Biledo Meadow Trail

Biledo Meadow sits at about 7,100 feet in the Sierra National Forest, just south of Yosemite's south entrance near Fish Camp. It isn't a roadside stop — you either drive it on a high-clearance or 4WD road, or you earn it on foot, and either way you're rewarded with a working-mountain history that most Yosemite visitors never encounter.

A Cow Camp and a Mining Claim

Long before hikers found it, Biledo Meadow was a cattle camp and a silver-and-lead mining claim. A log cabin built in 1890 by Thomas Biledo, a French-Canadian miner and carpenter working for the Mount Raymond Mining Company, still stands here, along with remnants of an aerial tram that once hauled ore across the ridge to the Star Mine. A horse camp, an old spring, and a two-hole outhouse round out what's left.

Getting There

There are a few ways in. One route runs about six miles round trip from the Long Meadow trailhead on forest service road, fording Rainier Creek along the way — water shoes help, since dry crossings aren't reliable in high water. A longer option connects from Mariposa Grove via the Outer Loop Trail into Sierra National Forest, closer to ten miles round trip. Expect rocky footing, real elevation, and heat exposure once you clear the trees — this is a full day out, not a stroll.

Best Time to Visit

Wildflowers — coneflower, lupine, paintbrush, and leopard lily — peak in mid-to-late July. No permit is required, but the meadow is fragile: stay on established routes and pack out everything you bring in.