The easiest hikes in Sequoia National Park, by the numbers
Of the 85 trails in Sequoia National Park in our dataset, 15 (18 percent) rate easiest on the gain-and-distance scale we use, run 1 to 6 miles and climb 500 ft or less; all 15 are listed here, lowest rating first.
Alta-High Sierra Cut-off has the lowest rating: 10 ft of gain over 2 miles, 5 ft per mile.
Across the 15, gain runs from 10 to 465 ft and distance from 1.1 miles to 3.9 miles; the median gain is 213 ft and the median distance 1.7 miles.
14 of the 15 are point-to-point routes; the rest are out-and-back (1).
| # | Trail | Miles | Gain (ft) | Ft per mile | Max grade | Elevation (ft) | Rating | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alta-High Sierra Cut-offHigh Sierra | 2 | 10 | 5 | 28% | 7,688 to 8,954 | 6.3 | |
| 2 | Washington Tree TrailHigh Sierra | 1.1 | 160 | 145 | 15% | 6,788 to 6,968 | 18.8 | |
| 3 | Sawtooth / Glacier Pass Class III ShortcutHigh Sierra | 2.3 | 87 | 38 | 37% | 9,526 to 11,160 | 20 | |
| 4 | Long Meadow LoopHigh Sierra | 2.1 | 120 | 57 | 8% | 7,231 to 7,391 | 22.4 | |
| 5 | Moraine Lake TrailHigh Sierra | 3.9 | 68 | 17 | 15% | 9,141 to 10,238 | 23 | |
| 6 | Huckleberry TrailHigh Sierra | 1.3 | 213 | 164 | 30% | 6,530 to 6,954 | 23.5 | |
| 7 | Alta Trail (South Fork)High Sierra | 1.7 | 169 | 99 | 33% | 9,045 to 9,475 | 24 | |
| 8 | Circle Meadow LoopsHigh Sierra | 1.7 | 209 | 123 | 37% | 6,906 to 7,117 | 26.7 | |
| 9 | Sugar Pine TrailHigh Sierra | 1.5 | 276 | 184 | 10% | 6,451 to 6,697 | 28.8 | |
| 10 | Soldiers TrailHigh Sierra | 1.6 | 312 | 195 | 20% | 6,484 to 6,805 | 31.6 | |
| 11 | Bear Hill TrailHigh Sierra | 1.6 | 349 | 218 | 17% | 6,413 to 6,679 | 33.4 | |
| 12 | Moro Rock TrailHigh Sierra | 2 | 286 | 143 | 26% | 6,403 to 6,627 | 33.8 | |
| 13 | Muir GroveHigh Sierra | 2.1 | 276 | 131 | 18% | 6,631 to 6,848 | 34 | |
| 14 | Rimrock TrailHigh Sierra | 1.3 | 465 | 358 | 20% | 6,458 to 6,923 | 34.8 | |
| 15 | Congress TrailHigh Sierra | 1.9 | 350 | 184 | 21% | 6,837 to 7,050 | 36.5 |
How this list is ranked
Rating = the square root of 2 x elevation gain (ft) x distance (miles), the gain-and-distance formula Shenandoah National Park publishes for its own trails. Bands: under 50 easiest, 50 to 100 moderate, 100 to 150 moderately strenuous, 150 to 200 strenuous, 200 and over very strenuous.
This list: band easiest (under 50), 1 to 6 miles, no more than 500 ft of gain, ordered by rating asc, miles asc, capped at 25. The rating column is computed from the miles and gain printed in the same row, the numbers each trail page uses, so every row can be checked from the row itself. The rating says nothing about exposure, scrambling, altitude or conditions.
Only trails with a full page count, so "Sequoia National Park" here means the 85 trails in Sequoia National Park in our dataset, not every trail in Sequoia National Park.
Each trail page shows the full elevation profile behind these numbers and the same data drawn as a topographic print, made to order. Start with Alta-High Sierra Cut-off.
Easiest hikes elsewhere.
The same ranking for other parks in our dataset.