Tucked a couple of hours south of Yosemite lies two quieter parks of the same mold, jointly managed as Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks (SEKI). Despite sharing a border (and an entrance fee!), the two parks stand on their own. Let’s take a look at the quaint gem that is Kings Canyon.
Table of Contents
The Big 3:
The 3 must-sees at Kings Canyon
1) The High Sierra Wilderness
SEKI is 97% wilderness! This park is a true backpacker’s delight – the famed Pacific Crest Trail and John Muir Trail both run through the back country of this park. If there was ever a time to grab some friends, a wilderness permit, and a week off, this is it!
2) Kings Canyon itself (Cedar Lodge District)
The quietest section of either park accessible by road, Cedar Lodge is a feast for the eyes and the soul. The dramatic entrance via a windy, mountain road sets the stage for a feast for both the eyes and the soul. Peace and solitude await in the Kings Canyon.
3) Grant Grove of giant Sequoias
Kings Canyon National Park didn’t exist until 1940; it had a little-known predecessor called General Grant National Park founded in 1890 as the nation’s 4th national park! This is the reason this little sliver of the park exists, attached to Sequoia National Park but separate from the rest of Kings Canyon. Home to the world’s 3rd largest tree and a visitor center, this is part of Kings Canyon most visitor’s experience.
In a Few Words
97% wilderness. 100% paradise – it really does live up to its billing of being “Yosemite without the crowds!”
Fast Facts:
Location: the Sierra Nevada – an hour east of Fresno, CA to enter the main gate. Partially in both Fresno and Tulare counties.
Founded: 1940 (part of the park was previously General Grant National Park, dating to 1890)
Size: 461,901 acres
Cost: $35 for 7 days (annual site pass is $70; costs are covered with any Interagency pass)
Visited: 2025
A Deeper Dive
The remoteness is what sets Kings Canyon apart. The canyon has all the views of Yosemite Valley, minus a waterfall or two. The sequoia trees larger than that famous park to the North. The wilderness is more remote, more mysterious, and more untamed. The reason Kings doesn’t get the hype that other parks do, I believe, is how inaccessible most of it is for the average visitor.
The most developed part of the park, Grant Grove, came under the National Park umbrella much sooner, in 1890. The General Grant tree, the star of the show, has a fascinating history. Named after Civil War general and president Ulysses S. Grant, the tree is so spectacular it was once deemed “the nation’s Christmas Tree” by President Calvin Coolidge in 1926.1 It remains a sight to behold today, sadly eclipsed by the most famous groves, and General Sherman tree, within Sequoia National Park just to the south.
Kings Canyon National Park swallowed up General Grant National Park and vastly expanded its borders in 1940. Some of the most pristine and spectacular parts of the Sierra Nevada sits inside its borders, traversed by only a few hearty souls each year. It takes leaving the pavement and going backpacking to unlock the secrets of this park. While it does stink that most people will never get the opportunity to go on such a trek, the landscape is practically unaltered as a result. A chance to backpack here is something to treasure.
Logistics, Lodging, and Food
Kings Canyon is remote for a park in the Lower 48, but if there is still much to explore if you aren’t able to trek deep into the wilderness.
The Layout
A jigsaw puzzle of two intertwined national parks amidst a bevy of national forests! Kings Canyon has two separate areas – Grant Grove, which greets visitors coming in from Fresno, and the remainder of the park, which is mostly wilderness except for the Cedar Grove area of the actual Kings Canyon. Cedar Grove is only accessible by exiting the Grant Grove section and driving through Sequoia National Forest (not to be confused for the park!) into the canyon. Kings Canyon backpacking starts at Roads End, the literal end of the road in Cedar Grove. Think of it as the gateway to adventure!
Cell signal is possible in Grant Grove, but not in the larger section of Kings Canyon with Cedar Grove and the back country.
Transportation
Unless you are itching for the tour bus experience, this is a park you are driving to in some way before you take off on your feet. While the sister park, Sequoia, has some shuttle services, Kings does not.
Activities
This is a backpacker’s paradise! Miles and miles of pristine, unspoiled nature await the hardy souls who venture beyond the pavement. For those who that doesn’t sound like the best of times, fear not! Grant Grove is a short, pleasant walk, the visitor center has some nice exhibits, and the drive into Cedar Grove is worth the price of admission alone. Swimming is possible later in the Summer in the Kings River, when the rapids die down. There are plenty of campgrounds and picnic areas around.
Roads and Gas
The Big Stump entrance, the only paved entrance into Kings Canyon (Grant Grove district), can be reached by route 180 from Fresno or route 245 from Visalia. From there, brave souls wishing to venture down into Kings Canyon proper can take the hairpin, 30-ish mile drive down the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway into Kings Canyon’s Cedar Grove area. This particular road closes in winter; once you drive it, you understand why!
In addition, you can snag the two-for-one special by accessing Sequoia National Park from Kings by driving the General Highway, which connects the two parks. Entered Sequoia via the Ash Mountain entrance? Don’t worry! Your pass is still good at Kings Canyon as well.
Gas is a tricky lil’ topic in these parts. While technically there is no gas within the boundaries of either park, the US Forest Service comes to rescue to prevent the unfortunate traveler from ending up stranded many miles from civilization. Gas is sold year round in Hume Lake, between the Grant Grove and Cedar Grove sections of Kings Canyon, and in Stony Creek seasonally, between the Grant Grove portion of Kings Canyon and the Wuksachi section of Sequoia National Park.
