Single vehicles must be 40 feet long or less while a vehicle and towed unit combined must be less than 50 feet long. Book your tickets to tour Crystal Cave at least 48 hours in advance to reserve your spot. At Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, recreational opportunities expand dramatically from late spring to early fall. The tree you’re thinking of once stood in Yosemite National Park, but fell over in 1969! Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon sit in the heart of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are administered jointly along with Sequoia National Forest, which is located south of the parks, and Giant Sequoia National Monument, which includes two areas west of them. You can continue on to other national parks like Joshua Tree and Death Valley easily based in Southern California as well. Rocks are kind of a theme on this leg of the trip! Compare prices for car rental from Los Angeles here. Midsummer temperatures can reach well above 100 degrees F! Rise and shine! Today we are starting off with a couple of sights in the Giant Forest before heading north on Generals Highway. Mineral King is a glacial valley seven and a half miles … Sequoia Shuttle allows guests to relax and enjoy the journey into the Giant Forest. You’re not the only one. Walk over and check out Tunnel Rock. a cabin he built into a Sequoia tree that had fallen down! Path is paved, which makes it less dusty. They love human food and can cause damage to your vehicles trying to get it. Along the trail, you’ll pass by Tharp’s log, which is a fallen Sequoia converted into a cozy woodland cabin. Forest fires are always a possibility from spring through fall, but they're especially likely in the summer. If you have a big RV or are towing a trailer, check the limits before your visit. Time to leave the heat behind and drive into the mountains where it’s a little cooler. In late summer, this waterfall usually dries up completely, so its best to time this one for early in the season. You will be accessing the park through the Ash Mountain Entrance Station at the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas: the perfect start to any road trip to Sequoia National Park! Although there are places inside to park to stop and get a bit to eat, you … The tour lasts about 45 minutes and guides guests along a fascinating ½-mile loop. You’ve definitely earned a little time with your feet up! There’s plenty of hiking trails to choose from and each of them gives something special to remember: from giant sequoias to waterfalls, quiet lakes and mountain top views. This is a sacred Native American site, so please be respectful. Located in California's southern Sierra Nevada mountain range, Sequoia National Park and the adjacent Kings Canyon National Park are known for their towering sequoia trees and miles of uninterrupted wilderness trails. Best Hikes at Sequoia National Park: General Sherman Tree (0.5 Miles) Get ready to whip out your Phone or camera, because the General Sherman is the largest tree in the entire world, by volume! To get to Sequoia National Park from Kings Canyon, drive south past Grant Grove and follow the signs for Sequoia National Park. Time to rest up for another fun day in Sequoia National Park. There are any number of trails in Sequoia National Park for all abilities and ages. The river’s flows are powerful, especially in the spring and early summer, so use extreme caution at its banks! Editor’s Note: If you only have one day in Sequoia National Park, get an earlier start and combine all of Day 1, skipping the Giant Forest Museum, with General Sherman and Congress Trail from Day 2. It's a very pretty drive, with optional stops to … During the summer, you can drive down a steep, narrow, winding road near the Sequoia gate off CA 198 to explore Mineral King, a sub-alpine valley that's the only part of the park's backcountry accessible by automobile. Bring plenty of water to start out the day if you’re traveling in summer. Soon after, there will be a parking area on the side of the road. Not only is Crystal Cave closed each winter, but from mid-November through mid-May, the road that takes you on a dramatic drive through Kings Canyon down to the Kings River is also closed. Now you will be driving on Generals Highway, the scenic road that connects the two parks together. Call (559) 563-3341 for a recorded message about road conditions or visit the alerts page of the national park website. This easy 3-mile loop will bring you deep into the Giant Forest while guiding you past the towering McKinley Tree and General Lee Tree. Eternal Arrival is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. The General Sherman Tree stands at an impressive height of 275 ft with a diameter of nearly 37 ft around! It’s tree-hugging heaven. Sequoia Resort is a 377-acre vacation property with trails and paved paths that are great for walks, hikes, jogs, and biking. Compare prices for car rental from Los Angeles here. The Generals Highway runs nearly 50 miles from Sequoia National Park's Ash Mountain Entrance to Grant Grove in Kings Canyon National Park, passing through the Giant Forest, home of the world's largest sequoia trees. Along the way, you’ll pass many of the area’s other giants! 