Little Baldy Dome Sequoia Hike Guide
Little Baldy Dome is a short hike located within Sequoia National Park in California. This short hike delivers outstanding views of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the National Park from the top of Little Baldy. This hike is great for all skill levels and easily paired with other shorter hikes in the park.
Little Baldy Dome Quick Facts
Virtual Trail Guide: Little Baldy Dome
Little Baldy Dome Rating: ★★★ (3/5 Stars)
Distance: 3.5 Miles RT
Elevation Start: 7,352ft
High Point: 8,044ft
Total Elevation Gain: 800ft
Estimated Time to Complete: 1-2 Hours RT
Difficulty: Easy What does this mean?
Class: Class 1 What does this mean?
Season: March – December: Expect road closures outside of this period.
Directions to Little Baldy Dome
Trailhead: Little Baldy
Getting Here: Getting to this TH depends on which entrance of Sequoia National Park you use. The trailhead itself is located right off Generals Highway in between the North and South entrance of the park.
Parking: This hike has roadside parking which will get busy during high traffic months in Sequoia. For the best experience, head here in the afternoon or early morning. There are no restrooms at this trailhead.
Fee: $35 as of 2022, visit this page for more information.
Reservations: As of 2022, reservations are NOT required to enter Sequoia National Park.
Summary
Dogs: Dogs are not allowed on this hike or any other hikes in Sequoia National Park.
Camping: Sequoia National Park has a number of campgrounds and lodging options.
Hike Xfactor(s): Road Closures
Like any seasonal road, especially in a National Park, road closures are extremely unpredictable. If you do plan to hike Little Baldy Dome during the late Fall or Winter months, be sure to check the road conditions here.
Best Views: The hike up Little Baldy Dome is relatively uneventful until you get to the top of the Dome. Views here are great but my favorites were looking east into the gnarly granite topped peaks of the Sierra Nevada Range.
Little Baldy Dome Hike Route
Gear Needed
- Men’s Trail Runners
- Women’s Trail Runners
- La Sportiva Trango Hiking Boots (Men’s)
- La Sportiva Trango Hiking Boots (Women’s)
- Backpack (Winter)
- Backpack (Summer)
- Food & Water
- Optional: Hiking Poles – 120CM
- Optional: Garmin inReach
- Optional: Garmin Fenix Watch
- Optional: GoPro, Joby Tripod, GoPro 360
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Little Baldy Dome Trip Report: October 2022
After a long day of driving to get to Sequoia National Park, my wife Jackie and I only had a few hours of sun before it got dark. We decided that Little Baldy Dome was the perfect fit to get a taste for the park. The trail was easy to find right off the highway and we started hiking in no time.
The trail started off mellow until it worked up a few switchbacks to gain the small hill alongside the road. We then entered into an old burn scar with some cool mushrooms growing in a burnt out tree trunk. There was also a ton of sand which I think was also after effects of the fire.
We kept hiking past a small viewpoint and eventually down a small hill before we made the final climb to the top of the Little Baldy Dome. The views to the west were hazy but to the east we had fantastic views towards Mt Whitney and the other granite peaks that lined the sky.
Little Baldy Dome was a short but sweet hike that allowed us to get some cool views, stretch our legs and take in Sequoia National Park. This is a great spot that is perfect to combine with General Sherman Tree and Moro Rock.