Sequoia and Kings Canyon are administered as a single park. Together they cover 865,000 acres of the southern Sierra — the largest tree on earth (General Sherman), one of the deepest canyons in the lower 48 (Kings Canyon), and Mt Whitney (14,505 ft, the highest point in the contiguous US).
Day 1 — Giant Forest
Enter Sequoia National Park from the Foothills entrance (Three Rivers, CA). Drive up to Giant Forest. Walk the Congress Trail (a 2-mile loop through the most concentrated grove of giant sequoias) — General Sherman, Lincoln, the McKinley Tree, the Senate Group. Don't just see Sherman from the paved overlook; walk the trail.
Drive to Moro Rock (a 0.4-mile staircase climb up the granite dome). Sunset there is iconic — Kings Canyon basin to the north, Great Western Divide to the east.
Camp at Lodgepole.
Day 2 — Mineral King
Drive into Mineral King (90 minutes off the main park road, narrow winding mountain road, slow). The valley is high alpine — 7,800 ft — surrounded by 12,000-ft peaks. Hike Eagle Lake (6.8 miles round-trip) or Sawtooth Pass (10 miles round-trip if you have the legs).
Marmots: in late spring, they chew car wiring for the salt. Cover the engine compartment with a tarp; the visitor center sells wraps.
Day 3 — Kings Canyon
Drive Highway 180 east into Kings Canyon proper. The road descends a vertical mile in 30 miles, ending at Cedar Grove (a deep-canyon valley). Hike to Mist Falls (8 miles round-trip, follow Kings River). Drive home via the same route — the 'Kings Canyon Scenic Byway' is a National Scenic Byway and worth the slow drive.
What to pack
- Bear canister required for all overnight backcountry
- 3L hydration + filter
- Layers — Giant Forest at 6,500 ft is cool; Mineral King at 8,000 ft is colder
- Hiking boots
- Trekking poles for Mineral King's pass-crossings
The General Sherman tree weighs 1,400 tons, has been alive for 2,200 years, and is still growing. Touching the bark is one of the more unexpectedly emotional experiences in any national park.
Sequoia-ready kit: camp cooking. Plan the trip: Sequoia destination page.