11 Useful Things to Know Before You Visit Denver, Colorado, 75 Perfect Camping Quotes & Captions for Instagram, Read my privacy policy and disclaimer here. Follow Generals Highway from Hospital Rock for about 8 miles until you reach Crystal Cave Road on the left. If constant communication is important, check your provider's coverage map and leave your hotel phone number with the folks back home. Remember, only take memories and photos of these beautiful groves. find a list on the national park website of places nearby that rent chains, visit the alerts page of the national park website, guide to finding hotels and campgrounds at Sequoia. With giant sky-scraping trees, and terrain that invites engagement with adventure, it's a natural wonderland where … Some secondary roads have tighter restrictions, and so does the 12 miles between Potwisha Campground and Giant Forest Museum, where the maximum recommended length is 22 feet. You don’t need to be an accomplished climber to get on top because the NPS has laid 350 steps to make it an easily accessible lookout. Happy trails! Halstead meadow is a perfect place to stop along Generals Highway to set up camp chairs or a hammock to relax in. Only a short 3-minute walk from the Giant Forest Parking Area, this is a spectacular viewpoint to hang out at while drinking your morning coffee. The trail hugs the Middle Fork of the Kaweah River before arriving at the beautiful 1,200 ft falls that cascade over the impressive granite walls. There are plenty of day hikes available, in varying degrees of difficulty, that will take you to the base of giant sequoias, and through … Follow Generals Highway about 2 miles from the Sequoia National Park sign. The trailhead is located near the parking area. If you’re able to make the short ¼ – mile hike up, you’ll be generously rewarded with 360-degree views of the surrounding mountain landscape. The main trail walks by a meadow where you can see the contrast of the meadow with the large sequoias growing right on the edge of the meadow. There will be no food service in Sequoia until the lodge reopens, and travelers are advised to bring food from outside the parks. This is a great place to get an up-close look at the Kaweah River. Moreover, early visit enables you to explore the place without crowds that start appearing around noon. Restaurants Inside the Park. Designed & Developed by Solo Pine. It took us to Mr. Thorpe’s summer house . Head back toward Generals Highway after your fun adventure through Crescent Meadow and park in the Giant Forest Parking Area. However, the park is planning to install a new cell tower by 2020, so the signal available in the park may improve significantly in the near future. This area is home to giant Sequoias, waterfalls, a rushing river, meadows of wildflowers, alpine lakes, deep canyons and black bears. To get to the parking area, head north on Generals Highway. There are no gas stations in either park, but you can fill up your tank at Hume Lake, Stony Creek, and Kings Canyon Lodge. Although Congress created these two parks in the southern Sierra Nevada at different times, Sequoia and Kings Canyon share miles of boundary. The new Majestic Mountain Loop is another way to experience the highlights of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, as well as Yosemite National Park. Any time of year, guests are welcome to drive through Sequoia and Kings Canyon to Moro Rock, a scenic overlook towering over the parks with panoramic views of California on one side and Nevada on the other. There’s so much to see in Sequoia National Park, so lace up your hiking boots, grab your camera, and get ready for two days of adventure: here’s your perfect Sequoia itinerary! Copyright 2019 - Eternal Arrival. Now that you’re fully educated on the history and biology of the Giant Sequoias, you’re ready for the Big Trees Trail. If you wish to see Sequoia National Park: Do it only if you’re in the southern area of California as it’s nearby and you can also check out other areas in the region such as the southern coast of California and even head east towards Nevada and check out places like Death Valley National Park. In the national parks, pets are allowed only in campgrounds, picnic areas, and other developed areas. Explore Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks with