Mariposa Grove Welcome Plaza — Local services in Oakhurst

The road to Mariposa grove was closed so we couldn't drive to the best spots. It is a 2mile walk to get to most of the groves best sights and we didnt have the time to make the walk. Some of the absolute best views of the park are still accessible, but if you want to see the giant sequoia trees the road to the grove was closed. This was definitely disappointing. The park has done millions of dollars of restorations to Mariposa grove, and the website said the grove was open. We really wanted to see the grove during our visit, but again didn't have all day to make the walk. From the welcome center it is 2 miles to most of the trail heads, then many of the trails are a mile or more. It would be extremely helpful to plan visits if any closer was listed on the parks website. We overheard other guest at the park mention an incident near the grove during our visit to Yosemite, but did not know why the road was closed. There was not any snow or ice on the road, and the weather was absolutely beautiful during our entire stay. The resoration of this area includes upgraded trails, and upgrades to the facilities and according to the website helped with access and restoration of some of the natural beauty of the area. Do yourself a favor and call the park before your trip if you want to visit...

Bring your hiking boots, water and hat for this 2021 hike into the Grove. The shuttles that cut off approximately 2 miles of the trip to the first section of big trees is not operating. A hike up is required. The trail is not too difficult, but without proper shoes it can be an issue. We saw many people without water. That's simply not a good idea and a sign advises hikers to carry plenty with them. There was a huge wind storm that caused large number of trees to fall in the park. These are clustered about the main parking area where the shuttles would have stopped. Most of the down trees are surrounded by fencing. There is no way to hug a tree here. You must continue on to another section of the park. Pot toilets are available when you arrive but there are a few other amenities besides places to rest. The trees are absolutely beautiful and it is well worth the walk but be prepared. You will probably walk 5 miles in total. I recommend a good snack or lunch to munch on as you enjoy the view. This takes quite a bit of the day to accomplish. You may need to cut other things out in order to get down to the valley and enjoy...

My family (one husband and two teenage boys) and I took the Washburn Trail (east end of parking lot) to the entrance of the Mariposa Grove. It took us 2 hours to do this trek. My husband and I wore snowshoes and took them off and on depending on if we were on the cold and snowy portion of the trail or the warm, sunny, and clear portion of the trail. I felt I needed the snow shoes to get thru the snowier portions. The two boys opted for just wearing their snow boots and had no problem forging a path thru the snow. We all had walking sticks which helped with balance in the uneven terrain. It was a beautiful approach and the road less travelled by which we appreciated. We explored the grove which had about three feet of snow on the path. The paths have been compacted for the most part so snow shoes are not needed. A walking stick and waterproof shoes with good traction are recommended. Grizzly Giant is spectacular and worth the trek. We returned to the parking lot via the road which felt easy after the Washburn trail. There are no shuttles running when...