Hike the General Sherman Tree Trail at Sequoia National Park – National Park Newbies
The General Sherman Tree Hike is a moderately challenging 1.2 mile round trip hike to the largest tree in the world.
And it is by far one of our favorite trails in any national park we’ve ever visited!
We’ve been to some pretty epic places – Yosemite, Glacier, Arches, and more.
But Sequoia National Park holds a special place in our hearts, and the General Sherman Tree Hike is its crown jewel.
Sequoia is the reason we fell in love with the parks. And trails like the General Sherman Tree Hike are what make visiting these incredible places so special.
Grab a map. Grab your gear. Let’s go see the largest tree in the world – General Sherman!
Located in the heart of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the General Sherman Tree trail is a truly unique experience unlike anything else. Here’s everything we wish we knew before going!
| Distance From | Miles | Minutes |
|---|---|---|
| Foothills Visitor Center (South) | 17 | 50 |
| Big Stump Entrance (North) | 28 | 50 |
The tree is located within the Giant Forest – a large group of sequoia trees in the center of the park.
The hardest part of getting to the Sherman tree trailhead are the curving and winding roads up through the park. If you are prone to car sickness – fair warning!
Sequoia National Park Map
The General Sherman Tree hike is a 1.2-mile round trip, paved path that takes approximately 30 minutes to complete on average. There are two starting points:
- Main Parking Area Off Wolverton Road: Accessible to all visitors, this route involves a half a mile hike down to the tree.
- Accessible Parking Area: Reserved for those with disability parking plates, this option allows you to park near the Generals Highway before the Wolverton Road parking area and take an accessible path up to the tree. I have pinned the location for that lot here.
Overall, it is a relatively easy trail.
In our experience, it was easy going downhill when starting from the main parking lot. But the trail became moderately challenging when ascending due to the incline and elevation gain.
General Sherman sits at approximately 6,900 feet of elevation, which adds to the challenge. Remember to bring extra supplies, as the higher elevation can affect some hikers.
On one of our visits, we stopped to help a person who needed additional water due to becoming lightheaded in the elevation. A reminder to pack extra of everything whenever you’re at the parks!
Once you reach the bottom, you can explore the surrounding sequoia grove area (more on that later!). If you do not want to hike, you can take the shuttle back up to the main parking lot!
At the base of General Sherman
The General Sherman Tree is entirely fenced off for conservation efforts.
But you can walk right up to about 50 feet from the tree to snap a photo in front! You can also meander all around the tree and see it from a number of different distances and angles.
It’s important that you do not hop the fence to try and touch General Sherman – let’s play our part in keeping our parks and their attractions available for years to come!
You have to pay to get into Sequoia National Park, but not an additional fee to see the General Sherman Tree.
Prices may change over time, but here is a breakdown of how much it costs to enter Sequoia according to the National Park Service.
| Entrance Type | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| America the Beautiful Pass | $80/year | Entrance to every US National Park for 1 year |
| Sequoia & Kings Canyon Pass | $70/year | Entrance to Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Hume Lake District for 1 year |
| Private Vehicle | $35 | Valid 1-7 days. Purchase at park entrances. |
| Per Person (on foot or bike) | $20 | Valid 1-7 days. Purchase at park entrances. |
| Motorcycle | $30 | Valid 1-7 days. Purchase at park entrances. |
The General Sherman Tree is by far the best feature in California’s Sequoia National Park.
Our lasting memory is being flabbergasted by the size. It is difficult to grasp without seeing it in person
Zoom in on the image below to see how tiny people appear next to this giant of nature.
General Sherman Tree from a distance
Giant Sequoias are the most spectacular things we have seen in nature. Not only are they some of biggest trees in the world, but they seem to grow together in small groves.
When driving along the Generals Highway, they appear and disappear rather suddenly.
While it may not stand as the tallest or widest tree, the General Sherman is the largest tree by volume on earth.
| Fact | Stat |
|---|---|
| Age | 2,200 Years Old |
| Height | 275 Feet Tall |
| Weight | 1,385 Tons (World Record) |
| Volume | 52,500 Cubic Feet (World Record) |
| Base Diameter | 36.5 Feet |
| Circumference | 103 Feet |
I love this image below that further highlights some incredible facts about General Sherman
Incredible Facts about General Sherman
History of the General Sherman Tree
Before Europeans arrived, Native American tribes had their own names for Giant Sequoia trees, like wawona, toos-pung-ish, and hea-mi-withic. These huge trees were important to them for a long time.
But the story of the General Sherman Tree in Sequoia National Park is a bit of a mystery.
Officially, they say a cowboy named James Wolverton named the tree on August 7, 1879. He’d fought under Civil War General William Tecumseh Sherman and supposedly named the tree after him.
But in 1886, a group of utopian socialists came to control the land. They apparently called it the “Karl Marx” tree.
6 years later, the socialist community was disbanded because of Sequoia National Park’s official establishment. And the name of the tree was reverted back to General Sherman.
After you see General Sherman, there is another easy loop trail located nearby.
The Congress Trail is a relatively flat 2.9 mile loop that starts near the base of the General Sherman tree. This popular hiking trail will take you through some of the park’s other giant sequoia groves.
Hiking the congress trail is a great way to get up close with some of the other giant trees in the area. We were able to walk among them and even touch a few.
We have seen some of California’s grandest locations, but nothing beats standing side by side with a giant sequoia trees.
Hiking around the Congress Trail
If you visiting Sequoia National Park, you must explore the General Sherman Tree Hike!
Its towering presence, located in the second oldest national park in the US, makes it a must-visit destination for all park lovers.
Explore this iconic landmark and be captivated by the grandeur of General Sherman, the largest tree on Earth!