the free, official National Park Service App. In the off-season and winter, the entrance kiosk closes and the payment center for visiting the park moves to Grant Village. Enjoy! If you’re interested in hiking a bit further, the Hospital Rock Trail continues down to the Kaweah River. The two are contiguous, and the National Parks Service manages them as one unit. With Free Shuttle & Stay, visitors book a two-night stay in any of the 16 Visalia hotels and they receive two free passes for the Sequoia Shuttle, which includes entry into Sequoia National Park. Take the short trail to the Giant Forest Museum to learn a little more about these massive trees you have been encountering! Getting to Sequoia National Park The most scenic way to get to Sequoia (and the shortest route from Los Angeles) is to take California Highway 198 through Visalia and Three Rivers until you reach the Ash Mountain entrance, which is about an hour's drive from U.S. Highway 99. Soak in the scenery on your hike while reminiscing on all the memories you’ve made following this Sequoia National Park itinerary. Bears are among the many creatures that live in Sequoia National Park. Sequoia National Park, or “the land of giants” as it’s often referred, will make you feel like you’re wandering through a fairytale and leave you in complete awe! The Lakes Trail visits four such lakes: Heather, Aster, Emerald and Pear, and had been on our radar for the last couple of years. How to See the Tallest Trees on Earth: California's Redwoods, What You Need to Know About Lodging at Sequoia and Kings Canyon, California's Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park - An Overview, Top Things to Do in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Virtual Tour of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Pack Up the Tent, Hook Up the Trailer: Places to Camp in Sequoia National Park, The Top 11 Things to Do in Fresno, California, Visit These National Parks Near Los Angeles, Fall in California: Weather and Event Guide, A Day Away: Fab Family Vacations Within 6 Hours of San Francisco, How to Get From San Francisco to Yosemite National Park, Visiting California in the Winter: What to Expect, September in California: Weather and Event Guide, RV Destination Guide: Sequoia National Park, Why Wuksachi Lodge Is the Best Place to Stay in Sequoia National Park. Connecting the adjacent parks, and two celebrated giant sequoia groves (the Giant Forest and Grant Grove ), is the Generals Highway. Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks In summer, a free in-park shuttle runs through the Giant Forest and Lodgepole areas of Sequoia National Park, from Giant Forest Museum to Dorst Creek Campground. Read my privacy policy and disclaimer here. You’ve done quite a bit of hiking today! Mineral King. There are many beautiful campgrounds as well as conveniently located lodges right inside the park. Take a right onto Wolverton Road and follow the helpful signs to General Sherman. I’ve rented cars dozens of times through various search engines and have settled on Discover Cars as the best car rental search engine – it searches over 500 trusted rental companies to find the cheapest price for your rental! When driving around Sequoia, expect to maintain an average speed of 25 miles per hour or less, which means it takes about an hour to an hour and a half to drive from Grant Village to Roads End in Kings Canyon. Really nice walk along giant sequoia trees. Our first stop is always to the visitor center to pick up the Junior … While not nearly as popular as Yosemite or Joshua Tree in terms of California's national parks, Sequoia and Kings Canyon are great destinations for travelers looking to escape into nature during their trip. Even away from cell service, this interactive guide will help you make the most out of your trip. Here are 50 things to do see and eat while exploring Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon. There’s one more hike on the list for today, and wow are the views of the Western Divide at the top worth the trek! This 1.7-mile loop begins at the parking area at the very end of the Crescent Meadow Road, and it leads hikers right through a beautiful Sequoia Grove. You will pass the visitor center, which is a great place to stop to buy a hiking map and get current park information. When she’s not writing, Emily can be found backpacking, road tripping to outdoor destinations, climbing, or rowing whitewater. Sequoia is particularly great for short hikes and "poking around." Most people drive to Sequoia National Park from Los Angeles or San Francisco, but Los Angeles is about an hour closer. Walk over and check out Tunnel Rock. Although the viewpoint is fenced in, it can trigger sensations of discomfort for some. If you've only got a day to see the