One Of The Shortest Hikes In Yosemite National Park Is A Beginner-Friendly Trek Through Giant Sequoias

Within Yosemite National Park's wide and wild landscapes — spanning almost the size of Rhode Island — you have more than 800 miles of trails to stretch your legs. Each one rewards views of sweeping granite mountains, thundering cascades, or old-growth forests that have survived for centuries. If challenging hikes aren't your game, you can choose an easier path, such as the modest 0.3-mile Big Trees Trail that traverses some of California's most impressive sequoia groves.

This looped path is tucked inside the Mariposa Grove, a sprawl of more than 500 of these arboreal titans, and begins near the southern entrance of the Yosemite National Park. It's a primarily boardwalk trail, where everyone from beginner hikers and small children to mobility-challenged visitors can enjoy the redwood forest setting without any difficulty. However, Fido won't be allowed to accompany you on this adventure. Even though the walk is one of Yosemite's shortest, the views are generous and include the famous Fallen Monarch trunk, which one Google reviewer calls "a true highlight."

The Fallen Monarch is a giant sequoia tree on the ground with its massive roots fanned out, preserved by the tannins in the bark. It's definitely worth an impressive photo-op and only takes minimal effort to reach. If you'd rather forgo the most dangerous hikes in Yosemite, the Big Trees Trail is worth a quick stop to admire the Golden State's beautiful outdoors.

Yellowstone may be America's first national park, but the Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove were the first protected scenic areas to be set aside for public recreation in the 1860s, ultimately giving rise to the idea of national parks in the first place. Yosemite was designated a national park in 1890 and has since welcomed tourists to enjoy its views, wildlife, and wilderness. Plus, easy hikes like the Big Trees Trail or the beginner-friendly Mirror Lake Loop, with mystical images of Half Dome, prove you don't have to be an athlete to enjoy the famous attractions of the park. 

While the Big Trees Trail is flat and requires minimal prep, you do need to know some details before heading out. The trailhead is located at the Grove Arrival Area, which is 2 miles away from where you can park your vehicle. Although you do have a free shuttle service — which many reviewers praise as both fast and efficient — to take you to the trailhead, it's only available from mid-April to the end of November. If you're coming in off-season, you will have to walk (or snowshoe) the distance to the start of this trail when the parking lot at the grove is full. 

If these colossal redwoods inspired you for a longer walk, take a detour to the 2.1-mile Grizzly Giant Trail. This flat path winds through some of the largest sequoias of Mariposa Groves, including the 2,000- to 3,000-year-old Grizzly Giant tree that's ranked 26th-tallest tree in the world, per Redwoods in Yosemite. One hiker writes on Google, "There are big trees, and then there is the Grizzly. Holy cow. Words and pictures can't do it justice." While here, don't forget to leave no trace to protect this delicate ecosystem, and check out these five cleanest campsites of Yosemite National Park if you plan to stay longer.