Little Baldy

Little Baldy is a fairly short hike in Sequoia National Park that few people know about despite being right off the Generals Highway just a few miles north of the crowds at the Giant Forest, General Sherman Tree, and Moro Rock. Look for a trail to the north of the road near a few roadside parking spaces opposite an interpretive sign. There is a different trail that goes south from the sign side that is not the correct one, so a map may be helpful. Most of the elevation gain is in the first mile of the trail, and this consists of a few largely-spaced switchbacks that climb 700 feet from Generals Highway. Some exposure in the trees down from this section of the trail might give you sighting of deer, bears, or other animals that call Sequoia home. The last portion of the trail is fairly flat, proceeding through fairly young forest and one false summit, which doesn't have much of a view, just short of the actual summit. The ascent to the summit is a short climb up to a granite plateau that is much more exposed than the false summit. From the summit of Little Baldy the High Sierra can be seen in their full glory to the east, and the San Joaqin Valley can be seen in the distant west. Best of all, there's a fairly high likelihood you'll be enjoying this wonderful and diverse view to yourself, even in the busy summer season! Because Little Baldy is within a 1-mile radius of Generals Highway as the crow flies, it is off limits for backpacking and there are no connecting trails between the summit and Generals Highway. Dorst Creek Campground does have a connection back to the trailhead on another trail, and it is the closest front-country camping location to Little Baldy. Also, due to the exposure, it is very dangerous to hike this trail to the summit during stormy weather because your odds of getting struck by lightning are significantly higher than in the more forested areas (besides, the view won't be very good anyway).