Expect to drive an additional 1-2 hours up winding mountain roads to arrive at the most popular Sequoia National Park attractions. The drive from Zumwalt Meadows in Kings Canyon to our first stop in Sequoia, the General Sherman tree, takes 1.5 to 2 hours (63 miles). Extensive road damage requiring significant repairs occurred during winter storms in early 2023. After this fork, the main highway enters into a series of steep switchbacks, dropping into the deep canyon of the Middle Fork Kaweah River. Most reviewed company in Peru! There is a 2-mile leisurely walk (Crescent Meadow Loop) through alpine forests and a meadow filled with wildflowers during the summer months. Stroll a lovely meadow trail and hear how it got its name. Distance: 400 mi/644 km We visited Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Park on a road trip through California. During our visit, we managed to walk about 3.7 miles total. Fantastic Views.but scary driving! - Review of Kings Canyon, Sequoia With an area of 629 square miles of forest in the Sierra Nevada region of California, Sequoia National Park is adjoined by Kings Canyon National Park to the north/northeast, with the eastern boundary being at Mount Whitney (the highest mountain in the lower 48 states at 14,949 feet). Like where to fly into and rent a car for my trip close to the Sequoias? This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. Scale stone steps to reach one of the greatest vistas in the entire park. The hike up Moro Rock is a classic, composed of over 350 steps in a picturesque quarter mile climb. Or where I should depart from at the end of my trip so I am not backtracking. Big trees, impressive peaks, cartwheeling canyons and whitewater rivers will fill your windshield with Sierra splendor. As you noted, well miss things in Kings Canyon/Sequoia (and Yosemite) due to the weather. The park newspaper says that the trail is a bit scary in some sections when the trail is icy and covered in snow, but overall this 3.74 mile trail is beautiful to hike in the winter. Does anyone know if there are restrictions on when you can be up there? We have not used it, so I dont know how it lines up with our itinerary, but for $10 it sounds like a good deal if you like to learn more about what you are seeing. NOTE: During winter, parking is very limited within the park. The trail on this granite mountain is cement steps, about the same size and shape as those in your house. Here, a tunnel has been carved through a fallen sequoia, and its big enough to drive most cars through! Having binoculars made the experience even more exciting for the kids. We then go to General Sherman tree trail, afterwards, we drove along the General highway to the Kings Canyon national park, there are some overlooks in the Kings canyon portions. Sacramento This is the most epic of the trails in Sequoia offering amazing groves of sequoia trees, nature, tranquility and beauty. Distance: 365 mi/587 km The great thing about Sequoia is you can see so much of the greatness of the park from this road. The road is in reasonably good shape from the south entrance to the Wuksachi Lodge (roughly halfway), and for about another 5 miles north until you reach the Little Baldy Saddle. I would say yes, but hopefully you have an experienced driver. Since travel times to the two areas are increased during winter it is advised to pick a section for each day of your visit. On the second Sunday of December, you can Trek to the Tree, an annual Christmas celebration in the park. Studying the view with awe, I suddenly realized that I was looking right at the top half of Moro Rock, in full sun, just beyond a ridge that was in the shadow of a lone cloud! The Generals Highway is a highway that connects State Route 180 and State Route 198 through Sequoia National Park, Giant Sequoia National Monument, and Kings Canyon National Park in the Sierra Nevada of California. Take I-80 E to I-580 E. Continue onto I-205 E, merge onto I-5 N. Take CA-120 E to CA-99 S. Then take exit 133B onto CA-180 E. Continue to the Big Stump entrance of Kings Canyon National Park. Whether you stay in an Airbnb in the surrounding areas, camp in Sequoia National park or just outside, there are so many things to do with your family and kids of all ages. Cedar Grove and Zumwalt Meadows are located in the valley of Kings Canyon. The transit was nice because of the big windows; everyone got a great view, and we even took pics out of the windows. There was very little traffic in October and the trees are beautiful. Take in the views of one of the largest redwood groves in the entire world. In March this is a beautiful drive in the snow to the