Plan with
Confidence
The General's Highway from the entrance to the Giant Forest can be impacted by winter weather. If your vehicle is longer than 22 feet, consider using the entrance to Kings Canyon National Park along Highway 180. This main highway is closed occasionally during and after snowstorms for plowing. In winter, tire chains are often required.
If the road to Moro Rock and Crescent Meadow is closed, consider taking this trail in order to get access to the Moro Rock area.
Path Type
Point to Point
The Moro Rock trail starts at the Giant Forest Museum. You can park across the street in the Big Trees Trail parking lot and hike across the road. You can visit the museum and gift shop before you start your hike.
Hike along the road toward Moro Rock and on the right side of the road, you'll see the Moro Rock Trail sign. It is a singletrack dirt trail that meanders through the forest. As you make your way along the trail, you can see Giant Sequoias all around you. These giants tower above the trail and provide shade throughout the day, which makes it a great hike no matter what time of day. Because of the elevation, it is cooler in the forest than it is in the foothills.
While the trees provide shade and your gaze is drawn to the giants that tower above you, don't forget to look at the ground. You can see sequoia cones that have fallen from the tree, both new and old ones that have fallen over the years. Around 1.25 miles, the Bear Hill Trail joins the Moro Rock trail from the left hand side. At 1.4 miles, the trail forks. You can go to the right and follow a short trail that goes out to a viewpoint where you can see Moro Rock, and it is good for sunsets as well. Continuing straight, the trail crosses the road and climbs shortly above the road.
The Soldiers Trail breaks off the the left at 1.6 miles. The trail descends to the Moro Rock parking area. From here, the trail climbs steeply up Moro Rock via stone steps. There are great view points on the way to the top of the rock. You get great views of the foothills to the West and the Western Divide (which is to the east). Once you have enjoyed the views, you can continue following any of the trails in the area to extend your day hiking among the Giant Sequoias, or follow the trail back to your car.
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