Hiking the Tuolumne Grove Trail in Yosemite National Park
Distance: 2.7 miles / 4.3 km
The Tuolumne Grove Trail, also called the Tuolumne Grove Loop Trail, in Yosemite National Park, is a short, easy day hike off the foothills of Tioga Road that leads to a hidden Sequoia Grove—the smallest in the entire park!
It is here that visitors will walk the historic Big Oak Flat Road down to the hidden grove, which was one of the first two roads to ever reach the floor of Yosemite Valley when it was completed in 1874.
Before visiting, know that Big Oak Flat Road to Tuolumne Grove is almost entirely downhill, meaning it is not as easily accessible as other Sequoia Groves in Yosemite National Park, like the Big Trees Loop Trail in Mariposa Grove.
Tuolumne Grove Trailhead Parking
Parking for the Tuolumne Grove Trailhead is located in a small, paved lot directly off Tioga Road.
That said, I highly recommend visiting first thing in the morning during the busy summer travel season, as Tuolumne Grove is one of the more popular day hikes outside of Yosemite Valley.
Google Maps Directions: Tuolumne Grove Trailhead
Hiking Checklist - Yosemite
Here is a complete list of must-have things that you will want for any hike in Yosemite National Park.
That 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 Yosemite National Park.
Hiking the Tuolumne Grove Trail
The Tuolumne Grove Trail begins at the start of Big Oak Flat Road, where the hike will descend about 360 ft. (110 m) to the start of the Tuolumne Grove Trail, where the road and trail first split.
This is where the descent down Big Oak Flat Road starts to become more noticeable.
Even though most of the hike to Tuolumne Grove is all downhill, Big Oak Flat Road never gets much steeper than this, making the hike back out fairly easy—something that certainly cannot be said about most adventures in Yosemite National Park!
This hard switchback is a nice sign that the start of Tuolumne Grove is not far ahead!
Shortly before Big Oak Flat Road enters Tuolumne Grove, Sequoias can start to be seen just off the trail for the first time!
Toulumne Grove
After 0.9 miles (1.4 km), Big Oak Flat Road enters Tuolumne Grove, but the trail doesn’t actually begin until the road splits, about 0.2 miles (0.3 km) ahead.
Toulumne Grove-Big Oak Flat Road Junction
After 1.1 miles (1.8 km), the Tuolumne Grove Trail leaves Big Oak Flat Road.
That said, go right at this split to begin hiking the true Tuolumne Grove Trail toward the start of the loop, located a short distance past the Dead Tree Tunnel just ahead.
Dead Tree Tunnel
The Dead Tree Tunnel, also referred to as Dead Giant, is the remnant of a Giant Sequoia that was carved in 1878 as part of the Big Oak Flat Road.
Back then, the tree was used to attract visitors to Yosemite, when Big Oak Flat Road was one of the primary means of accessing the park.
Toulumne Grove Loop Trail
When the Tuolumne Grove Trail reaches this open clearing, the start of the Tuolumne Grove Loop Trail can be found straight ahead.
There are two ways that visitors can walk the short 0.3-mile (0.5 km) Tuolumne Grove Loop Trail, but I recommend starting at the sign shown below, as I think it makes for a nicer hike in the clockwise direction.
This short hill is the steepest part of the Tuolumne Grove Loop Trail.
While the Giant Sequoias in Tuolumne Grove certainly are spaced out, this is because there are only about two dozen mature trees in Tuolumne Grove, according to the National Park Service.
When the Tuolumne Grove Trail reaches this fallen Sequoia, go right to continue back to the start of the loop.
In my opinion, this final stretch before the end of the loop is one of the best places to take photos in Tuolumne Grove.
Toulumne Grove Loop Junction
This is where the Tuolumne Grove Loop Trail returns to the picnic area after the Dead Tunnel Tree.
From here, go right/ straight across to meet Big Oak Flat Road to return to the initial split in the road.
Big Oak Flat Road
Once back at Big Oak Flat Road, go left to loop back around to the original split.
Toulumne Grove-Big Oak Flat Road Junction
This is the beginning of the Tuolumne Grove Trail, where the road and the trail first split.
That said, go straight to hike up to the Tuolumne Grove Trailhead, located roughly 1.1 miles (1.8 km) and 360 ft. (110 m) up Big Oak Flat Road.