park, the giant redwood trees are a must-see feature of the parks; be sure to stop by the General Sherman Tree, the largest tree on the planet, by taking a short walk from the main road while you're there. Some tips for visiting Sequoia National Park:-Sequoia National Park is often lumped in with nearby Kings Canyon. In Mineral King, visitors can explore a wandering subalpine valley brimming with pine, sequoia and fir. Take advantage of the opportunities to stop and enjoy the view! Leave all Sequoia and Sugar Pine Cones where they have fallen. General Grant National Park, the forerunner of Kings Canyon, was the third, established in 1940. Park in the large lot at the Hospital Rock Picnic Area to check out Hospital Rock right across the street. Insider Tip: Be advised, entering from this part of the park is not recommended for vehicles over 22 ft in length. For simplicity, this guide refers to them all as "Sequoia" in the descriptions below. Search for NPS Sequoia & Kings Canyon and download the app from the Apple App or the Google Play store before you get arrive at the parks. The sunset in a Sequoia Grove is unlike any other. You were looking for the standing Sequoia that you can drive underneath? Along the road to get there, you'll pass by the Auto Log and drive through the Tree Tunnel, both of which were carved out of giant fallen sequoia trees. Emily is a freelance travel and outdoor recreation writer from Big Sky, Montana. Earn Your Junior Ranger Badge. The spectacular groves that the Giant Sequoias grow in are spaced throughout the park and are accessible by car and foot! Mobile devices may not work everywhere. The parks offer a chance for visitors to explore expansive mountain peaks, sprawling woodlands, profound canyons, a vast array of wildlife, and the world’s largest trees. Notice the bowl-shaped carvings in the stone? Larger vehicles are encouraged to use the Big Stump Entrance to the north to avoid the sharp switchbacks along the winding mountain road. The road will switchback and is best taken at a slow speed. However, this may not be the best hike for folks with a fear of heights or exposure. To find the best place for you, see the guide to finding hotels and campgrounds at Sequoia. Giant trees, even larger than the giant trees in Redwood State Parks. Her adventurous spirit has led her to the high peaks of the Sierras and the largest wilderness areas in the lower 48. You will feel like an ant next to this chunk and look kind of like one in your photos. Back on Generals Highway, we’re headed over to the Lodgepole Area. Betsy has been writing about California for nearly more than two decades as TripSavvy's expert on the state. There are no Giant Sequoias here, but still plenty of exciting attractions to explore. While Sequoia National Park is open year-round, some seasons are better than others, depending on what you want to do and see during your trip. The most scenic way to get to Sequoia (and the shortest route from Los Angeles) is to take California Highway 198 through Visalia and Three Rivers until you reach the Ash Mountain entrance, which is about an hour's drive from U.S. Highway 99. This is also a popular place to spot deer and bear. This neat tunnel carved out of a fallen Sequoia makes for a great op of you and your road-tripping rig. Activities and Things to Do in Sequoia National Park. If you need chains and don't have them, you can find a list on the national park website of places nearby that rent chains. A visit to Sequoia National Park is the perfect opportunity to explore the rugged natural landscapes California has to offer. Those big trees you heard so much about will begin to make an appearance as you continue on Generals Highway. This park … Explore some of America's most beautiful scenery. The moderate 4-mile out and back Tokopah Valley Trail to Tokopah Falls begins from the Lodgepole Parking Area. Once in the park, use the pullout at the Sequoia National Park sign and take the short trail down to the river for the first stop on your Sequoia National Park itinerary. From General Sherman, follow signs for the Congress Trail. Sequoia was America’s second national park designated in 1890. However, if you're traveling from Sacramento and northern California, you'll want to exit U.S. Highway 99 at Fresno and take California Highway 180 east, which will take about an hour and a half to reach the Foothills entrance. Find all the transport options for your trip from Napa Valley Wine Train to Sequoia National Park … When you get up close to this tree, it’s easy to believe it’s the world’s biggest! Fires can affect air quality and travel access to the mountains, so it’s a good idea to check for them before you go to Sequoia. In Sequoia National Park, all visitor services at Wuksachi Lodge are closed through