Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are located in the heart of California, equidistant from Los Angeles and San Francisco, south of Yosemite National Park and to the west of Las Vegas and Death Valley National Park.
Image Credit: Jeremy Thompson
Visitors can enjoy staying in lodges, tent cabins, or under the starlit sky in the company of the world’s largest living things - giant sequoia trees which reach a height of up to 311 feet and can live for 3000 years, and giant redwoods which typically grow taller than their cousins but not as wide. The largest tree in the world - indeed, the largest living organism on the planet - the General Sherman Tree, can be found here with a height of 275 feet, a width of 100 feet, and an impressive weight of 2.7 million pounds.
Image Credit: James St. John
The mountainous landscape of the Parks offer more than 800 miles of hiking trails, and the ability to enjoy outdoor activities such as horseback riding, fly fishing, stargazing, and cave exploration during the summer months; the marble Crystal Cave is full of icicle-like stalactites and subterranean streams. During the winter months, you can swap your hiking boots for snowshoes, sleds, and cross-country skis and gather around the decorated General Grant Tree, nicknamed “the Nation’s Christmas Tree” by President Coolidge. Climb the granite dome of Moro Rock for a fantastic sunset view at any time of the year and watch out for the peregrine falcon.
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For those not able to explore on foot, or wanting to see a wider variety of scenery, the Parks suggest a number of driving routes to explore: Panoramic Point Road offers great viewing spots and leads to Hume Lake; Generals Highway connects the two parts through giant sequoia groves; Kings Canyon Scenic Byway winds down through carved granite into Kings Canyon. The Majestic Mountain Loop uses existing highways and offers a three-day driving itinerary covering many points of interest. It’s worth noting however that 84% of the Parks is designated as wilderness, so is only accessible by foot or horseback.
Image Credit: Wesley Fryer
There are numerous visitor centres dotted around the Parks providing information to enable nature-lovers to find out more about the local wilderness. You can find out more about the ranger programmes and book cave tours at these locations too; the knowledgeable rangers cover everything from Bear Essentials, to Tree Talks and evening programmes too.
Image Credit: Matthew Dillon
There are a number of areas to stay within the Parks, including: Wuksachi Lodge, Sequoia National Park’s signature hotel with the best access to all attractions; John Muir Lodge within the Grant Grove Village in Kings Canyon National Park; Cedar Grove Lodge, ideal for exploring Kings Canyon; Grant Grove Cabins, featuring the Honeymoon Cabin built in 1910; and Bearpaw Camp, which can be hiked to from Wuksachi Lodge on the High Sierra Trail.
Title Image Credit: Matthew Dillon (Image Cropped)