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
Be courteous, informed, and prepared. Read trailhead guidelines, stay on the trail, and don't feed the wildlife.
Read More
- Plan Ahead and Prepare
- Travel & camp on durable surfaces
- Dispose of waste properly
- Leave what you find
- Minimize campfire impacts
- Respect wildlife
- Be considerate of other visitors
Directions
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.
Trails
Distance ?
0.5 milesElevation Gain ?
-189 feetReal Ascent ?
9 feetReal Descent ?
198 feetAvg Grade (-4°)
-7%Grade (-11° to 1°)
-19% to 2%Elevation differences are scaled for emphasis. While the numbers are accurate, the cut-away shown here is not to scale.