McGurk Meadow
Yosemite National Park
| Address: | 5105 Glacier Point Rd, California 95389, USA |
| GPS: |
37°40'13.6"N 119°37'42.0"W Maps | Directions |
| State: | California |
| Trail Length: | 0.80 miles |
| Trail Type: | Out & Back |
| Hike Difficulty: | Easiest |
| Elevation Gain: | 100 feet |
| Trails/Routes: | 0.5 mi |
Streams Trails Wildflowers National Park
Hike
McGurk Meadow is a short, 0.8 mile hike through one of Yosemite's wildflower meadows. The trail is fairly flat, about 100 feet of elevation gain, and it doesn't require too much effort, allowing it to be more of a walk in the park than a hike.
The meadow is a secluded, peaceful place to travel to if you have extra time during your Yosemite trip. Very few people know about McGurk Meadow, despite its charm. It takes about 30-60 minutes to complete, and there is a full brook that runs through it. Many people pass through McGurk Meadow to get to Dewey Point, as both locations use the same trailhead.
The trail takes you through a wooded forest and a small section of Peregoy Meadow. At the edge of the meadow lies an old cabin built by John McGurk in the late 1800s.
The turn off is off Glacier Point Road, which is open June through October, but the best time to see the meadow is in the summer months. Because there is no parking lot at the trailhead, the trip to McGurk Meadow is not very well traveled. Both the turn off and the sign for the trailhead are well marked and easy to find.
More Information
Yosemite National Park Itinerary
This Yosemite National Park Itinerary will help you get started as you plan your vacation to Yosemite National Park.
https://www.justgotravelstudios.com/collections/national-park-itineraries/products/yosemite-national-park-itinerary?ref=9zpxis0diinMcGurk Meadow Trail Hiking Trail, Yosemite Valley, California
McGurk Meadow provides an easy hike, featuring wildflowers, meadows, and access to the Pohono Trail. Near Yosemite Valley, California.
https://www.hikingproject.com/trail/7007552/mcgurk-meadow-trailYosemite Hikes: McGurk Meadow
McGurk Meadow, a short hike to a meadow crammed with wildflowers (at least if your timing is right)
https://www.yosemitehikes.com/glacier-point-road/mcgurk-meadow/mcgurk-meadow.htmBe courteous, informed, and prepared. Read trailhead guidelines, stay on the trail, and don't feed the wildlife.
Read MoreDirections
From Yosemite National Park
- Head northeast on El Portal RdToll road(5.5 mi)
- El Portal Rd turns slightly right and becomes Southside DrToll road(0.9 mi)
- Slight right onto CA-41 S/Wawona RdContinue to follow Wawona RdToll road(9.2 mi)
- Turn left onto Glacier Point RdToll roadParts of this road may be closed at certain times or daysDestination will be on the left(7.5 mi)
There is a marked turn off just an mile outside of Summit Meadow, and the trailhead is just past it.
Other Hiking Trails Nearby
Mono Meadow
Yosemite West, Yosemite National Park
2.4 miles EA short, lightly trafficked 3-mile round-trip hike through a wildflower meadow recovering from wildfire, offering simultaneous views of Mt. Starr King, Clarke Range, and Half Dome.
Hike 1.2 mi
Taft Point
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
3.2 miles NEA 5-mile Yosemite loop pairing Sentinel Dome with Taft Point, offering El Capitan views, dramatic cliff fissures, and 3,000-foot valley vistas — no guard rails, so watch your footing.
Hike 0.2 mi
Bridalveil Falls
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
3.3 miles NA 620-foot waterfall that flows year-round and soaks onlookers with mist — Bridalveil Falls is just a quick half-mile paved walk from the trailhead, wheelchair accessible and pet friendly.
Hike 0.2 mi
Ribbon Falls
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
3.8 miles NThe longest single-drop waterfall in North America at 1,612 feet — seasonal and best seen in late morning when the sun hits it directly, visible from El Capitan Road as you enter Yosemite Valley.
