For part of our Spring Break this year we spent a couple days in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. If you’ve never been, these two national parks border each other and are operated together. The great thing is, as long as you’re visiting when Generals Highway is open (typically April through November), then you can easily drive between the two parks. This crosses two national parks off your bucket list! Even though we visited in the shoulder season and not everything was open, we crammed a lot into our time there. Keep reading for all our tips and how to best be prepared for visiting Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks with kids.
all about Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
There are so many fascinating facts about these two national parks that it could be a post in itself. These two parks total 865,000 acres of wilderness in the southern part of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. In fact, while we were in the park I kept telling the kids, “You know, Death Valley is just on the other side of those mountains!”
Sequoia National Park is home to the biggest living things on earth–giant Sequoias and Redwoods. In Sequoia National Park you can visit the General Sherman Tree which is the largest living tree on earth by volume. Meanwhile, Kings Canyon National Park is home to the General Grant Tree, which is the second tallest living tree.
This system of two parks also contains the highest peak in the contiguous United States (Mount Whitney at roughly 14,500 feet) and over 200 known marble caverns (most are not open to park visitors). Both Sequoia and Kings Canyon are truly incredible parks to see in person with a lot of fascinating history!
exploring Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
For the purpose of this blog post I’m combining information for both parks. That’s because many people that are planning a visit to one, also visit the other. Keep in mind that if you’re visiting in the off season, you will not be able to travel easily through from one park to the other.
things to do in Sequoia and Kings Canyon with kids
stop at the Visitor Center
There are several Visitor Centers within both Sequoia and Kings Canyon. Some are only open seasonally, so be sure you check the website or NPS app to check hours and availability. No matter which entrance you drive through however, there is a Visitor Center soon after entering. I recommend stopping here first so your kids can pick up their Junior Ranger booklets right away!
Each Visitor Center will also have a different passport stamp. Make sure to grab a stamp from each one if you have a national park passport book. The NPS app can even tell you exactly where each of the six passport stamp locations are! You can also grab my free passport book printable for kids here!
become a Junior Ranger
Since the parks operate together, there is only one Junior Ranger booklet and badge that say both park names. So it doesn’t matter where you pick up or turn in your booklet. We drove through the Sequoia entrance and picked up a Junior Ranger booklet at the Foothills Visitor Center. Then we drove out the Kings Canyon entrance and the kids got their badges at the Kings Canyon Visitor Center.
family-friendly hikes
Remember that Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks cover well over half a million acres. So, there are plenty of hiking trails to choose from. These are just some of the family-friendly hikes that we accomplished during our short visit that I would recommend.
hikes in Sequoia National Park
- Moro Rock Trail in Sequoia, .5 mile roundtrip. This hike is described as strenuous, due to the quick climb in elevation and the slight rock scrambling. However, if you can conquer your fear of heights it is well-worth the climb. Keep young children close as there are sharp drop-offs! There are pit toilets at the trailhead and this is a shuttle stop in the summer. In the winter the road is closed but you can walk the extra 3.2 miles roundtrip along the road from the Giant Forest Museum. Be aware that if there is ice or snow on Morro Rock you should not attempt to hike to the top.
- General Sherman Tree Trail in Sequoia, 1 mile roundtrip. Don’t let the one mile fool you, you lose a lot of elevation on your hike down to the tree, which means you gain it all back coming up. Take your time and utilize one of the many benches along the trail if you need to and you’ll be fine. In addition to the General Sherman Tree, you can also access many other trails and big trees along the Congress Trail (2.7 mile loop in total) once you’re at the bottom!
- Tokopah Falls Trail in Sequoia, 4 miles roundtrip. This is a longer hike, but fairly easy and flat until you get to the end before the falls. At that point you’ll need to do a little bit of rock scrambling. The trail offers a lot of shade and follows an beautiful stream. The trailhead for this hike leaves from Lodgepole Campground and although you can access it year-round, the campground facilities (including bathrooms and water bottle refill station) may be closed seasonally, so plan accordingly.
hikes in Kings Canyon National Park
- General Grant Tree Trail in Kings Canyon, .5 mile roundtrip. This is an easy loop trail that not only takes you past the General Grant Tree, but also many other interesting sites, like the Fallen Monarch, which is a giant hollowed-out tree you can walk through. This is close to the Kings Canyon Visitor Center and you have access to pit toilets in the parking lot.
- Big Stump Loop Trail in Kings Canyon, 1.6 miles for the whole loop. One of the things I really wanted to show the kids was the Mark Twain Stump and for some reason, based off my research, I thought it was easily accessible to the parking lot. I was wrong. It’s not a hard hike, but it was definitely more than I was expecting. Note that you don’t need to do the entire Big Stump loop to find the Mark Twain stump from the Big Stump Picnic Area, which features bathrooms and a water fountain (seasonally).
take a drive
There are so many beautiful sights to see in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks just by driving around. Take your time and stop at some of the overlooks to really experience these parks! The Tunnel Rock point of interest on Generals Highway shortly after the Foothills Visitor Center is one of those things you want to stop and see!
Something you’ll definitely want to plan a drive to is the Tunnel Log. This log is no only fun to drive through, but it has interesting historical significance! Note that in the winter the road to Tunnel Log is closed. You can access Tunnel Log via walking along the same road to get to Moro Rock. So plan on a roughly 3.5 mile road walk roundtrip.
where to stay in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
There are several options for camping in both Sequoia and Kings Canyon. Some need to be reserved ahead of time, but many also operate on a “first come, first served” basis. Keep in mind that there are no hookups located inside the park. Additionally, the limit on vehicle length is recommended at 24 feet. Always check the park website ahead of time for current campground information.
If you don’t want to camp there are actually several options for lodging within Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.
There are two lodges in Kings Canyon, two lodges in Sequoia National Forest, and one in Sequoia National Park. Note that only Wuksachi Lodge in Sequoia National Park is open year-round. This is where we stayed and I’ll have a blog post with our review up soon! Our family loves staying inside national parks whenever possible, but keep in mind when you’re booking a lodge, you are paying for the convenience of the location.
Have you been to Sequoia or Kings Canyon National Parks?
You might also enjoy these tips for other California national parks:
Yosemite National Park with Kids
Joshua Tree National Park with Kids
Death Valley National Park with Kids
Pinnacles National Park with Kids
One Response
I’m thinking this might be our next spring break. Thanks for the tips!