Sequoia National Park is home to the LARGEST tree in the world, alpine lakes, a beautiful cave system and plenty of other great trails and views. Located right next door, Kings Canyon National Park has its own massive sequoia trees. But Kings Canyon also has more to offer - it’s home to one of the deepest canyons in the United States. The two parks are located less than an hour apart, so it’s easy to visit both on the same trip.
I slightly preferred Kings Canyon for the incredible views and the fewer crowds. I was shocked to learn that only about half of the visitors to Sequoia visit Kings Canyon. I highly recommend taking the time to visit both!
This 3-day itinerary for Sequoia and Kings Canyon combines some of the best trails and viewpoints in both parks and is a great itinerary for those who love hiking and seeing as much as possible during their trips.
This guide is based on my experience visiting these two parks in July of 2025.
Tips and Things To Know About Visiting Sequoia and Kings Canyon
- Sequoia and Kings Canyon charge an entry fee of $35. The pass lasts 7 days and is valid for both parks. If you’ll be visiting other national parks over the course of a year, the America the Beautiful annual pass is a great deal!
- Sequoia National Park has a shuttle system that you may need or want to use during peak times. The shuttles inside the park are free, and there are 4 different routes to choose from. Most likely, you’ll want to park at the Lodgepole Visitor Center to take the shuttle, as they tend to have the most parking available.
- Black bears live in Sequoia and Kings Canyon, meaning that it’s important to properly store your food so that bears cannot reach it.
- The Guide Along audio tour is a great way to learn about the parks as you drive! Be sure to download it ahead of time. I’ve used these guides in countless parks and always love them.
- I recommend heading to a grocery at the beginning of your trip and enjoying picnics for most of your meals. However, there are also restaurants inside the parks. I ate at both the Grant Grove Restaurant and the Lodgepole Market & Grill. Both restaurants had a good amount of vegetarian options, but they were expensive and just okay.
Please make it a priority to leave no trace during your visit. That includes following rules for campfires, packing out all of your trash, staying on the trails (don’t damage the sequoia tree roots), never approaching wildlife and respecting those around you. Let’s keep these parks beautiful for future generations! Learn more at lnt.org.
When to Visit Sequoia and Kings Canyon
Sequoia and Kings Canyon are beautiful to visit year round, but summer is the most popular time to visit. Winter is a peaceful time, but you’ll experience road closures, tire chain requirements and snowy trails.
Spring often lasts until mid-June, and tire chains may still be required. But it’s a great time to see wildflowers in the foothills.
Fall is a great time to see foliage and enjoy less crowds. Light snow tends to begin in late October.
The vast majority of people visit during the summer (including myself). Trails and roads are open and you might get to see wildflowers among the sequoia trees. The summer months can be quite crowded, so it’s helpful to visit the most popular areas early in the morning.
Where to Stay in Sequoia and Kings Canyon
The closest major city to Sequoia and Kings Canyon is Fresno, which is located an hour and 10 minutes from Kings Canyon. There are a handful of lodging options as you approach the parks, such as Cyndi's Snowline Lodge or Gena's Sierra Inn.
Just south of Sequoia National Park, the town of Three Rivers makes a great base, and has some good restaurants. There are several options for cabins and hotels in this town, such as the Rio Sierra Riverhouse, Bellevue Guesthouse and the Lazy J Ranch Motel.
Personally, I stayed inside of Kings Canyon at the John Muir Lodge, and thought it was super convenient. The John Muir Lodge is centrally located and right next to a restaurant and convenience shop. The lodge was not fancy, but made for a comfortable stay. I always love staying inside of the busiest parks so that I can beat the crowds without getting up as early.
Other places to stay inside of Sequoia and Kings Canyon include one of the 14 campgrounds inside the parks, the Wuksachi Lodge, the Cedar Grove Lodge or the Grant Grove Cabins.
How to Get to Sequoia and Kings Canyon
The most convenient airport to fly into to visit Kings Canyon and Sequoia is the Fresno Yosemite International Airport. It’s located a little over an hour from Kings Canyon National Park and has nonstop flights from 14 major US cities.
San Francisco is also located about 4.5 hours from the parks, and has more flight options.
It’s also common for visitors to combine their trip to Sequoia and Kings Canyon with a trip to Yosemite, as this popular park is about 3 and a half hours north of Kings Canyon.
How to Spend 3 Days in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
Sequoia and Kings Canyon Itinerary - Day One
Spend the first day of your trip exploring Sequoia National Park.
Drive through the Tunnel Log
Start your day with a quick drive through the famous Tunnel Log. A giant tree fell across the road in 1937, and a tunnel was cut through the log as an attraction the following year. The tree is estimated to have been over 2,000 years old when it fell.