General Sherman Tree. It is located in a great location to be able to get to all the sights relative quickly without sitting in long lines along the way. In the parks, wildlife has the right of way. How to Drive the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway - Visit Visalia In summer, on Fridays, Saturdays, and on holidays from Memorial Day to Labor Day, long lines of cars have extended from the entrance stations. Time: 6 hours, 30 minutes At the end of the Scenic Byway is a parking area. His snow boots werent quite as great as we had hoped! Vehicle length limits and advisories are in place on many park roads, including the Generals Highway from the foothills to Giant Forest. Its a nice view but it is skippable if you just want to move on to the more popular sites. Read all of our articles about California in our California Travel Guide and about the USA in our United States Travel Guide. ), in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited. Your email address will not be published. Park roads and facilities will be gradually re-opening over the coming months. We stayed in Visalia at a Holiday Inn Express, which is about an hour drive from Sequoia National Park. Los Angeles Area If you are prone to altitude sickness (or even motion sickness), come prepared with the medication or gear you need. In addition to shoes and socks that will hold up to water and hiking, make sure everyone packs a lightweight jacket or zip up for when they get chilly in the shade, in caves or at higher elevations. When you come to the 4 Guardsmen, 4 giant sequoias that split the road, you know you have entered a new world. From the entrance of Kings Canyon National Park, you take the Generals' Highway (if it is open) south to Sequoia National Park and the Wuksach Lodge. The road ends just past Cedar Grove in Kings Canyon National Park. Would it be possible to drive a 12 or 15 seater Van like ford transit through this? MML Its a bit of a drive from the main parts of the park, but it adds much more convenience to your overall trip in these times of social distancing. Note: This post contains affiliate links. This is also the site of the Congress Trail for hikers looking for more of the parks biggest trees. Hike the Congress Trail. This is especially common in the Foothills area of Sequoia National Park. Often an attraction will be closed because of weather or other factors, so checking in with the rangers each day is a good idea. Note that some of the smaller roads like the road to Kings Canyon Panoramic Point are closed in winter. Explore a trail frequented by black bears and learn why they're not nearly as scary as they might sound. This section also consists of numerous switchbacks, and has a speed limit of 10 MPH. During our visit, even a week after the last snowstorm, there were areas of the road towards the Lodgepole Market and beyond that were still a bit icy. Bus, drive via Three Rivers 5h 46m. In Sequoia except for periodic road construction I find the roads fine. Next up is Sequoia National Park. It is roughly 50 miles from the south entrance to the road junction leading to the north entrance/exit (which is actually in Kings Canyon National Park). Most of these visitors choose to go in the summer, when temperatures are warm, but is summer the best time to visit Sequoia National Park? Extreme elevation changes over short distances means park roads are steep, narrow, and winding. There are 14 campgrounds in the two parks, including several that are open year-round. Grab panoramic photos from the phenomenal overlook. We drove through it on the way to Visalia and Three Rivers definitely has a lot more character and a better setting. Required fields are marked *. Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park Scenic Drives Distance: 36 mi/58 km I wish I was this adventurous! How is Moro Rock accessed: by car or only by shuttle?If shuttle, what are shuttle times? Helpful hint just in case: My family had seasick bands that we wore so we didn't get car sick with all the winding. Now you will be driving on Generals Highway, the scenic road that connects the two parks together. General Grant Grove is located just beyond the entrance to Kings Canyon. The Moro Rock Stairway is one of the most popular hiking trails in Sequoia National Park. Electric vehicle charging stations may be available near the parks. The two-lane road has numerous scenic pullouts and hiking trails including Junction View, Yucca Point, Grizzly Falls, Don Cecil View, Hotel Creek Overlook, Canyon View, and Roaring River Falls, before reaching Roads End. The snow can get DEEP here! 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