The easiest hikes in Sequoia National Park, by the numbers
Of the 106 trails in Sequoia National Park in our dataset, 14 (13 percent) rate easiest on the gain-and-distance scale we use, run 1 to 6 miles and climb 500 ft or less; all 14 are listed here, lowest rating first.
Washington Tree Trail has the lowest rating: 160 ft of gain over 1.1 miles, 145 ft per mile.
Across the 14, gain runs from 120 to 465 ft and distance from 1.1 miles to 2.8 miles; the median gain is 314 ft and the median distance 1.7 miles.
13 of the 14 are point-to-point routes; the rest are loop (1).
| # | Trail | Miles | Gain (ft) | Ft per mile | Max grade | Elevation (ft) | Rating | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington Tree TrailHigh Sierra | 1.1 | 160 | 145 | 15% | 6,788 to 6,968 | 18.8 | |
| 2 | Long Meadow LoopHigh Sierra | 2.1 | 120 | 57 | 8% | 7,231 to 7,391 | 22.4 | |
| 3 | Circle Meadow LoopsHigh Sierra | 1.7 | 209 | 123 | 37% | 6,906 to 7,117 | 26.7 | |
| 4 | Sugar Pine TrailHigh Sierra | 1.5 | 276 | 184 | 10% | 6,451 to 6,697 | 28.8 | |
| 5 | Soldiers TrailHigh Sierra | 1.6 | 312 | 195 | 20% | 6,484 to 6,805 | 31.6 | |
| 6 | Bear Hill TrailHigh Sierra | 1.6 | 349 | 218 | 17% | 6,413 to 6,679 | 33.4 | |
| 7 | Moro Rock TrailHigh Sierra | 2 | 286 | 143 | 26% | 6,403 to 6,627 | 33.8 | |
| 8 | Muir GroveHigh Sierra | 2.1 | 276 | 131 | 18% | 6,631 to 6,848 | 34 | |
| 9 | Huckleberry TrailHigh Sierra | 1.3 | 460 | 354 | 30% | 6,530 to 6,954 | 34.6 | |
| 10 | Rimrock TrailHigh Sierra | 1.3 | 465 | 358 | 20% | 6,458 to 6,923 | 34.8 | |
| 11 | WuksachiHigh Sierra | 1.8 | 349 | 194 | 31% | 6,906 to 7,253 | 35.4 | |
| 12 | Congress TrailHigh Sierra | 1.9 | 350 | 184 | 21% | 6,837 to 7,050 | 36.5 | |
| 13 | Alta Trail (South Fork)High Sierra | 1.7 | 446 | 262 | 33% | 9,045 to 9,475 | 38.9 | |
| 14 | Lodgepole-Sherman TreeHigh Sierra | 2.8 | 315 | 113 | 23% | 6,744 to 7,109 | 42 |
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 106 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 Washington Tree Trail.
Easiest hikes elsewhere.
The same ranking for other parks in our dataset.