Sequoia National Park & Kings Canyon National Park, California USA (9/19-25/2024)
"And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.” - John Muir
 |
Being in Nature!
|
Being in nature reduces anger, fear, and stress and increases pleasant feelings. Exposure to nature not only makes you feel better emotionally, it contributes to your physical well being, reducing blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, and the production of stress hormones.Sequoia National Park
 |
California's Sequoia National Park
|
California’s Sequoia National Park is a wonderful wilderness adventure for all ages. Some of the largest trees in the world in undeveloped alpine nature make this a unique place. Shorter easy but highly rewarding forest hikes are a relaxing delight to enjoy nature. Longer hikes and camping is available for the more adventurous. The park has other features, like a cave, waterfalls, horseback riding, and more to make it an interesting excursion for everyone. Three very friendly Visitor’s Centers are available to make your visit more enjoyable. Some nice mountain lodging and an upscale restaurant in the park are also available. We had a wonderful time!
 |
Wayne on Tunnel Rock - Sequoia National Park
|
Arriving at the Sequoia National Park from Three Rivers… Just past the Sequoia National Park Entrance Station is the Foothill Visitors Center and Park Headquarters. It a great place to get good park maps and information about Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. The Park Rangers are very helpful with maps, information, answering questions, and offering suggestions to make your visit enjoyable. You can have fun at the next stop at Tunnel Rock (see photo). You don’t drive through it but it is exciting to do the easy climb on top for a fun photo. Up the road, you should stop at the Overlook parking (you will see other cars) to get your first view of Moro Rock and take in the wilderness view.
 |
General Sherman Tree
|
Then we went straight to see the magnificent General Sherman Tree and hike the impressive Congress Trail in the Giant Forest sequoia tree grove - the most popular feature of Sequoia National Park. Half mile downhill from the parking lot you will find the General Sherman Tree. The Congress Trail starts from there. Take some time to take in the magnificence of the 2,200-year-old General Sherman Tree. It is the largest tree in the world (by volume) measuring an incredible 36 feet in diameter at its base (see photo). It takes at least 15 people hand to hand to encircle this massive tree. Parking is accessible via the Wolverton Road off the Generals Highway. There will be crowds during the Summer busy season so arrive early and have patience and maybe use the free shuttle. In mid-September, we experience little crowds.
 |
Wayne on Congress Trail
|
The Congress Trail is a well-marked paved 2.7-mile loop with some slight uphill climb. Some large sequoia trees that line the trail are named. The Senate (see photo) and House groups, as well as President Tree, are great examples of very large sequoia trees. For longer wilderness walks, explore the many miles of trails in the area. You can rest and take in the natural beauty of the Park on the benches along the trail. In Sequoia National Park don’t overexert yourself at this elevation (7000 feet) if you are not accustomed to it. A free park shuttle runs during the busy season from late May to early September.
 |
Congress Trail - Sequoia National Park
|
Sequoia National Park’s Giant Forest is the largest of the unlogged giant sequoia tree groves containing more exceptionally large sequoia trees than any other grove. It hosts the largest living sequoia tree, the General Sherman Tree, and is home to 5 of the top 10 largest trees in the world. Giant Forest has a 40 miles of hiking trails that range from 1-2 hour hikes to half-day or longer wilderness explorations.
 |
Giant Forest Museum
|
We suggest visiting the Giant Forest Museum offering an interesting overview of the giant sequoia trees, meadows, and human history in the region. The museum is housed in the historic Giant Forest Market building, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Park Rangers are very helpful with trail maps, information, answering questions, and offering suggestions to make your visit enjoyable.
 |
Big Trees Trail - Sequoia National Park
|
For a very nice hike in Sequoia National Park accessed at the Giant Forest Museum, we liked the 0.75-mile Big Trees Trail (see photo) around beautiful Round Meadow. It has many large sequoia trees and interesting interpretive exhibits about the natural history of giant sequoia trees. It is nice to sit on the benches for awhile and listen to wilderness nature and enjoy views you might miss by just walking by. Also connected here is Hazelwood Trail, a very beautiful tranquil 0.8-mile loop with a greater variety of trees and plants to enjoy. It is easy to follow the signs and enjoy both these trails.
 |
Crescent Meadow
|
Visitors to Sequoia National Park can see the effects of decades of prescribed and nature-created fires. Fire is important to the survival of sequoia trees because it is required to open its pine cones releasing seeds and it clears the grown cover allowing the seedlings to grow.All located along Crescent Meadow Road, the following is a wonderful day in Sequoia National Park taking a wonderful hike in Crescent Meadow and visiting Moro Rock, Tunnel Log, and the Giant Forest Museum and Park Store. The parking lots are not big so in busy season get there early or use the free shuttle.
