Booking choice: The small-group day trip with sequoias, from $239 per person. Check dates Compare the options below
Yosemite has three groves of giant sequoias. The biggest, Mariposa Grove, sits near the South Entrance, too far from Yosemite Valley for a day trip from San Francisco. The tours that include sequoias walk into Tuolumne Grove instead, on the way in along Tioga Road.
Tuolumne Grove is a lovely walk, but it is small and the trail back is uphill. Here is what to expect, and which tours stop there.
The quick answer
Day trips that include sequoias visit Tuolumne Grove: about two dozen mature giant sequoias at the end of a 1-mile trail that drops 500 feet, so the return is a strenuous climb. Mariposa Grove, with over 500 trees, is not on the day trips. The walk runs roughly May to October and can be replaced by Valley time in snow.
Can you see giant sequoias on a Yosemite day trip from San Francisco?
Yes, on some tours: the small-group day trip, the highlights trip and the Yosemite and sequoias tour all walk into Tuolumne Grove.
The Gray Line coach and the mini-coach Valley tour do not stop at a grove. On the tours that do, the walk takes about 1.5 hours of the day.
Want the sequoias in your day? The small-group tour includes the Tuolumne Grove walk.
Check dates for the small-group day trip with sequoiasTuolumne Grove, Mariposa Grove or Merced Grove: what is the difference?
Mariposa Grove is the big one, with over 500 mature sequoias; Tuolumne and Merced groves each have about two dozen.
| Tuolumne Grove | Mariposa Grove | Merced Grove | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mature sequoias | About two dozen | 500+ | About two dozen |
| Where | Tioga Road, east of Crane Flat | Near the South Entrance | About 6 miles west of Crane Flat |
| From Yosemite Valley | About 45 min | About 1 h 15 min | A little further than Tuolumne |
| The walk | 1 mile, 500 ft down, steep way back | Free shuttle from the Welcome Plaza | 1.5 miles each way, 500 ft |
| On SF day trips | Yes, on some | No | No |
What is the Tuolumne Grove hike like?
It is 1 mile down a trail with a 500-foot drop, then the same mile back up, which the park calls strenuous.
There is no water at the grove and parking is limited, so let the tour handle it. Guests report that the walk down is easy but the climb back is steep and tiring, so wear shoes with grip and bring water. Allow the full 1.5 hours your tour gives you.
How many sequoias will you see at Tuolumne Grove?
About two dozen mature giant sequoias, plus a tunneled-out dead tree, spread along the bottom of the trail.
Be ready for fewer trees than the photos of Mariposa Grove suggest. Most guests love it; a few report seeing only a handful of big trees at the bottom and felt the climb was not worth it. If the trees are the main reason for your trip, plan a second day and Mariposa Grove.
Keen on the trees? This tour gives the grove a guided 1.5 hours alongside the Valley.
Explore the Yosemite and giant sequoias tourWhich Yosemite tours include the giant sequoias?
The small-group day trip, the highlights day trip (May to October), the Yosemite and giant sequoias tour, and day one of the 2-day and 3-day tours.
- Small-group day trip: Tuolumne Grove, 1.5 hours, may be dropped in winter.
- Highlights day trip: Tuolumne Grove from May to October, extra Valley time in snow.
- Yosemite and giant sequoias tour: guided grove hike, 1.5 hours.
- 2-day tour with lodging and 3-day camping trip: Tuolumne Grove on day one.
- Gray Line and the mini-coach Valley tour: no grove.
Why do day trips skip Mariposa Grove?
It is near the South Entrance, about 1 hour 15 minutes from Yosemite Valley, and the day trips come in from the west on the shorter route.
Adding it would cost the Valley most of its time. Cars can only drive up with a disability placard; everyone else rides the free shuttle from the Welcome Plaza. To see it, drive yourself and stay a night nearby.
Short on time? The Tuolumne Grove walk fits the sequoias into a single day.
Check dates for the Yosemite highlights day tripCan you see the sequoias in winter?
Often not on a tour: snow and ice can close the trail, and the tours swap the grove for extra time in the Valley.
The highlights trip runs the grove walk from May to October; the small-group tour warns it may be skipped in winter. Tire chains may be required from October to April. See the best time to visit.
What if you cannot manage the climb, or want big trees closer to San Francisco?
Tell your guide in advance: one guest reports the guide arranged things for a grandmother who could not walk far. For big trees without the long drive, try the coast redwoods north of the city.
Coast redwoods are a different species, taller and slimmer than giant sequoias. The redwoods day tour visits Armstrong Redwoods, Bodega Bay and Sausalito in 10 hours.
Big trees on a shorter day? The redwoods tour pairs Armstrong Redwoods with Sausalito and the coast.
Explore the redwoods and Sausalito day tourFrequently asked questions
Which is better, Mariposa Grove or Tuolumne Grove?
Mariposa Grove is far bigger, with over 500 mature trees, but it is too far for a day trip from San Francisco. Tuolumne Grove is the one you can fit into a day.
How hard is the Tuolumne Grove walk?
The mile down is easy; the mile back climbs 500 feet and the park calls it strenuous. Take water and shoes with grip.
Are the sequoias in Yosemite Valley?
No. The nearest groves are about 45 minutes from the Valley, and Mariposa Grove is about 1 hour 15 minutes away.
Ready to book
Choose your tour
Free cancellation on every option: up to 24 hours before on day trips, 6 days on multi-day tours. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Yosemite Small-Group Day Trip with Sequoias
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in central San Francisco (about 5:15 to 5:30 AM)
- Driver-guide in a minibus, maximum 15 guests
- Tunnel View, Bridalveil Fall, El Capitan, Half Dome views and Yosemite Falls
Yosemite & Giant Sequoias Small-Group Tour
A guided sequoia hike at the lowest day-trip price
Yosemite Highlights Day Trip with Sequoia Walk
- Hotel pickup from about 5:20 AM at listed San Francisco hotels, or meet at the Hilton Union Square
- About 5 hours inside Yosemite with a live English-speaking guide
- Geo audio guide in 8 languages and Wi-Fi on board
