Kings Canyon & Sequoia National Park Travel Guide

Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks offer great Sierra Nevada sightseeing scenery without the crowds of Yosemite.

The parks are situated in central California with good access from the San Joaquin Valley.

Both parks offer great sightseeing, walking and hiking trails. Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are easily accessible from central California and a drivable distance from either Los Angeles and San Francisco. The driving time from Los Angeles when we made the trip was about 4-5 hours and roads are excellent.

This US National Park has two distinct areas dividing Sequoia National Park from Kings Canyon. A map helps show the location of both parks in more detail.

Sequoia Lodging and Accommodation

There is easy access to the Kings Canyon park via major highways and many different lodges and Kings Canyon campgrounds to stay. We stayed at Grant Village in a nice new cabin which was very clean, comfortable and quiet. Deer used to come up the the lodge in the mornings sometimes and there was always a hearty hiker's meal available at the cafe which was only a 5 minute walk away.

You can walk (or drive) from the Grant Village cabins to Panoramic Point which had a great view across to Hume Lake. It is advisable to book your Kings Canyon accommodation before arrival especially at busier times in the summer months.

Kings Canyon Sightseeing Tips

Sequoia National Park is home to the largest living thing on Earth - The General Sherman Tree. The General Sherman has a circumference of over one hundred feet at its base and is over 2000 years old! Kings Canyon is also home to an amazing amount of wildlife and having seen a party of hikers come across a Black Bear on the 'Congress Trail' we can bear witness to that.

The Congress Trail is also one of the most suitable hikes for visitors to Sequoia with children.

The Sierra Nevada scenery at Kings Canyon is breathtaking and the trails range from an easy half an hour walk to much more challenging multi-day adventures. We would recommend 'Little Baldy' trail in the park which is a 3.4 mile round trip and offers spectacular views across the Sierra Nevada and Great Western Divide.

Lake Hume

Sequoia National Park is also home to some peaceful mountain lakes such as Hume Lake (pictured left) with spectacular views to the Sierra. Lake Hume makes a great picnic spot.

Moro Rock Climb

If you have a head for heights (and you really need one) why not take the easy 1/4 mile hike to Moro Rock. At 6,725 feet, where you can grasp the awesome scenery that brought Sequoia and Kings Canyon into the National Park System.

The starting point for the Moro Rock climb is the Crescent Meadow Road, some one and a half miles from Giant Forest Village. Do not start a Moro Rock climb if there is a risk of lightning storms as there is a high risk of lightning strike on Moro Rock. Sunset is particularly fantastic at Moro Rock, but make sure you get down before it completely goes completely dark!

To the north from Moro Rock, lies the Giant Forest plateau where Giant Sequoias dwarf the other trees. The 275 foot-tall General Sherman giant sequoia tree is prominent. The General Sherman Tree's trunk weighs an estimated 1,385 tons! To the west, are the dry foothills descending down to the San Joaquin Valley of central California. Unfortunately, these highly populated regions of California are responsible for frequent smog into Sequoia National Park which is particularly noticeable from the park's best vantage points like Moro Rock.

To the south, and some 5000 vertical feet down, the Kaweah River carves its way through a rugged canyon. To the east, there is a fantastic view of the peaks of the Great Western Divide and Kaweah Mountain Range. The highest Kaweah Peak is Mt. Kaweah at 13,802 feet. Beyond this, and blocked from sight by the other peaks is the highest mountain in the contiguous 48 states, Mount Whitney, which towers to a height of 14,494 feet.

Sequoia National Park Accommodation

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