 |
Pat at Crescent Meadow Loop
|
Crescent Meadow is likely our favorite wilderness hike in the Sequoia National Park. It’s a leisurely 1.8-mile walk at the Crescent Meadow Loop experiencing what John Muir called “the gem of the Sierra Nevada.” This loop will give you the opportunity to experience the Giant Forest, Tharp’s Log, and green ferns (see photo).
 |
Deer from Crescent Meadow Loop
|
During the summer Crescent Meadow will reward you with a splendid display of colorful wildflowers. Animals like deer, marmots (a type of ground squirrel), and even bears can sometimes be seen from the trail. We saw a mother deer with her two fawns (see photo) just off the trail - amazing! Tharp’s Log (a cabin carved out of a fallen sequoia tree) is interesting. You can access Crescent Meadow at the end of the Moro Rock/Crescent Meadow Road.
 |
Pat at Overlook to Moro Rock
|
Moro Rock is a conspicuous granite outcropping on the edge of the Giant Forest (see photo). Climbing to the top offers a spectacular view of the Great Western Divide and the western half of the park. To reach the top of this granite dome, you climb 350 stairs 300 feet to the top. The small parking area is two miles from the Generals Highway. In the busy season, free shuttles lead to the parking area from Giant Forest Museum. It is one of Sequoia National Park's most popular walks. Travel Tip: Even if you are not up for 350 stairs at high altitude, you can see a partial view from the parking lot making stopping at Moro Rock still enjoyable. |
Driving Tunnel Log
|
On Crescent Meadow Road, Tunnel Log is fun opportunity to drive through a fallen Giant Sequoia tree (see photo) estimated to be over 2,000 years old and 21 feet in diameter.
 |
Crystal Cave - Sequoia National Park
|
Another popular Sequoia National Park attraction, Crystal Cave is an underground world of magnificent marble caverns and cave formations (see photo). Crystal Cave may only be seen on a group tour due to its delicate structures and is open only during the busy season. The tours are appropriate for people of all ages by the Sequoia Natural History Association and vary in cost and duration from 50 minutes (most common) to 6 hours. The cave has a half-mile circular route accessed by a half-mile hike from the parking lot. You should expect to spend about a half day getting to the cavern, walking to the entryway, and enjoying the 50-minute guided tour. Tickets are not sold at the cave and sell out during the busy season. You will need to purchase your tour tickets online at least two days in advance at www.sequoiaparkconservacy.org A limited number of tickets may be available at the Foothills or Lodgepole Visitor Centers.
 |
Tokopah Falls - Sequoia National Park
|
Cascading down 1,200 feet Tokopah Falls is the tallest and most impressive waterfall in the Park, especially in spring and early summer (see photo). By September it was pretty much dried up. It is impressive made up of a series of small cascades over craggy rocks creating many different viewpoints to admire the falls. Surrounded by dark gray rocks and tall trees it looks like something out of a fantasy movie. The trail to Tokopah Falls starts just beyond the Marble Fork Bridge in the Lodgepole Campground. It is an a 3.4-mile round trip hike along the Marble Fork of the Kaweah River to the impressive granite cliffs and the waterfall. Here along Generals Highway Lodgepole Visitor Center offers a museum, restaurant, and market.
 |
Wuksachi Pizza Deck - Wuksachi Lodge
|
There are 3 places to dine in Sequoia National Park. At the Wuksachi Lodge, for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the upscale Peaks Restaurant was our favorite with large windows and a great menu and the Wuksachi Pizza Deck serving pizza, hamburgers, organic salads, and sandwiches on a causal open desk overlooking the forest (see photo). Lodgepole Grill, Market, and Snack Bar offers tasty grilled items for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Here at the market you can pick up items for a picnic or dining at your lodging or campground.
 |
Wuksachi Lodge - Sequoia National Park
|
We enjoyed our stay at the Wuksachi Lodge, likely the best place to stay in Sequoia National Park. Encircled by a forest of towering sequoia trees and magnificent Sierra peaks, the Wuksachi Lodge has 102 rooms, a gift shop, a very nice restaurant (The Peaks). There is plenty of parking and the rooms are located about 5-minute walk from the Lodge through a forest path. Internet available in the rooms is good for checking email, social media sites, etc. but you will not be able to stream data.Sequoia National Park or Kings Canyon National Park?
 |
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
|
The two Parks are technically separate. Since Kings Canyon is only about 45 minutes north of Sequoia National Park’s border, they have been managed together since the 1940s. Buying an entrance pass at either park will grant you access to both of them for a full week.From our experience, we preferred Sequoia National Park. If you have time, you may want to visit both Parks spending more time in Sequoia National Park. We enjoyed doing that.
