All About Sequoia and Kings National Parks

Where is Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park?

In the heart of California, nestled in the Sierra Nevada Mountain range, you’ll find one of the best 2-for-1 deals America’s national park system has to offer. Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are technically two separate but adjacent parks that have been jointly administered since 1943. The result is a combined 1,353 square miles of wilderness, with rushing waterfalls, lush green hiking trails, spectacular mountains, and some of the world’s largest trees.

What to do in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park

Given the sheer size of the park, there’s obviously much to explore. But if you’ve only got a limited amount of time to soak in all of Sequoia and Kings’ wild wonders, below are a few places to start.

Visit the Giant Sequoias (obviously)

Tree-lovers rejoice: Sequoia and Kings National Parks are renowned for some of the tallest, most impressive trees in the world. In fact, 7 of the world’s 10 largest trees can be found here. Each and every one is special, but there are a few that stand above the rest, literally and figuratively:

• General Sherman Tree: No visit to the park is complete without making a pilgrimage to the largest tree on earth. The General Sherman tree is located in the northwest corner of Sequoia National Park inside the Giant Forest grove, and accessible via the Congress Trail. While it may not be the tallest on earth, it’s the largest by volume, and quite impressive at a massive 275 feet tall. See it with an expert naturalist guide on Collette’s Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks tour!

• General Grant Tree: General Grant is the world’s second largest tree, clocking in at 268 feet tall (about the same height as a 26-story building). Located in the southwest corner of Kings Canyon National Park, you can find the Grant tree in Grant Grove via a short, paved loop.

• President Tree: This tree is another contender for the second largest in the world by volume – in 2012 a group of scientists discovered that if you include its branch volume with the trunk, it actually surpasses the General Grant tree in mass. It stands around 240 feet tall, and you can find it in the Giant Forest Grove, not too far from good ol’ Sherman.

Hiking at Cedar Grove

Located inside Kings Canyon National Park, Cedar Grove offers trails of varying lengths, skill levels, and natural wonders, many of which meander along the picturesque Kings River. Here are just a few highlights:

• Roaring River Falls: Visitors can access this area via Highway 180, and take the short hike in to experience the invigourating rush of the falls from rocky outcroppings and overlooks. The Roaring River flows from canyons deep in the park’s wilderness and empties out into the pool here with varying intensity depending on the season.

• Zumwalt Meadow: This short .8-mile loop crosses over the Kings River offering lush meadow views. For a longer hike, the trail merges with the Kanawyer Loop towards Muir Rock — a scenic river overlook where celebrated writer and naturalist John Muir used to proselytize about the wonders of nature.

• Cedar Grove Overlook: If it’s sweeping panoramic views you’re looking for, check out Cedar Grove Overlook — a more challenging switchback trail that rewards you with unrivalled views of Kings Canyon. This hike is about 5 miles round-trip and takes about 3 – 4 hours to complete.

• Mist Falls: Experienced hikers won’t want to miss this 8-mile hike following South Fork Canyon all the way to one of the largest waterfalls in the park.

Cruise Sequoia and Kings Canyon’s Scenic Byways

If you’re not much of a hiker, but want to experience the park’s grandeur anyway, check out these scenic highways and byways:

• Grant Grove to the Kings Canyon and Cedar Grove: This breathtaking drive takes about 45 minutes — more if you want to make a few stops along the way. Junction View, Yucca Point, and Canyon View overlooks offer sweeping river vistas, while Boyden Cave is open for tours inside its marble walls during the summer.

• Generals Highway from the Sequoia Park Entrance to Lodgepole: More spectacular scenery awaits on this roughly one-hour drive that will take you to the overlooks at Hospital Rock, Amphitheatre Point, and the Eleven Range Overlook.

Ready to start planning your national park adventure? Be sure to check out our Sequoia and Kings National Parks tour featuring San Diego and California’s Central Coast!