Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park 3-Day Itinerary

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. 

Moro Rock Tail, Sequoia National Park

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 14 campground site options to stay at throughout Kings Canyon & Sequoia National Park.

Map of Kinda Canyon and Sequoia National Park

Now….. What you’ve been waiting for…… The Ultimate 3-Day Itinerary 

Day 1: 

• Arrive early to Kings Canyon NP, set up campsite at Azalea campground.

• 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 time of arrival, can do one or two shorter hike options like General Grant Tree or Big Stump Trail.

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 2:

• Enjoy a relaxing morning campfire then set out for the day. 

• Hikes: (Can adjust if completing some on day 1or based on personal preference of easy or hard hikes)

  • 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)

  • Drive South towards Sequoia and set up camp at either **** or ****** campground.

Day 3:

• Morning at Campground -> Sequoia NP Hikes:

  • Muri Grove Trail (4.2mi 1hr43min per All Trails) 

  • 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 or head back home late evening or even 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.****

Big Stump Loop Trail

For a detailed 5-day itinerary, click HERE.

For more information about my favorite hikes in Kings Canyon & National Park, Click HERE

Click HERE for everything you need to know about traveling to Kings Canyon & Sequoia (when to visit, where to stay, how to plan the most epic trip.. & more)

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoy these amazing parks as much as I did!