McGurk Meadow Trail Map

Distance:  1.8 miles (2.9 km) round trip
Trailhead Elevation:  6,900 feet (2,100 meters)
Elevation Change: 100 feet (30 meters)

What does one say about such an impressively uncomplicated trail? It's a short, smooth, easy, and mostly flat stroll through evergreen woods with the occasional small, flower-strewn clearing. Once you're on the trail, hike until you reach the meadow. Then stop.

The only potential source of stress is finding the trailhead, since there's no parking lot. There will be a "McGurk Meadow" sign, though, unless the park rangers are trying to haze you. If you're driving east and you haven't reached the Badger Pass turnoff (closed in the summer) yet, you haven't gone far enough. If you get to Bridalveil Creek Campground, you've gone just barely too far. You'll find parking along the shoulder of the road a few hundred meters east of the trailhead.

The unsigned trail that begins across the road from the McGurk Meadow trailhead goes south to Westfall Meadow. If you continue north a mile or so past McGurk Meadow, you'll intersect with the Pohono Trail. Turn left here to proceed to Dewey, Stanford, Crocker, and Inspiration Points, and eventually the tunnel view; turn right to go to Taft Point, Sentinel Dome, and Glacier Point.

What else? Let's see... the meadow just west of McGurk looks kind of like a galloping horse. Or a Tasmanian Devil (the cartoon one, from Bugs Bunny) sticking out his tongue and winding up to sock someone on the trail. Or an amoeba. One of those three.