trail. The trail passes to the right of the Horse Corral Pack Station; continue on the trail (approximately 1 hour) until you reach a dirt road crossing the trail. Bear left at this point and follow the trail (west) to Lookout Point (the trail is marked with orange colored blazes on the tree trunks).
Lookout Peak
Total Distance
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6 miles round-trip
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Average Hiking Time
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4 hours
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Difficulty Level
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Moderately strenuous (Note: the last section of trail to Lookout Peak climbs steeply, and requires some class 2 rock climbing skills.)
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If you are seeking a more challenging mountaintop excursion, you have the option to continue past Lookout Point for an additional 1 mile (including a steep downhill section), past Summit Meadow to the pinnacle of Lookout Peak. This is a small, rocky peak that offers outstanding views down the Kings River Canyon.
Please click here to view a map of the Lookout Point/Lookout Peak hikes
Cedar Grove
Total Distance
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8 miles one-way (with return transport available)
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Average Hiking Time
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5 hours one way; plus 2 hour return shuttle transport
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Difficulty Level
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Moderate (very winding, mostly downhill)
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We highly recommend this as one of our favorite hikes for Camp guests. Because of the time/mileage involved, we offer return trip transportation from
Cedar Grove back to Camp. This is usually an all day excursion which requires that you get an early start in the morning so that you can meet our shuttle
at Cedar Grove between 2-3 pm (the hike will take approximately 5 hours including rest stops and picnic time). We can shuttle hikes to the Canyon Rim at
Lookout Peak. This reduces the hike to approximately 3 hours. We will transport you on a 2-hour ride back to Camp; allowing time for a refreshing shower before your dinner seating.
The best part of this hike is that it is one-way, mostly all downhill, dropping into the spectacular Kings River Canyon, with stunning views along the way. You'll have a hard time focusing on the trail ahead, with such gorgeous scenery greeting you around each bend. Along the way, you'll pass a couple of cascading mountain streams and waterfalls, which make ideal picnicking sites.
From the Sequoia High Sierra Camp, you'll follow the aforementioned hiking directions to Lookout Point/Lookout Peak. Continue past the Peak, for
another 5 miles along the same trail (the Don Cecil Trail), into Kings Canyon. The trail ends at Cedar Grove Village, where our Camp shuttle will
meet you in front of the village market. Please note: there is a $75 fee, per person, for the return shuttle transport; we need at least 4 people
taking the hike to run the shuttle. The shuttle can accommodate up to 7 persons and reservations can be made in advance, or can be made when you
arrive at Camp. We are happy to try and organize a Cedar Grove shuttle any day of the week.
Day Hikes Within A Short Drive of Sequoia High Sierra
Although we highly recommend the day hikes that begin/leave directly from the Sequoia High Sierra Camp, there are also some compelling hikes whose trailheads are within a short drive of our camp. These are good options for guests that are staying for more than a few days at the Sequoia High Sierra Camp, or who are among the many whom return year after year!
Here are some nearby exploration ideas:
Deer Meadow
Total Distance
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1 mile Camp exit hike to Marvin Pass Parking Area; 4.2 mile one-way drive to the Deer Meadow Parking Area; 3 mile one-way hike to Deer Meadow
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Average Hiking Time
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4 hours
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Difficulty Level
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Moderate
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This is a lightly traveled path that leads to excellent views of Kings Canyon.
From the Sequoia High Sierra Camp, exit camp along the 1 mile access trail to reach the Marvin Pass Parking Area. From there, drive to the start of the paved road (2 1/2 miles from the Marvin Pass Parking Area). Turn left and drive until you reach Forest Road 13S11 (this is marked with a road sign on the right of the road). Turn right on this dirt road and continue to the end, which is a trailhead parking area. From there, it is a 3 mile hike to the central point of the meadow.
View a map of Deer Meadow.
Weaver Lake
Total Distance
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1 mile Camp exit hike to Marvin Pass Parking Area; 12 miles one-way drive to the Weaver Lake trailhead. 3.2 miles one-way hike to Weaver Lake.
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Average Hiking Time
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4 hours
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Difficulty Level
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Moderate
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This enjoyable hike along a well-worn path takes you to a striking lake, warm enough for swimming, at the base of Shell Mountain. The views along the way are superior.
From the Sequoia High Sierra Camp, exit camp along the 1 mile access trail to reach the Marvin Pass Parking Area. From there, drive the entrance/exit road from Camp toward the Generals Highway (the dirt road becomes paved at Big Meadows Road). Before you reach the main highway, you will see signage for the Big Meadows Trailhead parking area on the left (after the campground). Turn left into this parking area and you will find the trail at the northeast end of the parking area. From there, it is a 3.2 mile hike to the shores of Weaver Lake.
View a map of Weaver Lake.
Redwood Canyon
Total Distance
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1-mile Camp exit hike to Marvin Pass Parking Area; 15.8 miles one-way drive to the Redwood Canyon turnoff. 2-mile drive on dirt road to the parking area. 5-mile total hiking loop to Redwood Canyon.
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Average Hiking Time
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5-8 hours (depending on how far you hike on the trail loop)
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Difficulty Level
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Easy to Moderate
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This canyon trail takes you through the main portion of the largest sequoia grove on earth, a pretty meadow, an old logging camp, a sequoia "log" cabin and returns along serene Redwood Creek. We like to suggest this hike to our guests that are eager to see a giant sequoia grove. There is a beautiful collection of sequoias where the trail begins; you can walk along the loop as long as you want, with some excellent picnicking areas along the way. This is a good sightseeing excursion as you depart the Camp, along the road that leads back to Fresno.
From the Sequoia High Sierra Camp, exit camp along the 1 mile access trail to reach the Marvin Pass Parking Area. From there, drive the entrance/exit road (Big Meadows Road) from Camp to the Generals Highway. Turn right on this highway (toward Fresno; approximately 3 miles). The next road you come to has a sign directing you to turn left toward Redwood Canyon. Turn left onto this dirt road (which is across the highway from the paved road to Hume Lake). Follow Redwood Canyon Road for approximately 1.7 miles and you will see a sign that says "Redwood Canyon Parking Area. Take the left fork (southeast), which leads through a fallen sequoia and continues for another 0.2 mile to the trailhead parking area.
View a map of Redwood Canyon.