Kings Canyon & Sequoia National Park

My usual Memorial Day ritual was visiting Yosemite, but this year, we decided to check off the last two parks on my California National Park list: Sequoia and Kings Canyon. Although they are two separate Parks, they operate as one, requiring only a single entrance fee.

We planned a three-day (two-night) trip and left home at 5:30 a.m. on Saturday. After about a four-hour drive, we arrived at Kings Canyon National Park around 9:30 a.m. Unfortunately, the scenic drive along Panoramic Drive was closed due to the lingering effects of last winter's weather, so our first stop was the General Grant Tree. The parking lot had plenty of space early in the morning, and we enjoyed the late breakfast we packed from home.

The General Grant Trail is a short and easy 0.7-mile walk, taking less than 30 minutes to complete—an ideal way to kick off our National Park adventure.

Next, we tackled the North Grove Trail, a 1.7-mile loop. It was peaceful and not too crowded, allowing us to fully appreciate the morning tranquility amidst the towering Great Sequoia trees.

Our next destination was the Kings Canyon Overlook. The drive to the peak was on a steep, narrow, unpaved mountain road. While not particularly dangerous, it required careful attention to oncoming traffic due to limited visibility. The altitude, over 7,000 feet, was evident from the patches of lingering snow on the road. However, the panoramic view from the top made the journey well worth it.

We had lunch at Grant Grove Restaurant, one of the many in-park dining options available. The food was good, but it took over 30 minutes to get our meals—understandable given the holiday crowds at the National Park.

By the time we finished lunch, it was nearly 3 p.m., and the park was packed. Generals Highway, the main road through the park, was bumper-to-bumper with traffic. Visiting any other trails was unimaginable, so we made a brief stop at Tunnel Rock on our way to our accommodation.

So, here is the valuable lesson I've learned from my many visits to National Parks: start early. We typically arrive at the park before sunrise, enjoy the trails in the morning, and leave by early afternoon. The next day, following this strategy, we arrived at one of the park's most popular trails, the Big Tree Trail, around 7:30 a.m. This 1.2-mile loop offers stunning views of the forest and meadow.

Afterward, we visited another iconic landmark, the General Sherman Tree. There are two parking lots for this attraction—one to the south, which is reserved for handicapped access only, so we made our way up to the main parking area. The trail to the tree is a well-maintained 1.2-mile round trip (from/to the main parking lot). While the General Sherman Tree isn't the tallest or the widest, it's renowned for having the greatest volume and weight of any tree in the world.

Then, we headed to the Lodgepole Visitor Center parking lot and enjoyed a late breakfast. This spot was the perfect starting point for the Tokopah Falls Trail, which turned out to be the highlight of our trip.

The trail is a 3.8-mile round trip with a steady, manageable incline. Most trails are known for either their lush forests, clear waterways, or stunning rock formations and canyons; this trail had all three.

After finishing the hike, we headed back to the Lodgepole Visitor Center for some rest. Of the three visitor centers in the park, this one appeared to be the best equipped, and we treated ourselves to some delicious ice cream to recharge.

After that, we headed back to our lodging. The park was packed with visitors, and I felt sorry for the line of cars still trying to enter, knowing what awaited them. We stayed at an Airbnb in Three Rivers, a small town near the Sequoia entrance. The place was cozy, well-maintained, and thoughtfully equipped. It was the perfect retreat after the arduous exploration of the park.

Before heading home, we made one last stop at the Sequoia Park entrance early in the morning to catch the sunrise. The day before, we had found out the perfect spot for this moment, and it didn’t disappoint. The sunrise was the best way to conclude a trip. Although the initial motivation was just to fill the last slots of my National Parks in California, it left us with another unforgettable memory.