Hiking the Tharp’s Log Trail (Log Meadow Loop) in Sequoia National Park
Distance (Full Loop): 2.2 miles / 3.5 km
The Tharp’s Log Trail in Sequoia National Park is one of the best day hikes in Giant Forest to learn a little about the history behind the Giant Sequoias and what the area looked like prior to the establishment of the United States’ second National Park in 1890.
With that in mind, Tharp’s Log is not often hiked as an out-and-back trail via Crescent Meadow; rather, Tharp's Log is often connected with either Crescent Meadow to the west or the Log Meadow Loop to the east in order to explore a different trail on the return hike.
That being said, I personally recommend the Log Meadow Loop over the Crescent Meadow Loop because I think Crescent Meadow makes for a great day hike on its own, as opposed to only hiking half of the loop when returning from Tharp’s Log.
Read My Separate Post: Crescent Meadow Loop Trail
Crescent Meadow Loop Trailhead Parking
Parking for the Tharp’s Log Trail is located at the High Sierra Trailhead, at the very end of Crescent Meadow Road, about 2.6 miles (4.2 km) away from the Giant Forest Museum.
That being said, the High Sierra Trailhead is one of the most popular trailheads in Sequoia National Park, as it is used by both day hikers and overnight backpackers traveling as far as Mt. Whitney in the eastern Sierra.
Therefore, parking at the Giant Forest Museum and riding the free Sequoia shuttle during the busy summer travel season may be the easiest option for reaching places like Tharp’s Log.
Google Maps Directions: High Sierra Trailhead (Crescent Meadow)
Hiking Checklist - Sequoia-Kings Canyon
Here is a complete list of must-have things that you will want for any hike in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park.
That being said, bear spray is purposefully excluded from this list because, while the Sierra Nevadas are home to a large black bear population, bear spray is not allowed in either Sequoia or Kings Canyon National Park.
Hiking the Crescent Meadow Loop Trail
The Tharp’s Log Trail begins at the High Sierra Trailhead and follows the High Sierra Trail for the first 0.2 miles (0.3 km) before it branches off toward Crescent Meadow.
Crescent Meadow Loop-High Sierra Junction
This split is where the Crescent Meadow Loop/ Tharp’s Log Trail leaves the High Sierra Trail and others, like the Trail of the Sequoias.
That being said, go left to continue on the Crescent Meadow Loop toward Tharp’s Log.
Read My Separate Post: Trail of the Sequoias
Crescent Meadow
If you’re someone who is interested in having the opportunity to see bears, deer, and other wildlife in Sequoia National Park, I highly recommend hiking this and other trails similar to Crescent Meadow and the Log Meadow Loop around the late evening hours, as shown here.
It’s a little-known secret, but this is when wildlife tends to gravitate toward the meadows within Sequoia and Kings Canyon.
Crescent Meadow Loop-Log Meadow Loop Junction
The next split in the Crescent Meadow Loop Trail is the Log Meadow Loop Trail.
This is the trail I recommend returning on after visiting Tharp’s Log, but in any case, go straight (left) to continue on the paved trail toward Tharp’s Log.
That being said, the entire trail to Tharp’s Log is paved, as it is easily the most popular day hike out of Crescent Meadow.
Crescent Meadow Loop-Tharp’s Log Junction
Shortly after the Log Meadow junction above, the Crescent Meadow Loop splits once again, which is where the Tharp’s Log Trail begins.
At this split, go right to begin the trail to Tharp’s Log, located about 0.5 miles (0.8 km) away from this junction.
If you are interested in learning more about the rest of the Crescent Meadow Loop past the Tharp’s Log junction, I encourage you to check out my separate article linked below.
Read My Separate Post: Crescent Meadow Loop Trail
Tharp’s Log Trail
Once on the Tharp’s Log Trail, there are no more turns until the paved path reaches Tharp’s Log at the far end of Log Meadow.
Tharp’s Log
At the very end of the paved path, the trail reaches Tharp’s Log, a cabin built by Hale Tharp in 1861 to live in during the summer months when he would graze cattle.
Tharp’s Log-Log Meadow Loop Junction
Immediately past Tharp’s Log, the trail splits, with a connector that leads to the west (left) toward Crescent Meadow and the beginning of the Log Meadow Loop Trail, heading east (right).
Here, I personally recommend going right on the Log Meadow Loop, as it is a trail not often hiked by most visitors. Therefore, it’s a great area near the popular Tharp’s Log Trail to look for wildlife along Log Meadow when hiking back.
Read My Separate Post: Crescent Meadow Loop Trail
Log Meadow Loop-Trail of the Sequoias Junction
On the northern end of the trail around Log Meadow, the first split off the trail is nothing more than a short connector with the Trail of the Sequoias.
Here, go straight (right) to continue on the Log Meadow Loop Trail back toward the beginning of the hike.
Read My Separate Post: Trail of the Sequoias
On this hike, there was no shortage of Black Bear scat, but I didn’t have any encounters as I often have in areas like this.
Again, I continued to come across more scat.
That being said, a good way to know you’re looking at black bear scat is by the Arctostaphylos berries that they commonly feed on in the Sequoia-Kings Canyon area.
Log Meadow Loop-High Sierra Junction
On the southern end of the loop, the Log Meadow Trail splits once again with a short connector that leads over to the High Sierra Trail.
This leads to the junction where the High Sierra Trail leaves behind the larger network of trails within Giant Forest and heads into the Sequoia-Kings Canyon Wilderness Area, with the next major stop being Bearpaw Meadow on the Mineral King Loop.
At any rate, go right to continue back toward Crescent Meadow, as the High Sierra Trail is an adventure for another day.
Crescent Meadow Loop-Log Meadow Loop Junction
Finally, the Log Meadow Loop returns back to the paved side of the Crescent Meadow Loop Trail, as previously shown.
Here, go left to return to the High Sierra Trailhead.
Read My Separate Post: Crescent Meadow Loop Trail
I think it’s worth noting that when I was hiking back to the Crescent Meadow Trailhead, I came across a rattlesnake along the side of the paved trail.
I say this to remind you that encounters with Diamondbacks are a reality in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park, even in unsuspecting areas like the meadows off the High Sierra Trailhead.
Sequoia National Park
Kings Canyon National Park