Food
Kings Canyon gives you two options if you don’t feel like venturing one park over or back to Fresno for some In-N-Out Burger. Their is a full service restaurant (and market) in Grant Grove, which serves up 3 hot meals a day. It is located next to the visitor center and the prices are surprisingly reasonable. There is also a market and snack bar in Cedar Grove, which serves full meals to go – here you definitely pay for the lack of options within 30 miles!
Lodging
Hotels
3 options in Kings Canyon – 2 full hotels and one more rustic experience. In Grant Grove, you are looking at the John Muir Lodge for more luxurious accommodations or the cozy Grant Grove cabins for the cheaper, camping-adjacent experience. Venturing into Cedar Grove will get you to the Cedar Grove Lodge, a small hotel near the visitor center for that district.
Camping
Oh do we have options here! Camping will set you back $32/night per site; 6 people/2 cars allowed per normal site. A select amount of more expensive group sites exist in a few of the campgrounds.
Grant Grove
Campgrounds in this part of the park generally have cell signal and potable water.
Azalea – the only year-round campground in Grant Grove. 110 sites; 20 remain open in Winter.
Sunset – the largest in this district; 158 sites and 2 group sites.
Crystal Springs – 35 sites and 14 additional group sites.
Cedar Grove
Campgrounds in this district have no cell signal but do have potable water. All are along the stretch of Kings Canyon Scenic Byway from the entrance of Kings Canyon to Roads End.
Canyon View Group Camp – 16 sites, all of which are group sites.
Sentinel – 82 sites; right next to the Cedar Grove Visitor Center
Moraine – 121 sites
Sheep Creek – 111 sites
Hikes and attractions:
Day Hikes
Grant Grove
General Grant Loop (easy/0.7 mile loop)
A crowded, albeit lovely, stroll to the namesake tree for this grove of giant sequoia trees. Trails don’t get much easier than this, and it is handicap accessible by means of it being paved. The tree itself is massive, beautiful, and has some neat signs explaining the science and history of the tree. Just don’t expect to have it to yourself.
North Grove Loop (easy/1.5 mile loop)
One gets off the beaten path here a bit and explores the lesser-known sequoias of Grant Grove. The tradeoff is that they are few and far between, and the area is recovering from a recent wildfire. A pleasant enough stroll, but I might check out other trails in this area next time. Nice, but forgettable once you the shock of standing next to giant trees has worn off.
Cedar Grove
Zumwalt Meadow Loop (easy/1.6 miles)
Normally a loop trail, this trail is undergoing restoration from a part that washed out in a flood. Currently it goes out-and-back across one side of the meadow. And what a meadow! Deep in the heart of Kings Canyon, the visitor gets breathtaking views of the high granite walls of Kings Canyon as well as a feast of flowers and other plants adorning this lovely meadow. While there are some sections with stairs, they are all gradual and the overall elevation gain minimal. A must-do as an easy morning/evening stroll.
Muir Rock (super easy/0.2 miles)
Yes, the man himself really did stand on this very rock! This is a walk to a swimming hole more than a hike, but you do get treated with some lovely views of the canyon walls strikingly close to the river. A nice dip on a hot Summer day.
Don Cecil Trail (strenuous/10.4 miles if completing the added 0.3 miles of class-2 scrambling to the summit)
A beefy day hike if there ever was one! This jaunt has the hearty adventurer climbing over 3000 feet onto the Southern Rim of Kings Canyon for an awe-inspiring view of the canyon and the high country beyond. While one does encounter a waterfall 1 mile in and several nice views of the canyon rim, this hike is all about the destination, a rocky scramble up to a summit overlooking the entirety of Kings Canyon. It, quite literally, rocks. I encountered a grand total of zero (0) hikers with me. A hidden gem for later in the season when the waterfalls are dwindling.
Other fan-favorites include the strenuous Mist Falls Trail and the more moderate Roaring River Falls trails. As we veer into backpacking territory, the 39-mile Rae Lakes Loop in an all-timer, as are the sections of the John Muir Trail and Pacific Crest Trail that make their way through the park.
Other Attractions
The entirety of the drive to Cedar Grove through the national forest is so spectacular it warrants its own note. One could stop on its many pullouts and admire the view for an afternoon, and it would be time well spent!
National Park Rankings
- Yosemite National Park
- Olympic National Park
- Mount Rainier National Park
- Kings Canyon National Park
- Zion National Park
- Bryce Canyon National Park
- Arches National Park
- Canyonlands National Park
- Crater Lake National Park
- Indiana Dunes National Park
- Shenandoah National Park
- Capitol Reef National Park
- Acadia National Park
- Redwood National Park
- Pinnacles National Park
- Cuyahoga Valley National Park
- Gateway Arch National Park
A note: as with all reviews to come, this will be updated upon any re-visit to the park. Feel free to comment or send in your own reviews or recommendations and we will get it added here!
Great review Erik and your write ups were very descriptive. Very helpful for the beginner and skilled hiker.
Thanks for your sharing!
Sam
Beautiful photos. Hard to believe there is such beauty in this world. Have you been to these parks? If you get this new job will you be covering any of these parks?
Great reviews. Love G-ma ❤️