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Hiking Overview: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park, California
- A forested path to the 8,209-foot summit of Big Baldy follows a ridge with several overlooks along the east wall of Redwood Canyon. Enjoy a stunning 360-degree view of Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks.
- From the Wolverton trailhead, embark on a very steep trail to the top of 11,204-foot Alta Peak to witness a fabulous panorama of peaks: Mt. Goddard to the north, the peaks of Mineral King to the south, Mt. Whitney to the east, and the San Joaquin Valley and Coast Range to the west.
- The climb to Lookout Peak provides an incredible view of the park's backcountry. This strenuous, all-day hike is 13 miles round-trip and climbs about 4,000 feet to the summit.
- Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks offer more than 850 miles of wilderness trails. More than 723,000 of the parks' acres are officially designated as Wilderness.
- Mist Falls follows the South Fork Canyon through forest and chaparral and past dramatic rapids and cascades to one of the largest waterfalls in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. The first part of this eight-mile round-trip is relatively flat with a steep climb in the end.
- Walk down to the General Sherman Tree, the largest, single-trunked living tree on earth. Allow 20 minutes each way for the trip.
- The 16 steep, narrow road miles from Ash Mountain to Giant Forest include 130 curves and 12 switchbacks. A vehicle-length advisory of 22 feet is suggested for the 12 steepest miles within that stretch.
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With more than 85 percent of their combined area declared wilderness, Sequoia and Kings Canyon are great hiking parks—there's no other way to get anywhere. The parks don't even have an east-west cross-Sierra route.
Hiking Features
The Pacific Crest Trail extends the length of the parks. The John Muir Trail overlaps the PCT in the park, except for the tail that clambers to the top of Mount Whitney.
Here's an overview of the features that make each section of Kings Canyon and Sequoia a unique hiking experience:
Cedar Grove is a prime destination for backpackers, though of course day hiking is excellent too. The Kings River cuts through this glaciated valley, branching off into several creeks. Trails follow the water as it winds through meadows and falls over impressive granite cliffs. This section of the park closes in the winter because of road conditions.
Most trails in Grant Grove are short jaunts beneath the tall trees, including Kings Canyon's most famous, the General Grant Tree. If park history interests you, this is the place to go—interpretive signs line many of the routes. Keep in mind that easy access means this region can get oppressively crowded on busy summer days.
Giant Forest is home to Sequoia's tallest tree, General Sherman, also known as the World's Largest Living Thing. But hikers generally come to this region for the views from Mount Silliman, Alta Peak, and Moro Rock, where you can look down onto the Great Western Divide. Like Grant Grove, this area sees more than its share of summer weekend visitors.
Situated at the end of a precarious 25-mile road, Mineral King is probably the least visited section of Sequoia. The main draw for hikers is the number of pristine alpine lakes within day-hike distance. Backpackers have the advantage of waking up to perfectly still water, where deer and marmots congregate in surprising numbers. The road is closed in winter.
If you appreciate spring wildlflowers, or anytime-of-year oak savanna, the foothills trails around park headquarters at Ash Mountain are hard to beat. Summers here are hot and dry, supporting a totally different ecosystem than other parts of the park. Highlights are the rock formations and technicolor meadows.
Hiking Areas
Seldom-Seen Sierra
Hiking in the remote Mineral King area.
Sierra Boomerang
A classic high country loop.
Bear Dam and Onion Valley
Two superb high Sierra backpacks.
Details mentioned in this article were accurate at the time of publication
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Package Trips:
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from $250USDfor 2 daysEnquire and BookOperated by Sequoia High Sierra Camp
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from $1465USDfor 8 daysEnquire and BookOperated by Call of the Wild
