THE TRAILS
One of the most pleasing features of Giant Forest is the number of forest trails leading from it that afford interesting half-day or all-day excursions. Perhaps nowhere else is it possible to hike so easily for hours through such forests of sequoia, pine, and fir. Many of the trails are oiled to eliminate dust. The trail system is well signed, and the map in this pamphlet is used by many as a guide. It would be impossible to enumerate all the points of attraction or combination trips which can be made. New ones are opened every year. The following are the principal trails and attractions:
Alta Trail.—Nine miles from Giant Forest to Alta Peak (11,211 feet); passes through the Plateau of the Giant Trees and Panther, Mehrten, and Alta Meadows. The view from Alta Peak has been pronounced by members of the Sierra Club as fine as any in the California mountains. It is the nearest point to Giant Forest from which Mount Whitney may be seen. Horses may be ridden to the summit. Alta Meadows is a delightful place to camp. A full day should be allowed for this trip.
Trail of the Sequoias.—Connects the High Sierra Trail from the saddle near Crescent Meadow, 3.7 miles to the Alta Trail, and passes through Big Tree groves rarely seen by the public before the opening of this trail.
Circle, Crescent, and Congress Trails.—All lead from the Alta Trail through the thickest Sequoia forests to meadows and mammoth trees within 2 miles of Giant Forest. From 2 hours to 2 days could be spent covering this area.
YOUNG VISITORS EXAMINING THE ANNULAR RINGS OF A BIG TREE
Soldier and Bear Hill Trails.—Lead from Giant Forest, 2 miles to Moro Rock, passing near the Parker Group and past the Roosevelt Tree, Hanging Rock, and other points. A half-day stroll.
Sugar Pine Trail.—From Moro Rock, 1½ miles along the plateau edge to Crescent Meadow and Kaweah Vista, with side trip to Bobcat Point.
Twin Lakes Trail.—From Lodgepole Camp, 5 miles to Clover Creek, and 2 miles farther to Twin Lakes, famous for unsurpassed scenic setting at 9,750 feet, and for good trout fishing. Several hundred feet above Twin Lakes on Silliman Shoulder is one of the finest panoramas of mountain scenery in the world. A day is well spent on this trail.
The Watchtower and Heather Lake Trails.—These two trails lead to major scenic spots. From the Watchtower there is a 2,000-foot drop to Tokopah Valley; and Heather, Emerald, and Aster Lakes are mountain jewels on the west slopes of Alta Peak. All of these trips may be made from Giant Forest in half a day, although it is preferable to allow a full day for them. Ranger naturalists conduct nature hikes to these points during the summer.
The High Sierra Trail.—This trail, one of the finest mountain routes in America, extends from the Big Trees of the Giant Forest to the summit of Mount Whitney (14,494.7 feet), the highest mountain in continental United States. In Sequoia National Park the largest trees in the world are now linked by a splendid trail to the highest mountain peak in the country.
The main features along the High Sierra Trail, with distances shown from Giant Forest, are: Bearpaw Meadow, 12 miles, with view of waterfalls, great cliffs, and River Valley; Hamilton Lake, 16 miles, conceded by those who know the Sierra Nevada to be the "cream of Sierran scenery"; Hamilton Gorge suspension bridge, 18 miles; Kaweah Gap, 20 miles, with expansive views of Kaweah peaks and main crest of the Sierra Nevada, as well as the Big Arroyo immediately below; Moraine Lake, 30 miles; Kern Canyon at Funston Meadows, 34½ miles; Kern Hot Springs, 37 miles; Junction Meadow, 44 miles; Crabtree Meadow, 54½ miles; Mount Whitney summit, 62 miles. From the summit of Mount Whitney there are 13 miles of trail down the east side to end of automobile road, at Whitney Portal, 16 miles from the town of Lone Pine.
Meals and comfortable beds may be obtained at reasonable rates at the outpost station located at Ibex Meadow, making a trip possible to the summit of Mount Whitney and return from the east side without the necessity of packing heavy supplies and equipment.