Things to do in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park

The best things to do in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park is here! We spent 3 days exploring the parks in July, with the first two days in Sequoia National Park and the third day in Kings Canyon National Park.

Everything on this list we completed with our 3 month old baby!

We stayed in the little town of Three Rivers, right on the edge of the entrance to Sequoia National Park.

Know before you go – Seqouia: There is one main road leading into Sequoia National Park. From Three Rivers, it took about an hour to get to the main section of the park where you’ll find the General Sherman Tree.  This road is long and winds every which way, so make sure you are a confident driver and drive SLOW around turns!

Know before you go – Kings Canyon: To get to King’s Canyon National Park, you take the same winding road all the way through Sequoia National Park. Again from Three Rivers, this took us about 2.5 hours, which is why we gave ourselves a full day to explore this park alone, and it was so worth it!

Things to do in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park

 

Sequoia National Park

Little Baldy

Little Baldy trail is the perfect intermediate hike in Sequoia National Park. Being most of the visitors in the park frequent the General Sherman Tree and quick roadside stops, this trail is great to get away from the crowds and see some great views. This trail is 3.4 miles round trip and features awesome 360 degree views at the top that we had all to ourselves! We also saw a bear on this trail – so cool!

Buck Rock Lookout

Buck Rock Lookout is technically located in Sequoia National Forest, at the very end of Sequoia National Park. It’s a great stop to make along the way to Kings Canyon National Park if you’re headed that way! It takes some sketchy back roads to get there (8 miles on a dirt road) but it’s so worth it! Once there, climb 172 steps to the top (8500 ft!) for 360 degree views of the parks that you can’t get anywhere else. You can also tour the tower where the firewatcher still stays. A great piece of history.

Tokopah Falls Trail

Tokopah Falls is an amazing hike with lots of different terrain and views along the way. This is an easy trail at 3 miles round trip, but does feel longer, especially when temperatures are in the 90s like they were when we visited! Follow the river and stop for a swim on the way before reaching the falls. Your best bet would be to go in Spring, as the falls were very tiny at the end of July! Note that this area would be great for camping if that’s your thing!

Hospital Rock

Hospital Rock is one of the first stops I would recommend making as you enter Sequoia National Park. We actually spent most of an afternoon here being it was so incredibly hot when we visited! It’s a popular watering hole for locals as it’s not too deep in the park, but there’s lots of nooks and crannies to find your own little spot to take a dip! We loved it!

Wuksachi Lodge

If you’re looking for somewhere to take a break and get a good meal, stop at Wuksachi Lodge, which offers a full service restaurant at a great middle point within the park. Make sure to sit on the deck if the weather is nice! You can also book guest rooms here but make sure to do so very far in advance.

General Sherman Tree

The General Sherman Tree is THEE main attraction in Sequoia National Park. It’s the largest tree on earth by volume of its trunk and is a sight everyone must see! Go as early in the morning as you can. We were there around 8 and were able to get some photos without the crowds!

The Congress trail

The Congress trail is a must-do trail under the Sequoia trees that makes you feel like an ant. So cool! See many of the popular trees as you take this easy walk through the forest. Again, go as early as possible as this area gets so crowded throughout the day and parking can be a nightmare.

Things to do in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park

 

Kings Canyon National Park

Muir Rock

Muir Rock is located at the road’s end of King’s Canyon National Park. We drove all the way through and started our morning here. Did I mention it was insanely HOT during our visit in July?! We opted for more swimming than hiking so spent most of the morning here jumping off Muir Rock into the icy water. It felt AMAZING! We also saw a mama bear with two of her cubs here. Even more amazing! (obviously, stay far away from bears and give them their space if you do spot one!)

Roaring River Falls

I’m a sucker for waterfalls and being the heat got the best of us, we stopped at a few road-side waterfalls, first being Roaring River Falls. This is a gorgeous waterfall that glides along the rocks into a nice pool. Note that it was very busy here due to its convenience right along the road.

Grizzly Falls

Grizzly Falls is another road-side waterfall that was full of people. Great for a quick view and a photo, so we chose to take a quick peek and move on!

Other things to do in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park

There’s so many things to do in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park, so here’s the other things that were on our list, but we didn’t end up doing for one reason or another!

Bear Hill Trail

Bear Hill is an easy trail at about 4 miles round trip within Sequoia National Park. It’s not on many of the park maps, so it tends to be less frequented by visitors. It’s an easy walk among the trees according to my research!

Moro Rock Trail

Moro Rock Trail is one of the most popular hikes in Sequoia National Park because of its views at sunset and quick access. It’s 350 stairs to the top but is supposed to have some of the best views in the park!

Mist Falls Trailhead

Mist Falls Trail is a 9 mile trail that starts at the road’s end in Kings Canyon National Park. Hike to the waterfall and even beyond for some amazing views. Average time to complete is about 5 hours.

Zumwalt Meadows

Zumwalt Meadows is an easy hike in Kings Canyon National Park. It takes you through a gorgeous meadow, but that also means no tree cover. We opted out of this one due to the heat!

General Grant Tree

Another iconic tree is the General Grant Tree which sits in Kings Canyon National Park. It’s the second-largest tree in the world by volume, right after the General Sherman Tree.