Sequoia National Park benefits: Larger and better groves and more trails, More lodging, Free shuttle from late May to early September, Several interesting Visitor Centers and museums, Upscale restaurant, and More points of interest and accessible attractions for first-time visitors including taller trees and a wider variety of hiking trails
 |
Hiking Trails - Both Parks
|
Kings Canyon National Park benefits: Less crowds, Nice campgrounds and cabins, Beautiful canyons and rough granite peaks, Nice Village, and Some nice features (see below)Travel Tips: Lodging within the Parks is limited and books out way in advance, especially during the busy season, so do plan ahead if you want to stay in the Parks. Although there are no gas stations within the Parks, there is one place you can fill your tank between the Parks at Stoney Creek Campsite located just outside of the Parks on Generals Highway.
Kings Canyon National Park
Kings Canyon National Park features hikes, beautiful canyons, waterfalls, and a nice Village. You can visit the world's second largest tree, the General Grant Tree, in the Grant Grove area. Other groves such as Redwood Canyon and Muir Grove are destinations for longer wilderness hikes.
 |
General Grant Tree
|
Kings Canyon National Park’s Grant Grove, accessible by a short spur road from Highway 180 is located just 1.5 miles from the Kings Canyon Visitor Center. It has a high percentage of mature sequoia trees that reach sizes of ten to twenty feet in diameter. The immense General Grant Tree is amazing. It is celebrated each year as America’s Christmas tree. The very nice 1/3-mile paved loop General Grant Tree Trail leads to the General Grant Tree and includes other named trees and features, including beautiful meadows, the Gamlin Cabin, the Fallen Monarch, and the Centennial Stump.From the overflow parking lot at General Grant Tree, you can access the 1.8-mile North Grants Loop Trail where you will find many large sequoia trees. We found the trail not as well maintained as the ones in Sequoia National Park with some hills that require a bit more degree of fitness to enjoy. The 1/2-mile Panoramic Point Trail takes you to a beautiful canyon vista. It can be accessed by the Panoramic Point Road starting next to John Muir Lodge.
 |
Grant Grove Village - Kings Canyon National Park
|
Lodging, dining, and shopping in Kings Canyon National Park at the Grant Grove Village features a visitor center for information and an interesting museum (great for kids) with a nice movie, cabins and the John Muir Lodge (see below), market for groceries (including beer and wine), gift shop, Post Office, ATM, and most notably, the General Grant Tree within walking distance (parking at the nearby General Grant Tree parking lot saves some walking). The family-friendly Grant Grove Restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner serving light meals and snacks and offers. Try outdoor dining on their balcony overlooking a meadow and forest.
 |
| Kings Canyon Scenic Byway |
For a wonderful day trip, drive through Kings Canyon where the Park gets its name. You will be surrounded by beautiful glacier-craved granite mountains passing through Cedar Grove on the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway. Along the way, you can enjoy a host of interesting adventures including Boyden Cavern, Grizzly Falls, Roaring River Falls, Zumwalz Meadow, and the Cedar Grove Visitor Center and Village.
Boyden Cavern is an underground cave filled with stalactites and stalagmites. Guided walking tours last about 45 minutes (see photo). Departure times vary based on availability during the season. This cave is small but still interesting. There is a rather steep climb up to the entrance - doable although those with mobility issues may want to reconsider.
 |
Roaring River Falls
|
Just off of Highway 180, you can take in the beauty of Roaring River Falls (see photo). It is a short 0.3-mile paved tree-lined walk from the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway. Water rushes through a narrow granite gap down a 40-foot drop creating a small but nice waterfall. Grizzly Falls can be visited with an easy 0.1-mile round-trip walk from the Grizzly Falls Picnic Area on the north side of the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway. It drys up sooner than Roaring River Falls.
 |
Zumwalz Meadow Trail
|
We liked the Zumwalz Meadow Trail near the end of the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway. The beginning is wonderful walking through the wilderness forest along the South Fork of the Kings River. A forested river walk is always wonderful (see photo). Just before the bridge on the way back walk down to the river and sit and enjoy this beautiful place with relaxing river sounds that clears you worries away. The end of the trail is rather rocky and people were having problems with it. Also, fully accessing the meadow is blocked off. So, depending on your hiking abilities, you may want to skip going all the way to the meadow.If you are hungry you can stop at the Cedar Grove Grill in the Cedar Grove Visitor Center for counter-service offering breakfast, lunch, and dinner with indoor and outdoor seating.
