How to Plan the Best Trip to Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park

Mary Kate gKing
May 9
9 min read

This article is a little different than most, instead of telling you exactly what to do with your trip, it is going to give you the necessary information to curate an unforgettable trip that is tailored to your EXACT interests. For anyone who has been to a National Park before, you know there are so many awesome hikes and so little time. This blog post will give you better insight into hikes that are near each other, accommodations, weather considerations, and more.

Jump to Top Hikes

Jump to Accommodations

Jump to Weather

Jump to Final Thoughts

For starters…. When should I visit this park?

These parks can be enjoyed year-round. The snow on the big sequoia trees is absolutely beautiful. The shoulder seasons allow for less crowds, moderate temperatures, and typically a more peaceful trip. Summer offers warm temperatures and activities that are exclusively available in the summer, like visiting the crystal cave and white water rafting in Three Rivers. All seasons have their pros and cons. We visited the first weekend of May this year and experienced no crowds and decent yet volatile weather from sunny mid-60s to hail. Visiting in early May does risk potentially less-than-ideal weather conditions, but the rewards of no crowds were worth the risk for us.

General Sherman Tree in 2 Different Weather Conditions

Average Weather in Sequoia & Kings Canyon

January & February: Coldest months, dipping below 0* F. Snowy conditions can lead to road closures.

March: Snow is still a possibility and on the ground, but temperatures rise slightly. Highs in the 40-50*F and lows typically 20-30*F.

April & May: Highs between 50-60s, lows in the 30s. Wildflowers start to bloom in May.

June: A wonderful time to visit with the warmer temps in the 70s and 80s and cooler evenings.

July & August: July is the hottest month with the highs above 100*F and August you’ll experience a slightly less extreme but still warm with the highs between 80-90*F.

September & October: Weather cools down, more similar to spring temps but will still see highs in the 60s and 70s in September. Lows drop down to 40s and as low as in the 20s in October.

November & December: Colder, possibility of snow. Highs in the 40s and 50s and lows below freezing.

Historically on May 2nd (when we were visiting) the record low was 28*F and record high was 96*. We sat between snowing and mid 60s during our weekend stay this past year.

Low-Visibility Day on Marble Falls Trail

Where to stay and what to do….

Accommodation options can be 1-2 hours away from your desired hikes and activities. When planning your trip to Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, it is important to map out what you are most interested in doing in order to find accommodations near that area. Otherwise, you’ll spend most of your trip in the car, rather than enjoying the pure beauty of the parks. This leads me to understanding where top attractions are and how to plan your trip around it…..

Visit the NPS website to utilize their interactive maps.

Top Hiking Trails & Activities in Kings Canyon & Sequoia National Parks

Below is a list of the top hiking trails in the park. For more details regarding the top hikes and important tips for these hikes, click HERE.

Congress Trail / General Sherman Tree:

Location: Sequoia National Park (Very close to Moro Rock Trail)

Difficulty / Length: Easy 2.9 miles set 1hr21min(Per AllTrails)

**A Must-Visit ** Largest Tree on Earth

Emerald Lake via Lakes and Watchtower Trail

Location: Sequoia National Park (Near General Sherman Tree / Lodgepole Visitor Center)

Difficulty / Length: Hard 10.3 miles west hr 40min(Per AllTrails)

** Highly ranked on AllTrails **

Eagle Lake:

Location: Sequoia National Park

Difficulty / Length: 6.8 mi est 4hr 18 min (Per AllTrails)

Moro Rock:

Location: Sequoia National Park (Very close to General Sherman Tree / Congress Trail)

Difficulty / Length: (0.5 miles, easy (Per AllTrails) -Time varies on how long you want to enjoy the breathtaking sunset.

**A Must-Visit **

Mist Falls:

Location: Kings Canyon National Park - located much deeper into the northern part of this park. It is about an hour and 15 minutes from the Grove Visitor Center.

Difficulty / Length: 7.8miles, moderate set 3hr8min (Per AllTrails)

General Grant Grove:

Location: Kings Canyon National Park (near azalea campground / big stump loop trail and panoramic point).

