Kings Canyon Hiking - Kings Canyon National Park

Introduction.

Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks collectively protect one of America's most scenic landscapes. Glacial canyons, the world's largest trees, broad lake basins, lush meadows, and sheer granite peaks form the core of this largest contiguous wilderness in California.

Big canyons and big trees inspired the separate founding of each of these parks although Sequoia and Kings Canyon share miles of common boundary. Officially, Kings Canyon was designated the third national park while Sequoia was designated as the second. Approximately 500,000 people visit Kings Canyon National Park each year.

                                 For the sake of separation, this post is focused on Kings Canyon and specifically on Kings Canyon hiking activities.                                      Read on for our advice.

General logistics information.

Kings Canyon National Park is located adjacent to Sequoia National Park, about 250 miles from San Francisco and 60 miles from Fresno. There are limited lodging and camping options within the park boundaries and also limited options for getting food. As recommended in other posts, you probably should plan to have food and beverage with you, so you can enjoy the park without having to take time away from your adventures. While the park is officially open 24 hours a day, the Kings Canyon Visitor Center is open year round however the Cedar Grove Visitor Center is closed in winter.

• This post will review the highlights of our visit, our suggestions for a variety of Kings Canyon hiking activities, and includes a number of associated images for your enjoyment. Of course, there is much more to explore in the park though I believe the details below will provide you a great exposure to Kings Canyon in a relatively short visit.

Kings Canyon Hiking.

• For Kings Canyon hiking activities, we departed from where we were staying in Sequoia National Park and planned to see as much of Kings Canyon National Park as we could in one day.
• While not a hiking activity, we suggest your first stop is at the Junction View Overlook. Here you will get a great view of the Kings River and the Middle Fork and South Fork of Kings Canyon.

• As you continue your drive towards "Roads End" it is worth another short stop at Yucca Point (be sure to mind the roadway along this stretch of your drive).
• Here you will be able to look almost straight down at the junction of the Middle Fork and South Fork of the Kings River, it is quite a site.



• Continuing our drive, we made a short stop at Boyden Cave and got some nice photos.



Your first Kings Canyon hiking activity will be to Grizzly Falls.

• This is a short trail to the impressive falls, and might give you a shady spot to enjoy the view.

• Next you are off to Roaring River Falls.
• This is another short hike on a relatively accessible trail
• Once at the falls you will experience the power of this waterfall as it rushes through a narrow granite chute.

• Then continue your drive to Roads End (one of my favorite road signs).



• From this location, you will get excellent views of high granite walls, could take a break for a picnic lunch, take some of the river trails, and take the short walk to Muir Rock.

• History has it that John Muir often took members of the Sierra Club to this location along with giving talks here that urged the inclusion of this watershed in a National Park.



• Our last Kings Canyon hiking adventure for this day was at Zumwalt Meadow.

• This is a 1.5 mile trail that provides great views of granite walls, the lush meadow, and the meandering Kings River.





• With our home base being back in Sequoia National Park, we began our drive back to Sequoia, though we were able to continue to enjoy beautiful, and some breathtaking views, along the way. Our short visit to Kings Canyon did not do it justice, though we were very happy to have had time to enjoy as much as we did.