| Height: | 218.00+ ft | (66.45+ m) | Elevation: | 6,671 ft (2,033 m) | GPS Latitude: | 35.92455 |
| Volume: | 32,156 ft3 | (911 m3) | Creek: | Packsaddle Creek | GPS Longitude: | -118.59168 |
| Width: | 24.26 ft | (7.39 m) | Grove: | Packsaddle Grove | Discovery Date: | 1879 |
| Age: | Park: | Giant Sequoia NM | Discovered By: | Mark Kern |
Notes: Before it perished in the 2021 Windy Fire, Packsaddle Giant was the 10th largest tree in Giant Sequoia National Monument and the largest tree in Packsaddle Grove.
Drive: Packsaddle Giant is 247 mi (398 km) southeast of San Francisco near the city of Porterville.
Northbound: From U.S. Interstate 5 North, transfer to California State Route 99 North. From California State Route 99 North just north of Bakersfield, transfer to California State Route 65 North toward Porterville. Near Ducor, turn right/east onto County Road J22 (Avenue 56).
Southbound: From U.S. Interstate 5 South in Sacramento, transfer to U.S. Highway 50 East toward South Lake Tahoe. Drive east 1.7 mi (2.7 km) on U.S. Highway 50 and transfer to California State Highway 99 South. Near Tipton, transfer to California State Route 190 East toward Porterville. Drive east 17 mi (27 km) on California State Route 190 and turn right onto California State Route 65. Drive south 11.1 mi (17.9 km) on California State Route 65 toward Ducor and turn left/east onto County Road J22 (Avenue 56).
From Ducor, drive east 7.6 mi (12.2 km) on County Road J22 (Avenue 56) to the intersection with Old Stage Road. Continue east across Old Stage Road onto County Road M56 (Hot Springs Road). Drive east 20 mi (32 km) on County Road M56 (Hot Springs Road) toward Pine Flat and turn left/north onto County Road M50 (Parker Pass Drive). Drive north 15 mi (24 km) on County Road M50 (Parker Pass Drive) toward Johnsondale, past the intersection with County Road M107 (Great Western Divide Highway), and turn right/south onto Forest Service Road 23S16 (Sugarloaf Road) toward Packsaddle Meadow. Drive south 1.0 mi (1.6 km) on Forest Service Road 23S16 (Sugarloaf Road) and continue straight onto Forest Service Road 23S64 (Starvation Creek Road). Drive south 4 mi (6 km) on Forest Service Road 23S64 (Starvation Creek Road) and turn left/east onto Forest Service Road 23S28. Drive east 0.1 mi (0.2 km) on Forest Service Road 23S38 and park near the locked gate.
Road Warning: Forest Service Roads 23S16 (Sugarloaf Road) and 23S64 (Starvation Creek Road) are closed (with a locked gate) during winter. Depending on weather conditions, Forest Service Roads 23S16 (Sugarloaf Road) and 23S64 (Starvation Creek Road) are usually open from May through November. These roads are unpaved, rough, narrow, and winding. Low-clearance/oversized vehicles and trailers are not recommended.
Hike: GPS-assisted navigation is recommended for this hike. From the parking spot, walk east 0.3 mi (0.5 km) on Forest Service Road 23S28, past the locked gate, to to the trail exit point near 35.92252 -118.59434. Leave the road here and, using a GPS device, hike northeast 0.2 mi (0.3 km) off-trail, past Ghost, to Packsaddle Giant. After visiting Packsaddle Giant, hike southwest/uphill 300 ft (91 m) off-trail to Ghost or hike northeast/downhill 200 ft (61 m) off-trail to Candelabra.
| Rating: | Easy | One-Way Distance: | 0.5 mi | (0.8 km) | Ascent: | 164 ft | (50 m) |
| Time: | 16 min | Off-Trail: | 0.2 mi | (0.3 km) | Descent: | 186 ft | (57 m) |
View Packsaddle Giant Tree location in Google Maps
Panoramas: Click panoramas to take a virtual tour of Packsaddle Giant Tree
Photos: Pictures of Packsaddle Giant Tree taken from different sides
