Backpacking Yosemite — Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias
This post is part of the “Backpacking Yosemite” Series. If you haven’t done so yet, please start reading the overview post:
The Welcome Plaza
After exploring the Yosemite Valley yesterday, we packed our stuff, cleaned our campground and made us on our way towards the Mariposa Grove. While driving along the Wawona Road, we just stopped to enjoy the Tunnel View again for a few minutes.
Just about an hour later we arrived at the Welcome Plaza, which is basically a large parking area and a shuttle bus terminal.
During the shuttle bus service hours, you’re not allowed to drive your own car down the Mariposa Grove Road. Not an issue for us, as parking was free and the shuttles departed frequently.
The Mariposa Grove
Arriving at the Wawona Tree (end of the shuttle), we found a very well prepared trailhead and a boardwalk in perfect conditions. After being closed for 3 years because of a large-scale restoration project, the Mariposa Grove re-opened in June 2018, just 2 month before our trip.
Right at the beginning, we passed the Fallen Monarch. An impressive tree, measuring 4.5 meters (15 feet) across its upturned base. You’ll probably find a lot of people queuing for posing in front of it. Following the trail, we passed some more of the famous giants — first of all The Bachelor and Three Graces.
I was glad I brought my wide angle lens with me, because the trails usually are right next to these trees and you can’t (or shouldn’t) leave them to change the composition.
Next up was the about 1,800 years old Grizzly Giant. Its probably the most impressive tree in the whole grove, measuring not less than 27 meters (90 feet) circumference at the base! For reference: The Fallen Monarch that we passed right at the beginning is not even half as huge.
Checkout the large limb on the right. Besides being about 30 meters (100 feet) up in the air, its bigger around by itself than the trunk of almost any other species of tree.
Continuing on the Mariposa Grove Road, we came across the Faithful Couple (pictured as the cover image for this story) and the California Tunnel Tree. The couple is actually two trees that grew so close together that their trunks have fused together. The tunnel tree, as you might have guessed, has a man-made tunnel at its base, allowing hikers to walk through it.
However, there’s also a tree with an even larger, natural tunnel. It was hollowed by numerous fires which weakened the trunk so much that park officials are worried about it collapsing after a dense snow fall.
It’s named The Clothespin Tree because of the 12 meters (40 feet) high space that is wide enough for a pick-up truck to drive through. Unlike the California Tunnel Tree, you’re not allowed to walk through this one.
If we would have had the time, another uphill section through the upper grove would have brought us to the Wawona Point. It has a stunning view of the Wawona Valley to offer, but we choose to skip it and head back to the Wawona Tree.
Our schedule was tight this day, because we needed to get back to Glacier Point to start our next trail. But that’s part of another story:
Thanks for reading along. Please feel free to comment if you have any questions or suggestions.
