Reflections from a Day in Mariposa Grove

Yosemite Hikes 3 Minutes

June 10, 2025
Mariposa Grove, Yosemite National Park
Total distance walked 7.66 miles

With the sun glinting through the windshield, my sister and I set off for Yosemite with our friend driving just behind us in her truck. Our destination: Mariposa Grove, home to some of the most majestic sequoias in the world. It was the perfect setting for a photo shoot we had been planning.

Arrival area at Mariposa Grove.

But nature had other plans. Just a few steps into the Big Trees Loop, our friend had to turn back due to an oncoming migraine.

Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias

We said our goodbyes, wishing her a quick recovery, and continued into the heart of the grove.

We passed the Bachelor and Three Graces—four towering sequoias rooted in quiet harmony.

Bachelor and Three Graces

Then we stood dwarfed beneath the ancient limbs of the 3,000-year-old Grizzly Giant. We paused to reflect on the history it has seen.

Grizzly Giant

From there, we passed through the California Tunnel Tree and took the longer Perimeter Trail—a more secluded and strenuous path that winds higher into the grove—chosen because a section of the Mariposa Grove trail was closed.

Eventually, we rested on a bench beside the rustic Mariposa Grove Cabin to catch our breath. Here, the chatter of mountain chickadees filled the air with sweet song.

Rested, we continued on until we reached the Fallen Wawona Tunnel Tree—perhaps the very one our father once drove through while stationed in San Francisco during his Army days. He and his buddies had made the trip up to visit the park. The tree fell in 1969, but its memory stood tall in our thoughts.

Fallen Tunnel Tree

As we climbed higher, the air felt cooler, and the world behind us seemed far away.

Standing tall between the ancient sentinels.

Then a jolt of color, a splash of red in the muted green-and-brown forest. A fire hydrant? Out here? A reminder of California’s constant awareness of wildfire.

We continued on to the Telescope Tree, a hollowed-out giant that is still very much alive.

A little farther on, we rejoined the Mariposa Grove Trail and ended our hike at Wawona Point.

I’ve walked this grove countless times yet somehow had never reached this overlook. And there it was: a sweeping panorama of Wawona and the mountains beyond.

Wawona
Overlooking Wawona Meadow.

After another rest, we made our way back to the cabin on shaky legs and found a shady log to sit on for lunch. Refueled, we eventually returned to the arrival area and boarded the crowded bus back to the Welcome Plaza, where our car was waiting.

As the bus pulled away from the grove, we felt the familiar ache of a long hike well spent. Our legs were tired, our clothes a little dusty, but we were content. The day hadn’t gone quite as we planned—we’d hoped for a full photo shoot with all three of us together.

Ceanothus

Still, our friend’s presence lingered in our thoughts, and we knew she would’ve loved the rest of the journey. The giant trees, the quiet trails, and the crisp mountain air gave us exactly what we needed: a break from the everyday and a chance to reconnect with something bigger than ourselves. It was good to be heading home, but hard to leave it all behind.

Seen on the trail:

Dogwood
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Published by Janet

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25 thoughts on “Reflections from a Day in Mariposa Grove”

  2. Another stunning set of photos, Janet! I am still amazed you and Gracia can make that hike without collapsing from exhaustion. Never heard about that fallen tree, and how famous it is. I look forward to your hike reports, and live vicariously through your lens and written words at times, wishing I had the ability to make those treks.

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    1. Thanks, Cal. So much in Yosemite Valley is accessible by car or bus. Even much of the lower trail in Mariposa Grove is accessible and flat. You should take a drive up!

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  3. I am finally getting back online reading the special posts I keep an eye out for. I always love tagging along on your hikes! I tend to see things from the car, so you get me places I cannot go. Thanks. Beautiful as always. As John Muir says, “In every walk with Nature, one receives far more than he seeks.”

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  5. Wow, Janet, those trees are magnificent! I would love to see them sometime in person. I don’t think I could do 7 miles. That is impressive to me. It is a shame about your friend. I have chronic migraines so I feel for her. Thanks for sharing your hike and beautiful photos!

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  7. Such beautiful tall trees. You can’t help but feel so tiny in their presence. Love those massive pine cones! Sorry to hear that your friend had to leave early due to a migraine, but at least you were still able to spend some time in Mariposa Grove.

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