Difficulty / Length: 0.7mi Easy set 14 min (Per AllTrails)

** Popular Trail **

Big Stump Loop Trail:

Location: Kings Canyon National Park (Near Azalea Campground / General Grant Trail and Panoramic Point)

Difficulty / Length: Easy 1.7 mile set 41min (Per AllTrails)

** Popular Trail **

Marble Falls Trail

Location: Southern part of Sequoia National Park

Difficulty / Length: 4.6 Moderate set 3hr23min (Per AllTrails)

Muir Grove Trail:

Location: Sequoia National Park, 45 minutes south of the General Grant Trail, about 15 minutes from the General Sherman Trail.

Difficulty / Length: 4.2 miles, moderate, eat 1hr43min (Per AllTrails)

Panoramic ViewPoint:

Location: Kings Canyon National Park

Difficulty / Length: 0.5 miles Easy (Per AllTrails) (add an extra 4mi if road closed to get to Panoramic Point)

Other noteworthy activities include:

Visiting Crystal Cave (tickets purchased in advance required and only available in the summer season).
White water rafting in Three Rivers (South of the Foothills Visitor Center, Sequoia National Park). There are multiple restaurants located here as well.
Giant Forest Museum (open year round, located near Big Trees Trail & General Sherman Tree).

Now that there is a better understanding of the top activity options and where they are located, let's talk more about accommodations.

Accommodations:

The campground options in Kings Canyon and Sequoia are some of my favorites. I highly recommend staying at these campgrounds because of their proximity to all the top hikes. If camping is not your thing because you are traveling without gear or prefer a real bed, consider renting a van or RV to be able to enjoy these awesome campsites. There were multiple rental company options for vans nearby. There are also cabins located near most visitor centers at the park. Check out the NPS website for those options. 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 plan on visiting during a more popular season, I highly recommend reserving accommodations a few months in advance. The campsites were really nice because there are 14 campground options to stay at throughout Kings Canyon & Sequoia National Park. I know some people prefer BLM options to camp, but I think the campsites made available by the National Park Service are conveniently located and make the drive times to explore the park much more doable. I recommend visiting www.recreation.gov or www.nps.gov for more up-to-date information and details on planning your trip. Campgrounds can be up to 2 hours away from the hikes you are interested in doing. I recommend looking at the location of the hikes you want to do and accommodation options to best plan your trip. I’ll help outline these key locations for you below.

Campgrounds: Location Matters Campgrounds are listed from Most Northern to Most Southern regions of Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Park. See map above or visit www.nps.gov

Sheep Creek, Sentinel, Canyon View & Moraine Campground: Located in the more Northeastern side of Kings Canyon National Park. It is near the Cedar Grove Visitor Center and closest to the popular Roaring River Falls and Mist Falls hike. If looking on a map, this area seems to be the most remote location of the park, and it is. It is an hour 15-minute drive away from a more visited area near the General Grant Tree. Consider which hikes you are interested in doing when booking this accommodation, especially if you are more interested in spending time amongst the Sequoia trees.

Amenities Sentinel, Sheep Creek & Canyon View & Moraine Campgrounds: Picnic table, fire pit, bear-proof storage box, flush toilets, dish washing sink, and drinking water (no showers)

Convict Flat, Hume Lake, Princess Campgrounds:

All of these campsites are located off the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway in the northern part of the Kings Canyon National Park. They are located between the Kings Canyon Visitor Center and Cedar Grove Visitor Center.

Amenities Convict Flat: Picnic table, fire pit, bear-proof storage box, vault composting toilet (no showers)
Amenities Hume Lake: Picnic tables and campfire rings are provided, as are flush toilets and drinking water. No showers.
Amenities Princess Campgrounds: TENT ONLY - Picnic tables, fire pit, drinking water, vault toilets. No showers.

