5-Day Itinerary Sequoia & Kings Canyon NP

The best times to visit these parks are in spring and fall. We visited the first weekend of May this year and experienced no crowds and decent weather despite of some concerning forecasts. Visiting in early May does risk potentially less than ideal weather conditions, but the rewards of no crowds was worth the risk for us. This itinerary can be done in reverse order, depending on which direction you are coming from or if you are planning on visiting another park like Death Valley or Yosemite. 

Accommodations: We did a combination of VRBO, HipCamp, & traditional camping during our stay (weather did not allow us to camp the entire time, but the camp sites available in the park are really nice). If you want to camp or are planning on visiting during a more popular season, I highly recommend reserving accommodations a few months in advance. We saw a lot of rental camping vans driving around and staying at the campsites if you didn’t have camping gear. The campsites were nice because there are 15** campground site options to stay at throughout Kings Canyon & Sequoia National Park.

Now….. What you’ve been waiting for…… The Ultimate 5-Day Itinerary 

Day 1: 

• Arrive to Kings Canyon NP, set up campsite, check into VRBO

• Pick up park map, and consider purchasing an America The Brave Nation Park Pass. Stop at visitors center to get any national park questions answered (hike details, closure updates, fire restrictions, etc)

• Depending on the time of arrival, can do a short hike like General Grant Tree or Big Stump Trail.

Accommodation Our Accommodation was booked via VRBO

• Address: 53794 N Hwy 245, Miramonte, CA, 93641 United States of America

Day 2:

• Leave VRBO around 9-9:30am / Drive from VRBO to grant grove visitor center (18min)

• Check into Azalea campground / set up campsite if not camping night before / staying in same accommodation. 

• Hikes: (Can adjust if completing some on day 1)

  • Hike big stump loop (1.7mi easy est. 41min per All Trails) 

    • Drive to General Grant Trail (0.7mi easy, est 14min)

    • Panoramic Point Overlook (if road is closed, will be 2.5miles out & back from parked car near the visitor center)

Accommodation: Azalea Campground 

• First come, first serve before May 7th & After ***, otherwise reservation only. (Most other NP campsites here require reservations depending on the time you are visiting). 

Day 3: 

• Drive 1hr 15min to the **** trail to see the Vally in Kings Canyon (hike is miles * minutes & ranked *** per All Trails)

• Drive 1hr 15minutes back and enjoy the rest of the evening in Azalea Campground, can complete other shorter hikes nearby if interested

Accommodation: Night 2 Azalea Campground 

Day 4:

• Azalea Campground -> Sequoia NP Hikes:

  • Muri Grove Trail (4.2mi 1hr43min per All Trails) 50min drive from Azalea Campground

    • Then hike Congress Trail (passes the infamous General Sherman tree) (2.9mi est 1hr 21 min) 25 min drive from Muri Grove Trail 

    • Sunset at Moro Rock (0.5 mile hike out and back, time takes as long as you want to sit and enjoy the breathtaking views of Sequoia National Park  (15 min drive)  

• ****** Campground or stay at another accommodation(airbnb, hip camp, VRBO)

Day 5:

• Check out of *** Campground -> Longer Hike Options:

  1. Emerald Lake Trail

     • Eagle Lake Trail

• Then sadly, head back home or move to your next adventure!

*** I’d like to flag checking your weather when it is closer and being flexible with your days. Specifically, for the sunset at Moro Rock. It was a highlight of our trip, but it cannot be enjoyed to its fullest extent on a cloudy day. It is also a common place for lightning strikes, which is why you would not want to complete this hike close to a storm.****

For a quick-read 3-day itinerary, click HERE.

For the Top 5 Hikes in Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park, Click HERE.

For everything you need to know before planning your trip to Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park, Click HERE.

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoy these beautiful national parks as much as I did.