Circle Meadow Loop
What to Expect
Safety Advisory
Black bears frequent the Giant Forest meadows, particularly in late summer and fall when foraging intensifies. Store food in bear boxes at the trailhead and never leave packs unattended.
Downed sequoia limbs can be massive and occasionally fall without warning — avoid lingering directly beneath dead branches, especially on windy days.
Trail Details
Pro Tips
Start from the Crescent Meadow parking lot and combine this with the nearby Crescent Meadow loop for a longer outing — the two trails connect and together give you a solid morning in the sequoias without retracing your steps.
Visit on a weekday morning before 9 AM to have the meadow largely to yourself; by midday the Crescent Meadow lot fills and overflow parking adds a quarter-mile walk just to reach the trailhead.
The meadow's edge where sequoias meet the open grass creates dramatic light contrasts in the late afternoon — position yourself at the western rim around 4 PM for photographs where the trunks practically glow against the shadowed meadow.
