This meadow shaped like a crescent moon was nicknamed the "Gem of the Sierra" by John Muir. Picnic tables and bear boxes. Pit toilets. Hiking trails start here. Road to Crescent Meadow closes with snow.
Trail head to the High Sierra Trail. Crescent Meadow (1/8 mile), Tharpe's Log (0.8 mile), Eagle View (1 mile), Bearpaw Meadow (11 miles), Mount Whitney (60 miles).
Several hiking trails start at Crescent Meadow and we took the paved one to Tharpe's Log. My kids loved the open meadow (covered in snow and ice in December) and the flat trail that meandered through the woods. I was impressed with the moss covered trees and the sprinkling of Giant Sequoias on our walk.
We didn't have a picnic at the tables in December, but I could imagine that it would be a beautiful, shaded, and warm place to enjoy a picnic in other seasons.