The tunnel is 17 feet wide and 8 feet high. There is a bypass if your vehicle won’t fit through the narrow opening.
Hike to the Top of Moro Rock
Just a few minutes from the Tunnel Log, you can get some epic views from the short hike to the top of Moro Rock. Moro Rock is an iconic granite dome that you can see from the drive up into Sequoia from the south.
There are 350 steps built into the rock, along with handrails along the way. The trail is about a half mile round trip with 183 feet of elevation gain. The views at the top are well worth the steep climb.
The parking lot for this trail is relatively small, so it’s best to go early. However, you can also take the park shuttle. The road also closes to private vehicles on weekends in the summer, so the shuttle may be necessary.
Hike the Congress Trail
While it’s still early, head to the most famous icon in the park - the General Sherman Tree. The General Sherman Tree is the largest tree in the WORLD by volume. It’s about 275 feet tall and has a circumference of over 100 feet at the ground. It’s hard to fathom how large it really is while standing at the base.
You can either hike to the General Sherman Tree via the Congress Trail parking lot, or there is a closer lot that is only for cars with disability parking placards. You can also take the shuttle to this closer lot, which has a wheelchair-accessible trail to the Sherman Tree.
I recommend getting a photo with the General Sherman Tree early, as huge lines can form in the late morning and afternoon.
If you enjoy hiking, I highly recommend continuing on from the General Sherman Tree to hike the Congress Trail. It’s a loop hike that’s 2.9 miles with a bit under 500 feet of elevation gain.
The trail takes you past groves of sequoia trees (including some labeled as the “The House,” “The Senate,” and the “The President”). Plus, I enjoyed stunning wildflowers along this trail in early July! Not only is the hike beautiful, but it’s a great way to escape the crowds surrounding the Sherman Tree.
Take a Tour of Crystal Cave
A tour of Crystal Cave makes a great addition to your Sequoia itinerary! The cave recently reopened in 2025 after being closed for 4 years due to Covid and fire damage.
The cave is located down a narrow and curvy road. Make sure to reserve your tickets in advance and don’t drive this road unless you have tickets, as they do not sell any tickets in person.
Need to Know: Make sure to reserve your tickets to Crystal Cave at least 36 hours in advance.
The cave tours are managed by the Sequoia Parks Conservancy, which has a long-standing mission to give back to Sequoia and Kings Canyon. This wonderful organization raises money for wildlife recovery, has educational and outreach programs, restores wildlife habitats and has a range of other goals.
The cave tour itself is a lot of fun. You’ll start by hiking down a trail to reach the cave entrance. There are some great views and even some waterfalls towards the bottom, but they ask you not to linger too long due to a chance of falling rocks.
You’ll enter the cave via an impressive entrance gate that looks like a giant spider web. And then you’ll get to admire a cavern carved in marble. The trail inside the cave is about a half mile and the tour lasts 50 minutes.
Fun Fact: There are many caves inside of Sequoia and Kings Canyon, but only two are open to the public. The other cave is Boyden Cavern, which is privately owned and located along the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway.
Visit the Giant Forest Museum, Beetle Rock and/or Sunset Rock
As your day in Sequoia National Park winds to a close, see if you can visit the Giant Forest Museum before it closes at 6. Hopefully the parking has become available if it was full earlier in the day.
The museum is small, but provides important context about how the park management mistreated the sequoia trees over a 100 years ago (the park was established in 1890). In the early years of Sequoia, they would sometimes cut down trees to make space for more tourism, and damaged some of the trees left standing.
Across the street from the Giant Forest Museum, it’s worth a quick stop at Beetle Rock. You can get beautiful views of the mountains from a granite dome with a quick, quarter mile walk.
If you’re up for a slightly longer trail, the 1.6-mile hike to Sunset Rock also begins from this parking lot. As the name suggests, this is a beautiful spot to watch the sunset.
Sequoia and Kings Canyon Itinerary - Day Two
Spend your second day exploring Kings Canyon National Park.
Drive the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway
Start your day with an early morning drive on the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway. This stunning drive is 50 miles and has many spectacular views. You’ll be able to pull over and look down into the deep canyon.
Fun Fact: Kings Canyon reaches a depth of 8,200 feet.
This is a great time to listen to the Guide Along audio guide, as they tell stories along the drive, and will provide recommendations for the best overlooks.
Hike to Mist Falls
When you reach Roads End, I highly recommend the hike to Mist Falls. The trail is 7.5 miles with 875 feet of elevation gain and leads to a beautiful waterfall. The waterfall is nice, but I loved the canyon views along this trail even more. At about 3.3 miles into the hike, you’ll get an epic viewpoint of the white granite rocks that curve into the narrow valley.
