Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks are contiguous parks in the center the High Sierras. Established in 1890, Sequoia is the second oldest National Park in the system, behind only Yellowstone. Kings Canyon was made a National Park in 1940.
Much of Sequoia was hit hard by wildfires in 2021, so our itinerary may depend on what is open and safe when we arrive in July of 2022. We hope to visit Moro Rock, the Giant Forest Museum, Crystal Cave, and the General Sherman Tree. We also hope to string together a number of hikes in the Grant Grove. In Kings Canyon, we will explore the scenic byway and hike the Mist Falls Trail. We’ll be staying at Stony Creek Campground (in Sequoia National Forest) and Cedar Grove Lodge.
Itinerary
We are presenting our itinerary as we lived it. Not the plan, but rather what we were actually able to accomplish. Naturally there are some missed goals and some serendipitous surprises. We always rolled with the punches and made the best out of our time in the national parks. Below we have included some notes that explain how the itinerary changed from what we had in mind.
It’s important to know that these plans were made to suit the abilities and interests of two young girls aged 10 and 12. We feel confident that any family on their “Every Kid Outdoors Summer” (4th grade) could handle this itinerary. For hikes, we have listed the distance, elevation gain, and time that we tracked, which may differ from published (or actual) measurements.
Day 1
Afternoon
Hike: Big Stump Loop (1.8 miles, 300 feet, 45 minutes)
Grant Grove Village and Visitor Center (Junior Ranger books)
Hike: General Grant Tree Trail (0.6 miles RT, minimal gain, 45 minutes)
Evening
Overnight at Stony Creek Campground
Day 2
Morning
Visit Giant Forest MuseumVisit Lodgepole Visitor Center
Hike: Tall Trees Trail (1.3-mile loop, flat, 1 hour)
Hike: Congress Trail + General Sherman Tree (2.0 miles RT, 300 feet, 1.5 hours)
Afternoon
Foothills Visitor Center
Swimming hole at Potiwash
Hike: Moro Rock (350 steps)
Auto Log
Tunnel Log
Hike: Crescent Meadow + Tharp’s Log (1.6 miles RT, 150 feet, 1 hour)
Evening
Dinner at Wuksachi Pizza Deck
Overnight at Stony Creek Campground
Day 3
Morning
Hike: Buena Vista Peak (2.3 miles RT, 450 feet, 1 hour)
Afternoon
Lunch in van
Ride: 2-hour ride at Grant Stables
Evening
Kings Canyon Visitor Center
Overnight at Stony Creek Campground
Day 4
Morning
Drive scenic Kings Canyon Byway
Afternoon
Hike: Ranger Guided hike at Zumwalt Meadow (1.5 miles loop, 100 feet, 1 hour)
Cedar Grove Visitor Center
Evening
Roaring River Falls
Overnight at Cedar Grove Lodge
Day 5
Morning
Hike: Mist Falls Trail (9.5 miles RT, 1000 feet, 4.5 hours)
Evening
Overnight at Cedar Grove Lodge
Notes
We entered Sequoia–Kings Canyon from the west, splitting time between the Grant Grove, Giant Forest, and Cedar Grove sections. That made the General Grant Tree our first big redwood of the week, and it delivered.
In the Giant Forest, we managed to check off all the greatest hits: Moro Rock, Tunnel Log, Crescent Meadow, and of course the General Sherman Tree. We added a few extra hikes, including Tall Trees Trail, which became a surprise favorite thanks to its interpretive signs and peaceful loop around the meadow.
The highlights of the middle days were a smaller peaks (Buena Vista) and a horseback ride, both offering solitude and rewarding views. Day four was spent descending into Kings Canyon, one of the most underrated drives in the national park system. It felt wild, remote, and massive.
We closed our stay with a full-day effort to Mist Falls, one of the longest hikes we tackled all summer. We left tired, sore, and thrilled. These parks, with their blend of giant trees and deep canyons, offered a slower pace and lots of unexpected beauty.
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