Hike
Horsetail Falls
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
4.1 miles NFor a few weeks in mid-to-late February, Horsetail Falls glows orange with reflected sunset light — a rare 'firefall' phenomenon requiring clear skies and a parking permit.
Hike 0.4-2.1 mi
Illilouette Falls
Yosemite West, Yosemite National Park
4.7 miles NEA 4-mile hike starting downhill from Glacier Point to a footbridge view of Illilouette Falls — with a side trip on the quieter Panorama Trail adding Half Dome and Nevada Falls views.
Hike 15.9 mi
Valley Loop Trail
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
4.7 miles NAn 11.5-mile loop trail through the heart of Yosemite Valley following the Merced River past wildflower meadows, the Three Brothers, El Capitan, and Bridalveil Falls — with nearly no elevation gain.
Hike 4.6 mi
Four Mile Trail
Yosemite National Park
4.9 miles NEA 4.7-mile one-way hike connecting Yosemite Valley to Glacier Point with views of Yosemite Falls, Half Dome, El Capitan, and the Royal Arches — best visited in spring when the falls run full.
Hike 0.3 mi
Glacier Point
Yosemite National Park
5.0 miles NEPerched at 7,214 feet above Yosemite Valley, Glacier Point delivers bird's-eye views of Half Dome, El Capitan, and multiple waterfalls — accessible by car or a 4.7-mile hike.
Hike 5.5 mi
Ostrander Lake
Wawona, California
5.3 miles SEAn 11.4-mile Yosemite hike to a semi-secluded swim lake surrounded by granite mountains — wildflowers, streams, and meadows in summer; open for cross-country skiing in winter via Ostrander Lodge.
Hike, Swim 0.7 mi
Cook's Meadow Loop
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
5.5 miles NA nearly 1-mile, nearly flat loop in Sentinel Meadow with close-up views of Yosemite Falls, Half Dome, Glacier Point, and Sentinel Rock — Yosemite's best easy walk.
Hike 0.8 mi
Lower Yosemite Falls
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
5.5 miles NA short, flat walk to the base of a 3,967-foot waterfall — twice the height of the Empire State Building and one of North America's tallest, best visited in spring or early summer before it dries.
Hike 1.9-2.9 mi
Mist Trail
Yosemite National Park
5.8 miles NEA steep, mist-soaked Yosemite staircase hike climbing 639 stone steps past Vernal and Nevada Falls — with Half Dome, Whitecap, and Mt. Broderick views from the switchbacks above.
Backpack, Hike 2.9 mi
Upper Yosemite Falls
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
6.3 miles NThe tallest waterfall in North America at 2,425 feet — a 7.2-mile, 2,600-ft-gain hike to the top of Upper Yosemite Falls with stunning valley views along the way.
Hike
Mirror Lake
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
6.9 miles NEA paved, car-free trail winds to this seasonal lake at the base of Half Dome, offering a still mirror reflection and a popular summer swimming hole.
Backpack, Hike, Swim 4.1 mi
North Dome
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
7.0 miles NEA strenuous 10.4-mile hike through Yosemite forest to North Dome, rewarding hikers with the best straight-on view of Half Dome from 7,450 feet — plus a 0.6-mile detour to a 15-foot granite arch.
Backpack, Hike 1.9 mi
Half Dome
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
8.2 miles NEA grueling 14-mile round-trip hike with 4,800 feet of gain to the summit of Half Dome, including a cable section in the final 400 feet — a permit is required and a sunrise start is essential.
Hike 2.1 mi
Snow Creek Falls
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
8.3 miles NEA 2,140-foot, seven-drop cascade tucked deep in Tenaya Canyon — best spotted from the Mirror Lake Loop, where you can also take a swim before hunting for the falls from the Snow Creek Trail junction.
