SEKI Wilderness Permit — Foothills — Garfield Grove

Garfield Grove (South Fork): what makes it different

Garfield Grove is the South Fork entry point that climbs a steep foothill trail past a giant sequoia grove toward the Hockett Plateau. The Park Service has said since 2023 that the road to its trailhead is impassable, and its July 2026 trail report covers hikers only.^3,5,4

Getting to the start

Recreation.gov still tells permit holders to park at the South Fork Trailhead, not in the South Fork Campground, and to pick up the permit at the Ash Mountain Wilderness Office. The Park Service trailhead page says the South Fork Road is impassable inside the park after flood and landslide damage in the winter of 2022 to 2023, and that no trailhead parking is available.^1,3

The Park Service foothills page, updated June 10, 2024, says trailheads on this road are not reachable by vehicle and that the trails are not recommended until they are assessed. It tells anyone who goes anyway to be self-reliant, because help is slowed by the lack of road access.⁴

Before booking, ask the Wilderness Office how to reach the trail this year. The trailhead page itself was last updated July 10, 2023, so it may lag the current state of the road.³

The first leg

The trail begins on the south side of the river at South Fork Campground and climbs steadily, about 5 miles one way to Garfield Grove by the Park Service count. Recreation.gov puts the first allowed camp at Snowslide Canyon, 4 miles from the campground.^4,2,1

Hiking Project lists the South Fork Kaweah trail as 16.4 miles point to point with about 6,341 feet of climbing, and puts the grove about three miles into the climb. The Park Service says 5 miles to the grove, so treat the guide's figure with care.^7,4

Terrain and difficulty

Recreation.gov calls it a steep and challenging climb that is good early in the season, with giant sequoias, meadows and lakes on the plateau, and a good area for stock. It warns of ticks, poison oak and rattlesnakes at lower elevations.¹

The area burned in the 2020 SQF Complex Fire, and the division text warns of falling trees, falling rocks and unstable slopes.¹

The tread is mostly dirt with some rocky sections. The start has little shade, and Hiking Project advises carrying at least two liters of water, although small streams cross the trail.⁷

Quota at this entry point

• 2026 daily quota at Garfield Grove (South Fork), overnight: 15 people a day. Recreation.gov lists 15 people a day for Garfield Grove, 10 of them reservable. The live daily calendar is closed until the 2027 window opens on November 28, 2026, so this is the division text, not a daily count.¹

Rules specific to this entry point

No campfires are allowed above 9,000 feet in the Kaweah River and Tule River drainages, and none at Summit Lake.¹

The Park Service trail report dated July 2, 2026 says two major washouts below the grove make the trail impassable for stock, though it is clear of brush and logs up to the grove and open to hikers.⁵

Between the grove and the Hockett trail the same report finds heavy brush and downed trees, and says the way is difficult to follow.⁵

Where it leads

The grove is the main goal. Past it the trail levels out toward the Hockett Plateau, and a Three Rivers local describes going up the Garfield Grove trail to Hockett Meadow before and coming back down it as a long, painful slog.^3,8

Hiking Project mentions a side trip to Hockett Lake and the flatter run along the river toward South Fork Meadow and a camp area at Windy Gap.⁷

On the climb, Homer's Nose, a granite dome, is visible from the trail and from Visalia.³

What trip reports say

A July 2016 hiker walked about 5.5 miles in to the grove and back, passed the snow slide canyon near mile four, and logged 11 miles in 6 hours. The hiker called the climb steep but enjoyable. This was before the 2022 and 2023 storms.⁷

A longer loop by a Three Rivers photographer combined the Ladybug trail with cross-country travel up the river and ended at the Garfield Grove trail crossing, followed by the long downhill back to the trailhead. He met drought, thick brush and a curious bear.⁸

When to go from here

Recreation.gov calls this a good early-season trail, and it warns of ticks, poison oak and rattlesnakes lower down. Hiking Project notes the unshaded start.^1,7

Compare with nearby entry points

• Ladybug: Ladybug starts at the same South Fork trailhead and Ash Mountain office, with the same 15-person quota. Its first camp is 1.7 miles out at Ladybug Camp and its trail ends at the South Fork Grove in 5 miles, with no overnight stock.¹
• Hockett: The Atwell-Hockett route reaches the same Hockett Plateau from Atwell Mill instead. It has a 25-person quota, a first camp 6 miles out and 9.8 miles to Hockett Meadow, and it is reached by Mineral King Road.^1,6
• Tar Gap: Tar Gap is a third way to the plateau, from Cold Springs Campground in Mineral King, rated moderately strenuous with a 25-person quota.¹

Sources

1. Sequoia and Kings Canyon Wilderness Permit, Garfield Grove division, Recreation.gov. Read 2026-10-15.
2. Wilderness Trail Descriptions, Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, National Park Service. Read 2026-10-15.
3. Garfield Grove Trailhead, Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, National Park Service. Read 2026-10-15.
4. Foothills Trails, Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, National Park Service. Read 2026-10-15.
5. Trail Conditions, Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, National Park Service. Read 2026-10-15.
6. Mineral King, Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, National Park Service. Read 2026-10-15.
7. South Fork Kaweah Hiking Trail, Hiking Project. Read 2026-10-15.
8. South Fork Kaweah Canyon to Hockett Meadow, Darin McQuoid Photography. Read 2026-10-15.
9. Wilderness Permits & Reservations, Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, National Park Service. Read 2026-10-15.
10. Minimum Impact Restrictions, Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, National Park Service. Read 2026-10-15.

Safety & planning

Alternatives to a Garfield Grove permit