Lady Bug Trail

Lady Bug Trail drops you into a side of Sequoia that most visitors never bother to find. Starting from the South Fork area — well below the main park entrance — the path follows the South Fork of the Kaweah River through mixed oak and conifer forest, climbing steadily along a moderately steep grade that will remind your calves they exist. The trail is narrow and occasionally rocky, winding through shaded stretches where the air stays cool even when the foothills are baking. Your reward is the Ladybug Grove, one of the lowest-elevation giant sequoia stands anywhere, where massive trunks rise from a surprisingly lush canyon floor. The relative obscurity of this trailhead means you may have these ancient trees largely to yourself — a sharp contrast to the shoulder-to-shoulder crowds at General Sherman. This one is for hikers who want their sequoias earned, not served on a paved platter.