It’s best to start this trail early as there will be little shade later in the day. Plus, the trailhead parking lot does fill up during peak times.
Tip: Bring insect repellent for this trail, the mosquitoes can be bad.
Visit Roaring River Falls and/or Grizzly Falls
After hiking to Mist Falls, there are a few other nearby stops that you may want to consider. You can hike to Roaring River Falls, which is a quick, 0.3 mile trail. However, you might have difficulty parking there in the afternoon or late morning.
There is also a visitor center nearby at Cedar Grove. This is a great spot to ask a ranger questions, get a stamp or pick up a souvenir.
Finally, Grizzly Falls (technically located in Sequoia National Forest) makes for a beautiful picnic area. It’s a very short walk to the waterfall and they have some picnic tables. However, this is another spot that might be quite crowded. You may need to be patient to get a parking spot.
Hike the General Grant Trail
Head back to the Grant Grove Village area of Kings Canyon to see a couple of the most popular spots in Kings Canyon. Hopefully the crowds have reduced a bit if it’s later in the day.
The General Grant Trail is another beautiful place to see giant sequoia trees. The short trail is most famous for the General Grant Tree, which is the third largest tree in the world.
The short, 0.7-mile loop trail also leads you past other giant sequoia trees, and there is even a fallen tree that has been hollowed out for you to walk through. This fun trail is a great one to include on your Kings Canyon itinerary.
Visit the Big Stump
The Big Stump is another quick stop that is worth visiting in Kings Canyon National Park. The story of how this came to be is a sad one. This giant sequoia tree, which was named the Mark Twain tree, was cut down in 1891 in order to be displayed around the world.
What is unique about this spot is that they’ve built steps to the top of the stump, so you can walk on top of it and admire the many rings. You can reach the stump from a quick walk from the road (park right after the entrance of Kings Canyon, there are a few parking spots on the side of the road) or from the Big Stump Picnic Area, which has a larger parking lot. The trail from the picnic area is 1.7-miles round trip.
Watch the Sunset at Panoramic Point
Finally, end your day with a stunning sunset at Panoramic Point. To reach this spot, you’ll drive up a narrow road that leaves from the Grant Grove Village.
To reach the viewpoint from the parking lot, you’ll need to hike uphill a quarter mile (the trail is 0.5 miles round trip). The short trek is very much worth it for the views! You’ll be able to see surrounding mountains, distant lakes and a glow as the sun sets. This was one of my favorite places in Sequoia and Kings Canyon!
Pro Tip: While I enjoyed this spot at sunset, it faces East, so it would probably be better at sunrise. And I think it’s worth a stop no matter what time of day you can visit.
Sequoia and Kings Canyon Itinerary - Day Three
For day three in Sequoia and Kings Canyon, I’m going to recommend a few more hiking options that each offer a variety of views.
Hike to Tokopah Falls
Tokopah Falls is a popular trail in Sequoia that leaves from the Lodgepole Campground. The hike is 4-miles round trip and leads you to a beautiful waterfall cascading down rocks.
The trail mostly follows along the Marble Fork Kaweah River, which makes for some lovely views. The last little stretch is rocky, and then you’ll reach the waterfall. This trail can be crowded, but is worth doing if you’re looking for a moderate trail with a nice reward.
Hike to Big Baldy
Big Baldy is an underrated trail located in Kings Canyon. You’ll park on the side of the road to begin the hike. While parking is limited, this trail tends to not be as crowded as many others.
The hike is 4.6-miles with just over 1,000 feet of elevation gain, so it makes for a nice workout. The peak is a great reward with 360-views and plenty of space to spread out on the ridge. I really enjoyed this trail!
Hike to an Alpine Lake
If you’re up for a challenge, Sequoia and Kings Canyon have some gorgeous alpine lake trails, but they tend to be difficult.
One trail that’s on my list for next time is the hike to Pear Lake via the Watchtower Trail. The hike is 11.9 miles with over 3,000 feet of elevation gain, and leads to a gorgeous alpine lake with endless views along the way.
I’d also love to backpack the Rae Lakes Loop trail someday. The trek leaves from the Roads End in Kings Canyon, and is over 39 miles. It’s typically done in 3-5 days and advanced permits are required between May and September. From the end of September to mid-May, permits are free and self-issued.
Final Thoughts
I hope this guide helps you discover the best things to do in Sequoia and Kings Canyon, and plan an epic trip. These parks have a wonderful variety of landscapes, from the giant sequoia trees to the waterfalls to the deep canyon, and more. Whether you’re just visiting these parks or headed on a California road trip, these parks are worth spending a few days.
For more West Coast Travel Guides, read these blogs:
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