 |
Mist Falls
|
Though Roaring River and Grizzly Falls may be the quickest to accessed waterfalls as you drive up the Kings Canyon, at the end there is Mist Falls that has a striking 100-foot drop (see photo). The 8-mile loop takes about 4 to 5 hours to complete and rewards you with one of the largest waterfalls in the Parks.
 |
Lobby at John Muir Lodge
|
Surrounded by the forest, we enjoyed our stay at the John Muir Lodge, near the Grant Grove Village, within minutes of historic Grant Grove and its forest of giant sequoia trees. Built in 1998, the John Muir Lodge features 36 rooms with a grand room lobby with open beam ceilings and a stone fireplace (see photo). Games, puzzles, and books are available in the lobby. Public balconies at the end of the building provide a great place to enjoy the Sierra sunset. Internet is available. In the evening there is often a fire burning in the lobby fireplace and you may meet other interesting guests.
 |
| Thorps Log Cabin Crescent Meadow |
Travel Tip: If you plan to visit the National Parks, Seniors 62+ should purchase the America The Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands Pass allowing you to visit all 429 national parks in the United States at a discount - one-time, yearly, and life-time passes are available. Passes for non-seniors are also available with military and others free entry passes.
 |
Pat at Big Trees Trail - Sequoia National Park
|
Giant sequoia trees thrive in higher elevation habitats then the coastal giant redwoods. They grow naturally only along the western slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains primarily between 5,000 and 7,000 feet in elevation - too cold above and too dry below. Giant sequoia trees require the periodic dry heat or fire to clear the ground cover for sequoia tree cones to open and release seeds. Amid the groves of giant sequoia trees, you will also find other trees including ponderosa pine, sugar pine, white fir, black oak, Jeffrey pines, and incense cedar.
 |
Wayne on Tunnel Log
|
Getting and Staying in the Parks… Take CA 198 into Sequoia National Park and CA180 into Kings Canyon National Park. You can drive between the Parks on the scenic Generals Highway. For lodging reservations, use www.visitsequoia.com. For campground reservations, use www.recreation.gov.
 |
California's Sierra Nevada
|
Some History… Sequoia National Park is United States’ second national park established by President Benjamin Harrison in 1890, following the creation of Yellowstone in 1872. Kings Canyon came later joining the system when President Franklin D. Roosevelt established the park in 1940. Now Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are administered jointly with over 800,000 acres of protected wilderness, 97% designated as wilderness. Today these national Parks have 1.5 million visitors every year.
 |
Wayne on Congress Trail
|
Best Time to Visit… While Sequoia National Park is accessible all year, the ideal time to visit is from early June to the end of August, when the climate is nice. The wildflowers are beautiful from April to July. Summer is a popular time to visit and is crowded and sometimes hot. Choosing late spring or early fall, you can avoid the hordes of tourists. Early spring through late fall brings unpredictable weather with heavy snow in the winter closing some roads. Check with the park for updates on weather conditions and road closures. We had beautiful weather mid-September with low crowds. Although the shuttle isn’t running, Crystal Cave is closed, and some of the waterfalls are dry, having low crowds with parking available is a very acceptable tradeoff.
 |
Three Rivers Entrance
|
When visiting Sequoia National Park, lodging is also available at Three Rivers about an hour drive from the park’s main features. The town's name comes from its location near the junction of the North, Middle, and South Forks of the Kaweah River. It is considered the "Gateway to the Sequoias”.We enjoyed our wilderness visit to these wonderful National Parks!
Click on these links to see our other posts on beautiful California:
Laguna Beach, California
Mammoth Lakes, California
Please
enjoy 275+ wonderful places around the world, with award-winning
photos, from our BLOG ARCHIVE on the right ---->
Travel for half the cost for all levels of travel from budget to luxury and 100's of other unique travel tips! From a
former Economic professor, experienced traveler
(106 countries), award-winning travel photojournalist/blogger, featured speaker at large travel shows,
host of the travel TV show Plan Your Escape® TV aired on the CW network,
and travel columnist for the Huffington Post, and experienced traveler (100 countries), our popular 5-star customer rated groundbreaking and comprehensive how-to world travel book Plan Your Escape, Secrets of Traveling the World for Less Than the Cost of Living at Home reveals secrets how you can travel and see more for half the cost for all
trips from weekend getaways to longer vacations and trips, experience more adventure
and romance, safely realize your travel dreams with comprehensive planning tools & checklists, travel the world for less
than $100/day for a couple, and much more!
Buy this popular book on Amazon.com (also available as Ebook for $9.99), CLICK HERE
No comments:
Post a Comment
We love to hear from you!