Backpack, Hike 2.5 mi
Chilnualna Falls
Wowana, Yosemite National Park
8.5 miles SAn 8-mile round-trip hike in Yosemite to a lesser-known waterfall that passes through several forests and offers spring mist and creek crossings — horses and hikers share the trail.
Hike
Crane Flat
Big Oak Flat, Yosemite National Park
10.8 miles NWFramed between two giant sequoia groves, Crane Flat meadow is a quiet Yosemite base camp for birding, stargazing, and seasonal hikes to Lukens and Harden Lake.
Backpack, Camp, Hike, SnowshoeNearby Campsites
Merced River
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
5.5 miles NEThe Merced River circles Yosemite Valley with whitewater, swimming holes, gold-panning spots, and unbeatable views of Yosemite Falls and Glacier Point at every bend.
Camp, Swim, Whitewater
Crane Flat
Big Oak Flat, Yosemite National Park
10.8 miles NWFramed between two giant sequoia groves, Crane Flat meadow is a quiet Yosemite base camp for birding, stargazing, and seasonal hikes to Lukens and Harden Lake.
Backpack, Camp, Hike, Snowshoe 5.7 mi
Ten Lakes
Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park
17.0 miles NA 6.4-mile hike from Yosemite Creek to three of the Ten Lakes Basin's seven lakes, through wildflower meadows, forests, and past the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne, gaining 2,200 feet.
Backpack, Camp, Hike 6.1 mi
Glen Aulin
Wawona, California
20.1 miles NEAn 11-mile hike along the Tuolumne River to Glen Aulin with 800 feet of gain, passing Tuolumne Falls, Soda Springs, wildflower meadows, and the stunning White Cascade.
Backpack, Camp, Hike
Glen Aulin
Glen Aulin, California
20.1 miles NEA popular introductory Yosemite High Country backcountry hike following the Tuolumne River to a High Sierra Camp beside the White Cascade waterfall, with further options to Waterwheel Falls.
Backpack, Camp, Hike, Swim
Briceburg Recreation Area
Midpines, California
20.1 miles WBriceburg is where State Route 140 drops out of the Sierra foothills and meets the Wild and Scenic Merced River, twelve miles east of Mariposa on the road to Yosemite, and it's one of the best public...
Camp, Kayak, Swim
Tuolumne Meadows
Tuolumne County, California
21.0 miles NEA stunning alpine meadow in the high Sierra with granite domes and mountain views, the meandering Tuolumne River, and access to Yosemite backcountry — open summer only when the park road is clear.
Camp, Hike 4.0 mi
Saddlebag Lake
Lee Vining, California
28.2 miles NEAt 10,008 ft, this Eastern Sierra alpine lake offers exceptional trout fishing, a scenic four-mile loop, and a water taxi into the heart of the Twenty Lakes Basin.
Camp, Canoe, Hike
Crystal Lake
Mammoth Lakes, California
34.1 miles EA 3.2-mile roundtrip Sierra day hike past Lake George, Lake Marie, and Lake Mamie, ending at Crystal Lake beneath the monolith Crystal Crag — shaded trail with room to swim, fish, or picnic lakeside.
Camp, Hike
Standish Hickey Area
Lakeshore, California
41.1 miles SEA two-mile stretch of the south fork of the Eel River inside a redwood canyon 180 miles from San Francisco — swim, kayak, fish, or hike, then camp near the 1,200-year-old Captain Miles Standish Tree.
Backpack, Camp, Hike, Kayak, Swim
Wild Willy's Hot Spring
Mammoth Lakes, California
46.9 miles EA soaking hot spring in Long Valley's open sagebrush plain — pools range from 95°F to 105°F, with a larger deeper pool and smaller, hotter pools, reached by a 0.2-mile wooden boardwalk from the parking area.
Camp, Hot Springs
Crowley Lake Campground
Crowley Lake, California
47.6 miles ENestled in the stunning Eastern Sierra near Crowley Lake, this BLM campground offers first-come, first-served sites for tents, RVs, and trailers with breathtaking high-desert views.
Camp