December 28, including the lodge, the restaurant, gift shop, and restrooms. Sequoia National Park feeds into Sequoia National Forest to the south, and up beyond Kings Canyon National Park lies Yosemite National Park and Sierra National Forest. All Rights Reserved. Additionally, according to California state law, you should always have chains with you in the winter. The Top Destinations in Sequoia National Park Foothills. You will pass the visitor center, which is a great place to stop to buy a hiking map and get current park information. This is a popular inquiry, but you won’t find that attraction here. After about 6 miles, turn right onto Crescent Meadow Road and follow signs to the Moro Rock Trailhead. This is a great area to spot deer and bear grazing in the meadow area. These were created over many years of grinding acorns for cooking in a pestle and mortar fashion. The easiest to use resource is the California Statewide Fire Map. The dramatic landscapes of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks lie side by side in the Southern Sierra Nevada Mountains – a testament to the majesty and geographic diversity of the Western United States. If you enjoy your time at Sequoia Nationa Park, consider donating online or becoming a volunteer for the. We know you can’t wait to explore even more of the Giant Forest. You can find campgrounds, cabins, and hotels in the national park, in the national forest, at the national monument, and on private property outside the park boundaries. It’s amazing to think Generals Highway used to direct traffic right under it! The moment you’ve been waiting for… Giant Sequoias! In the Giant Forest, the Congress Trail, a paved 2-mile loop that begins near the General Sherman Tree, is a … If you're in the area, it's definitely worth it to hop over to Kings Canyon! After your hike, grab a treat at the Lodgepole Market and Grill before heading off to your next site. If you don't stop to pay the fee, you risk being ticketed by a park ranger while in the park. Before you go, find out how to stay well and comfortable by taking a look at these. Soon after, there will be a parking area on the side of the road. Follow Generals Highway about 2 miles from the Sequoia National Park sign. In the National Forest, they can go on trails with you but must be on a leash less than 6 feet long. To stay safe whether you're camping or staying in a hotel. You’ve probably spotted the iconic granite face of Moro Rock standing proud above the foothills at 6,725 ft. You’ve had a good look, and now it’s time to stand on it! Second, you need to prepare for a long drive not only to the park, but also inside it. Along Generals Highway, you will pass multiple scenic turnouts. Located at the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California, Sequoia National Park boasts endless mountain views, epic whitewater rivers, and, of course, Giant Sequoias. First, you avoid traffic on your way to Sequoia National Park. Rome2rio makes travelling from Napa Valley Wine Train to Sequoia National Park easy. This is where we leave you to discover your next adventure — either in Kings Canyon National Park as you head north or on your way back home after enjoying a short visit to Sequoia National Park. This location is also home to a beautiful panel of pictographs. This scenic hiking loop is less than a mile and provides a wonderfully relaxing escape into nature. We recommend staying near the Lodgepole Area for a convenient starting point. Rome2rio is a door-to-door travel information and booking engine, helping you get to and from any location in the world. How to Spend a Weekend in Sequoia National Park Sequoia and Kings Canyon are called “hiker’s parks” and rightfully so. Disappear off the map and into a world of outdoor possibilities at Sequoia National Park. Fortunately, the park is rarely overcrowded and gets about one-third of the visitors that Yosemite welcomes every summer. This area has camping, hiking trails, river access, concessions, a visitor center, and even hot showers! Winter snow sometimes closes the road between the Giant Forest and Grant Village, and you may not be able to get into Sequoia National Park from Highway 180. The Little Baldy Trail is a popular 3.5-mile out and back hike that will take about 2 hours to complete. This park will treat you to the oldest and most spectacular trees in the world. Sequoia trees can only grow between 4,000 and 8,000 ft elevation, so don’t be surprised to find that every inch of the park isn’t completely covered in these beasts. More of the side trails we opted to do in Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon off-season! The Meadow area worry, as we work our way up into the Giant Forest you to explore Sequoia. 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