Hiking Crescent and Log Meadows in Sequoia National Park

Looking for more great day hikes in Sequoia National Park?
Visit my Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks Hiking Guide for more incredible trails,
including Moro Rock, the General Sherman Tree, and Tokopah Falls.

CURRENT INFO

For information about Crescent and Log Meadows, visit the National Park Service website. Find reviews and maps on the AllTrails website. Good maps and trail info are also available in the book Hike the Parks: Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Parks by Scott Turner.

GOOD TO KNOW

• Since Crescent and Log Meadows are located within Sequoia National Park, you must present an America the Beautiful pass (or other national parks pass) or pay the $35 entrance fee (valid for up to seven days) when you enter the park. You can also purchase an annual pass at the park entrance. Check ahead of time to see if you qualify for a free pass — fourth graders and active military do! Fourth graders must print a voucher ahead of time to qualify.
• There is a large parking lot next to the trailhead with shaded picnic tables, vault toilets, and bear boxes. Please do not leave food and scented items in your car! They can attract bears (and yes, bears have been known to break into cars to get at food), so use the bear boxes at the trailhead to store your food while you hike.
• Pets are not allowed on the trail.
• If you prefer, you can take the free shuttle bus from the nearby Giant Forest Museum and Visitor Center rather than drive. This is an especially good option on busy weekends or around mid-day during the peak summer months.
• Crescent and Log Meadows is a popular trail, so visiting early or late is recommended. There are a number of different trail routes from the trailhead, which helps spread out the crowd.
• Always follow Leave No Trace principles.

HIGHLIGHTS

Conservationist John Muir considered Crescent Meadow the “gem of the Sierra”. Both Crescent and Log Meadows are sublime examples of the Alpine beauty of the Sierras. On a sunny day, the contrast of the brilliant green meadows with the orange-red bark of the giant sequoias is especially striking. Getting to peek into Tharp’s Log, a cabin hewn from a single fallen sequoia, is also a treat.

THE KIDS’ TAKE

Kids, like adults, are taken in by the views of these beautiful meadows surrounded by towering trees. The trail also provides plenty of opportunities to climb across fallen logs. My boys were fascinated by Tharp’s Log, where you can still see the original furniture inside, as well as the hollow Chimney Tree. They were also drawn to an injured bird we found on the trail. Sadly, we weren’t able to help the bird, but it was a good opportunity to observe nature up close.

WHILE YOU’RE HERE

There is no shortage of things to see and do in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Pairing a hike to Moro Rock together with Crescent and Log Meadows is a great option (we did Moro Rock first, since it gets the biggest crowds). Between the two trailheads, take a drive through the famous Tunnel Tree. The Giant Forest Museum and Visitor Center are just down the road. The museum was closed during our visit in June, 2021, due to coronavirus restrictions, but recently reopened. To round out your visit, head south in the park to visit the Foothills region, or head north to Lodgepole and hike the trail to Tokopah Falls.

After our visit to Moro Rock, we were ready for more Sierra Mountain thrills! Well, perhaps something a little less thrilling was in order, as the dizzying heights of Moro Rock were enough for one day. Fortunately, the nearby trail to Crescent and Log Meadows promised the thrill of gazing upwards to take in the immensity of the giant sequoias, but with no need to fear looking down.

We started off on a counterclockwise loop, following the trail as described in the book Hike the Parks: Best Day Hikes: Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Parks. This meant that, after a view of Crescent Meadow, we quickly turned off of the paved, ADA accessible trail and onto the dirt trail following the east side of Log Meadow. It was easy to see how the meadow got its name; sequoia trunks lay like fallen giants across the open field.

Along the trail, many sequoia still stood proudly. The late morning sun highlighted the burnished bronze of their trunks. Some clung together for life. Others showed the deep scars of forest fires past.

After following the trail around one particularly large fallen sequoia, the boys discovered something much smaller. A bird, perhaps a robin, lay huddled on the path, not moving. It was clearly alive, however, as we observed it open its eyes, then slowly ruffle its feathers. The boys were afraid to leave it, worried that another hiker might unsuspectingly step on the poor creature.

“We can’t touch it,” I told them. “But maybe we can encourage it to move.” Alas, our efforts were in vain. We tried tapping sticks as close to the bird as we dared, but it didn’t budge. The boys called out when others approached, warning them to watch their step. Eventually, we had to move on. The kids were disappointed, and a little worried about the future of their woodland friend. I assured them that we had done what we could (which was admittedly not much), and that it was now in nature’s hands.

We continued on our way, finding a large rock that made an ideal spot for a snack break. It was late morning now, and the youngest members of our party needed some extra fuel. I encouraged them to keep going, as a surprise lay not far ahead.

Sure enough, not long after rounding the top of Log Meadow, we came to Tharp’s Log. Built by settler Hale Tharp in the 1860s from a single giant sequoia log, it was an ingenious way to carve a home out of the natural landscape. Peek inside for a look at some of the original wood furnishings.

The boys were quite taken by Tharp’s Log, but there was more to explore up ahead. As we followed the trail into the forest to the west of Crescent Meadow, we saw more signs of earlier forest fires. Many sequoia survived, although some, hollowed out by fire, stood as memorials to the trees that had once thrived.

The Chimney Tree was a striking example. Located a short walk off the main trail, this tree is a mere shell of its former self, an open chimney to the the sky. It also makes a magical place for a children’s fort, which T and J explored thoroughly before moving on. Crescent and Log Meadows may be a short hike, but don’t expect to rush through it if you are hiking with kids!

By now, we were all feeling some hunger pangs, so I encouraged the kids to keep going. Our picnic supplies awaited us in one of the bear bins at the trailhead, where picnic tables provide an easy place to break for lunch. On our way, we passed fields of lupine spreading out below the feet of more giant sequoias. As our hike came to an end, I found myself in full agreement with John Muir — this beautiful place truly is a gem of the Sierras.