Home to five of the largest trees in the planet and surrounded by spectacular mountain landscapes, Sequoia National Park is one of United States‘ greatest natural treasures. The park is located right next to Kings Canyon National Park, which offers excellent mountain hiking opportunities. It is best to combine both parks and visit them together in early fall or late spring, to avoid the cold winter and crowded summer. It is possible to see all the highlights (below) in two-days from the nearby towns of Visalia or Fresno.
Tip: Other smaller towns (especially, Three Rivers from the South, or Badger from the North) can also serve as bases to explore the parks.
Giant trees
Sequoia trees are some of the tallest, heaviest and longest-living organisms on our planet – they can reach heights of up to 95 meters and can live up to an incredible 3,000 years! Eventually, they do die and when that happens, they cause a small earthquake with their enormous weight of up 1.2 million kilograms. Sequoia National Park is home to the largest samples of this species. These are some of the most famous sequoias that you should not miss during your visit:
- General Sherman Tree is named after General William Sherman by naturalist James Wolverton who served under the General during the Civil War. This is currently the largest living tree in the world (by volume).
- General Grant Tree is known as the Nation’s Christmas Tree, and is a favourite tree for many visitors. The tree is surrounded by a short trail worth exploring, but do come early in the day as this is usually the most crowded part of the park.
- Congress Trail is located near General Sherman Tree and is a 2-3 miles long loop. There are two variations of this trail: a short loop and a longer loop. However, it is worth walking an extra mile to visit the trail’s main attraction – House Grove and the Senate Grove which are unique groups of giant sequoias. Standing among them in the grove surrounded by these impressive mammoths will make for a memorable photo.
Zumwalt Meadows
Located in the eastern portion of Kings Canyon National Park, the Zumwalt Meadows justify the winding road from the western part of the park. The meadows are by far the most scenic part of the Kings Canyon valleys and offer amazing views of the canyon from all sides. The meadows tend to be more impressive in the spring or early summer when the flowers are in full bloom, but a visit during autumn is also enjoyable.
Log Tunnel
It’s almost impossible to understand how big the sequoia trees really are until you see them laying horizontally. The trees are so large that entire cars can pass through them! And this is precisely what you can experience while driving under the iconic Log Tunnel.
Viewpoints
Moro Rock is easily one of the best spots to enjoy the red sunsets of the park. A relatively short, but steep, hike to the top of the rock offers sweeping views of the Sierra mountain range and old-growth forest.
Another place we can recommend is Panoramic Point which offers beautiful views of Hume Lake and the Sierra mountains, though this is best visited during sunrise.
It is also worth stopping at some of the numerous lookouts on the Scenic Byway drive to the eastern part of Kings Canyon National Park.
Wildlife
Animals roam happily in the park and do not mind getting up-close and personal with visitors. Deer, birds, and even black bears can be seen throughout the parks.
Museum and visitor centres
For more information on the parks or sequoias in general, pay a short visit to the Giant Forest Museum. Here, rangers also offer special talks on topics of interest. There are numerous visitor centres and ‘villages’ where you can get additional information and stock up on supplies, if needed.
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