Trail Of 100 Giants In Sequoia National Forest

Trail of 100 Giants is one of the most popular day hikes in Sequoia National Forest. This trail is very short, mostly paved, and features some of the biggest trees in the world!

Trail of a Hundred Giants is easily accessible from nearby cities like Bakersfield, Visalia, and Fresno. I love to visit this area in the summer to escape into the mountains where temperatures are much cooler. It is the perfect weekend getaway for Central Valley locals!

In this post, I cover all you need to know for hiking the Trail Of 100 Giants including how to get there, where to park, trail difficulty, and other tips. 

About Trail Of 100 Giants

Trail Of 100 Giants is one of the most underrated trails in Central California. It’s similar to a hike that you might find at Sequoia National Park but much cheaper and less crowded. This trail is very popular so try to come early or late in the afternoon to avoid the crowds.

The walkways at Trail Of 100 Giants are paved, mostly flat, and stroller accessible. This hike goes in a loop for a total of 1.3 miles but you have the option to do less if you start getting tired.

Along this hike, there are lots of charming benches for resting and taking in the fresh forest air. This is a place where you can slow down, and enjoy the peaceful setting.

Trail Of 100 Giants is dog-friendly so we brought our dog along. Be sure to keep them on a leash and clean up after your pup.

After finishing the hike I recommend heading out to Dome Rock Trail located just 20 minutes away. Both trails are short and doable within the same day.

Trail of 100 Giants Location

Trail Of 100 Giants is located in the western part of Sequoia National Forest. Depending on where you live, you can enter from Kernville in the south, California Hot Springs in the west, and Camp Nelson in the north.

We were traveling from Bakersfield so we drove in from California Hot Springs. The trailhead is located right off Highway M-90/Route 107. This is a major highway so it’s easily accessible for all vehicles.  

Trail Of 100 Giants Map:

It took us about 2 hours to get there from Bakersfield. The mountain roads were winding but very scenic.

Note that in the winter months, the roads and highways get closed for access. I recommend calling the local ranger station and checking comments on the AllTrails hiking app to find out if the roads are open before heading out there.

Google Map Location: Trail of 100 Giants Trailhead

Trail Parking

Visitor parking is available at a designated lot right across from the trailhead.

It costs $12 to park at this lot and it works on a first-come, first-serve basis. This parking lot has restrooms and some picnic tables.

This parking lot is small so finding a spot can be an issue. We came here on a Friday evening right before sunset and were able to get a spot. We drove by the next afternoon, however, and the parking lot was full and the attendant was turning away visitors.

As we drove by we noticed that a lot of people were parking along the highway and walking into the trail. If you do park along the main road, watch out for “no parking” signs that go about a half-mile each way from the trailhead to avoid getting a ticket.

Trail Of 100 Giants Highlights

The Long Meadow Grove is home to so many impressive sequoia trees! It is estimated that there are over 700 sequoias at this grove. Some of the trees are big in size while others are very tall and over 1500 years old.

Long Meadow Grove has over 125 giant sequoia trees earning this trail its fitting name. Throughout the hike, you can stop and read informative signs describing more about these impressive trees and their history.

Here are some of the main highlights from the Trail Of 100 Giant starting at the South entrance:

Proclamation Tree

The first impressive sequoia tree that I saw along the trail was the Proclamation Tree. This tree is over 2000 years old and has a unique shape with a large opening in the tree stump.

This tree earned its name as the ‘Proclamation Tree’ after President Bill Clinton approved the Giant Sequoia National Monument at the base of this tree to help protect and preserve these precious sequoias.   

While once there were lots of sequoia trees, now they can be only found west of the Sierra Mountains in California.

The Goose Pen

The Goose Pen consists of two sequoia trees that over the years grew into each other. These trees are now separated only by a small opening that leads to a hallowed cavern inside. A stump has been placed on the inside that allows you to look out of a window-like opening on the other side.

This set of sequoias is called Goose Pen because back in the day farmers used this giant tree to take cover from storms and guard their livestock.

Long Meadow

Behind the Goose Pen tree lies the Long Meadow which is home to many large sequoia trees. Within this meadow, you can see an ancient sequoia tree that is missing its top after lightning struck it.

The trail travels through a section of Long Meadow which contains a total of 125 giant sequoias (although only a few can be seen from this hike).

Fallen Sequoia Trees

As we walked along the designated pathways, we could see quite a few fallen sequoias showcasing their enormous roots. Some of these trees had fallen right on the path and we had to walk around or climb under to pass through.

Be sure to stop by the Two Fallen Sequoias that fell in 2011 due to their large size, shallow roots, and age. Walking up to the tree roots will make you feel so small in comparison!

The Sentinels

The sentinels are a set of three sequoia trees that grew into each other. This used to be one of the main attractions of the Trail Of 100 Giants and visitors could observe these trees from the path. Now the Two Fallen Sequoias obstruct some of the views.

Fallen Giant Loop

After The Sentinels, we continued into the Fallen Giant Loop which features more fallen trees with giant roots. One of these trees fell over 200 years ago and looks the same as it did in 1800. This is due to tannin preservatives that can be found in the tree bark which slow down their decay.

Fallen Giant Loop also features two trees that grew into each other over 1800 years ago along with a tree that resembles a bench.

After finishing the loop we left the trail along the South Exit and walked back to the parking lot.

The Trail of 100 Giants is one of the most beautiful hikes within Sequoia National Forest and a must-do for Central Valley locals! Have you done this hike before? Let us know in the comments below!

Looking for other great hikes to do in the area? Here are some of my favorites:

• 12 Best Places To Visit Sequoia Trees In California
• Johnsondale Bridge Trail In Sequoia National Forest
• Unal Trail In Sequoia National Forest
• Kern River Trail In Sequoia National Forest
• Hiking Isabella Peak – Coso Mine Loop Trail
• Hiking Mill Creek Trail In California

This post is written by Laura. Hi, I’m a California local and the founder of the California Wanderland travel blog. I currently live in Ventura County and help 30,000 readers a month discover things to do in Central California! Read more about me here.