Week of Trails: Trail 2 Viola Falls

Along this trail you will pass Hitchcock Meadow, a small scenic meadow surrounded by giant sequoia stumps. You will also pass Sequoia Creek along the way.
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Distance: 3.5 miles round trip
Hiking time: 1.5 hours

Park in the Big Stump Picnic Area near the Kings Canyon entrance. Start at the trailhead on the west side of the parking lot where you will see a sign for Hitchcock Meadow Trail. You will quickly enter the forest and descend gradually to the valley floor.

At 1.2 miles you will pass a junction with the Sequoia Boundary Trail. Take the left fork. You will then cross Sequoia Creek on a bridge and then a tributary stream.

Spotted near the stream was a dragonfly depositing eggs into the water (see video to the right). After two dragonflies mate, the female dragonfly will lay her eggs on a plant in the water, or if she can’t find a suitable plant she will just drop them into the water. 

You may also spot beautiful wildflowers.

Interesting fact: Foxglove (light purple bell-shaped flower to the right) is on the list of the most invasive non-native plants for Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Efforts to eradicate this non-native plant from Sequoia and Kings Canyon began in 1999.
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Just past the stream you will pass another junction. Bear left, following Sequoia Creek downstream 0.1 mile to the granite pools of Viola Falls.
 
After enjoying the scenery at Viola Falls, return by retracing your steps.