Crystal Springs, Azalea, Senset, Landslide, Tenmile Camgrounds:

All are located near the Kings Canyon Visitor Center and Grant Grove Village. Tenmile and Landslide are a little bit further away. Looking on a map, you can see these are in a central to northern location in Kings Canyon National Park and Sequoia National Forest. This location is a great spot if you are interested in the General Grant Tree or the Big Stump hike. It is about an hour and 15 minutes drive to the Cedar Grove Visitor Center and about an hour from the Lodgepole Visitor Center (near General Sherman Tree).

Amenities Crystal Springs: Picnic table, fire pit, bear-proof storage box, flush toilets, and drinking water. No showers.
Azalea Campground Amenities: Picnic table, fire pit, bear-proof storage box, flush toilets, dish washing sink, and drinking water (no showers)
Sunset Campground: Offers group sites, picnic tables, fire pits, flush toilets, and drinking water. No showers.
Landslide: TENT ONLY, picnic table, fire pit, water (seasonal), vault toilets. No showers.
Tenmile: Picnic table, food storage locker, fire pit, grill, vault toilets. No showers.

Horse Camp, Big Meadows, Upper Stony Creek, Dorts Creek Campgrounds: These are located in Sequoia National Forest and Sequoia National Park off of Generals Highway and between the more Northern Kings Canyon Visitor Center and a more Central Lodgepole Visitor Center.

Amenities Horse Camp: Horse Corrals and vault toilet. No Showers.
Big Meadows: Fire pit, picnic table, food locker, and vault toilet. No showers.
Upper Stony Creek: Picnic Table, portable water, vault toilets. No showers.
Dorts Creek: Fire pit, picnic table, bear locker, and flush toilets. No Showers.

Lodgepole, Potwisha, Buckeye Flat Campgrounds:

Located in a more central location in Sequoia National Park and towards the southern end of the park between Foothills Visitor Center and Lodgepole Visitor Center.

Amenities Lodgepole Campground: VERY popular campsite because it is located a quick 1/4 mile from Lodgepole Village that offers a Visitor Center, market/gift shop, and coin-operated showers and laundry facilities. This site also has flush toilets and drinking water. Picnic tables, fire rings, and bear food storage boxes are provided at each site.
Amenities Buckeye Flat Campground: ONLY TENTS: picnic table, fire pit, bear-proof storage box, flush toilets, and drinking water.
Amenities Potwisha Campground: Picnic table, fire pit, bear-proof storage box, flush toilets, and drinking water (no showers)

Atwell Mill & Cold Springs Campground:

Located deeper into the southeastern side of Sequoia National Park. Located near the Mineral King Ranger Station. Located about an hour 20-minutes from the southern Foothills Visitor Center in Sequoia National Park.

Amenities Cold Springs: Picnic table, fire pit, food locker storage, vault toilets.
Amenities Awtell Mill: TENTS ONLY, picnic table, fire pit, bear-proof storage box.

For those not interested in staying at the campgrounds or lodges in the National Park, below is the link to the hipcamp & VRBO we stayed at during our time visiting Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Park:

Kings Canyon Accommodation booked via VRBO

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

(18 minutes from the Grant Grove Park Entrance.

Sequoia National Park Accommodation booked via HipCamp

Located 4 miles from the southern entrance to Sequoia National Park

Final Thoughts:

Location Matters. Some amazing hikes can be a few hours away from each other. Extend your time in the park if you want to see it all; otherwise, be strategic with where you stay and how you plan to visit attractions.

Each Season Has Its Benefits. As mentioned before, each season has pros and cons. For example, summer, you can visit the crystal cave and enjoy white water rafting, but there will also likely be firebrands.

Plan In Advance. Accommodations, including campgrounds, fill up quickly and must be pre-booked well in advance during peak seasons.

Check Park Websites. Make sure to visit https://www.nps.gov/seki/index.htm and www.recreation.gov for real-time park updates.

Check The Weather & Be Flexible. Check the weather when you are getting closer to your trip, and be flexible. 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 occurrence for lightning strikes, which is why you would not want to complete this hike close to a storm.

Respect Mother Nature: Respect the trees, wildlife, and support the no trace left behind movement. Follow the rules established by the park to keep yourself safe.