Goat Meadow Hill

Goat Meadow Trailhead & Snow Play sits a half-mile off Highway 41 on Mt. Raymond Road near Fish Camp, at roughly 5,200 feet in the Sierra National Forest. Managed by the Bass Lake Ranger District, it's a low-key staging point for forest roads and trails used by hikers and mountain bikers most of the year — and by sledders working the namesake hill once the snow piles up.

Hiking and Riding Season

Once the snow clears, the surrounding network of forest roads and trails opens up for hiking and mountain biking through mixed conifer forest. Don't expect groomed single-track — this is multi-use national forest terrain, better suited to a relaxed forest walk or ride than a destination hike. It also works as a quiet jumping-off point for a side trip to Mariposa Grove's giant sequoias, a short drive down Highway 41.

Winter Snow Play

From November through May, Goat Meadow turns into one of the more accessible snow-play spots on Yosemite's south side, with a gentle hill for sledding and tubing. A California Sno-Park permit is required for parking from November 1 through May 31 — $15 for a day pass or $40 for a season pass. The area was once a groomed cross-country ski network, but the trails beyond the sledding hill aren't regularly maintained for skiing anymore, and the final stretch of access road is unpaved, so chains or 4-wheel drive often help after a storm.

Good to Know

• Access: Highway 41 to Mt. Raymond Road, about a half-mile in
• Elevation: approximately 5,200 feet
• Managed by: Sierra National Forest, Bass Lake Ranger District
• No restrooms or potable water on site