The Cloister
Height: Elevation: 6,954 ft (2,120 m) GPS Latitude: 36.57280
Volume: Creek: Little Deer Creek GPS Longitude: -118.75528
Width: Grove: Giant Forest Discovery Date: 1920
Age: Park: Sequoia NP Discovered By: John R. White

Notes: The Cloister is a cluster of four giant redwoods, located near Lincoln in Giant Forest, which surrounds a group of white fir trees. Sequoia National Park superintendent Colonel John R. White named this tree cluster in 1920.

Drive: The Cloister is 218 mi (351 km) southeast of San Francisco near Fresno.

Northbound: From U.S. Interstate 5 North, transfer to California State Route 99 North toward Bakersfield. Drive north 97 mi (156 km) on California State Route 99 and transfer to California State Route 198 East toward Visalia. Drive east 58 mi (93 km) on California State Route 198 (Generals Highway), past Four Guardsmen, and turn left into the Pinewood Picnic Area parking lot.

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 Fresno, transfer to California State Route 180 East. Drive east 56 mi (90 km) on California State Route 180, and turn right onto California State Route 198 West. Drive south 28 mi (45 km) on California State Route 198 (Generals Highway) and turn right into the Pinewood Picnic Area parking lot.

Hike: From the parking lot, walk south across California State Route 198 (Generals Highway) to an unpaved road marked Authorized Vehicles Only. Hike south/uphill 0.2 mi (0.3 km) on the unpaved road to the junction with Rimrock Trail. Turn left at the trail junction and hike east 0.7 mi (1.1 km) on Rimrock Trail to Lincoln near the junction with Alta Trail. Turn left at the trail junction and hike northeast 0.1 mi (0.2 km) on Alta Trail to The Cloister which stand 50 ft off-trail trail on your left.

Rating: Easy One-Way Distance: 1.0 mi (1.6 km) Ascent: 566 ft (173 m)
Time: 30 min Off-Trail: 50 ft (15 m) Descent: 205 ft (62 m)
The Cloister Trees Hike Map

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Panorama: Click panorama to take a virtual tour of The Cloister Trees

The Cloister Trees

Photos: Pictures of The Cloister Trees taken from different sides

The Cloister Trees The Cloister Trees