2 Days in Sequoia and Kings Canyon: Our Complete Itinerary

2 Day Sequoia and Kings Canyon Itinerary Overview

Here’s a quick look at how we spent our two days exploring Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.

Day 1: Sequoia National Park

• General Sherman Tree – The world’s largest tree by volume
• Congress Trail – Do not miss!
• Moro Rock – The views are worth the climb
• Tunnel Log – Quick photo stop
• Crescent Meadow – Optional if you’re short on time
• Big Trees Trail – Easy, peaceful, and beautiful

Day 2: Kings Canyon National Park

• General Grant Tree – The world’s third-largest tree by volume
• Kings Canyon Scenic Drive – Do not miss!
• Grizzly Falls – Quick stop
• Roaring River Falls – Short walk and worth it
• Zumwalt Meadow – Worth it for the bridge and river
• Panoramic Point – Great views of Kings Canyon and Hume Lake
• Big Stump Trail – See the famous Mark Twain Stump; optional if you’re short on time

We stayed two nights at John Muir Lodge in Grant Grove, which gave us easy access to both parks. With one full day dedicated to each park, I felt we were able to experience all of the major highlights without feeling rushed. I have to admit, by the end of our day 1 in Sequoia National Park, my legs were pretty sore, but it was so worth it!

Where We Stayed for Sequoia and Kings Canyon

We stayed two nights at John Muir Lodge in Grant Grove, and it worked out to be the perfect base for exploring both Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Since the lodge sits between the two parks, we were able to dedicate one full day to each without spending hours driving back and forth.

Our king room was comfortable and had everything we needed after long days of hiking. The lodge also has a cozy lobby with a water bottle filling station, a coffee station, a microwave for heating food, and a lounge with books and board games.

Just a 2-minute drive from the lodge, you’ll find Grant Grove Village, which has a gift shop, market, and the Grant Grove Restaurant. We had breakfast there one morning, and while the food was good, it was the outdoor seating area overlooking a beautiful meadow that made it such a memorable experience.

If you can get a reservation, Wuksachi Lodge in Sequoia National Park is another excellent option. Other lodges inside the parks include Montecito Sequoia Lodge and Cedar Grove Lodge, the latter being a great choice if you want to spend more time exploring the Kings Canyon Scenic Drive and nearby hikes.

If lodging inside the parks is full, I recommend staying in Visalia. It’s about an hour from the Ash Mountain entrance to Sequoia National Park and has plenty of hotels and restaurants.

I personally would avoid staying in Three Rivers. Although it’s the closest town to Sequoia, the drive into the park from the south is extremely winding with steep switchbacks and hairpin turns. We found the drive into the parks from the north to be much more enjoyable.

Our One Day in Sequoia National Park

We kept one full day for Sequoia National Park, and I’m glad we did. There is a lot to see here, and by the end of the day my watch had tracked around 6 miles of walking!

Since we were visiting on a Saturday in July, we decided to park at the Lodgepole Visitor Center and use the free park shuttles instead of driving between attractions. It turned out to be the right decision, as we never had to worry about finding parking at the popular trailheads.

We parked at the Lodgepole Visitor Center around 8:00 AM. There is a market next to the visitor center where you can buy food, snacks, and drinks, but we packed our own food and water for the day. There are also water bottle filling stations at the Giant Forest Museum where you can refill your bottles.

I was so impressed by Sequoia National Park’s shuttle system and the park rangers at every shuttle stop. They were all incredibly helpful in directing visitors where to line up and which shuttle to take for each attraction.

We took the Route 1 shuttle to the General Sherman Tree and Congress Trail, then stayed on Route 1 to the Giant Forest Museum. From there, we switched to the Route 2 shuttle for Moro Rock, Tunnel Log, and Crescent Meadow before returning to the Giant Forest Museum for the Big Trees Trail.

The only time we waited more than five minutes for a shuttle was along Route 2 after visiting Tunnel Log and Crescent Meadow, where we waited around 15 minutes for the next Route 2 shuttle. If the shuttles are running during your visit, I highly recommend using them instead of driving between attractions.

General Sherman Tree

Our first stop of the day was the park’s most famous attraction, the General Sherman Tree.

One thing I really liked about taking the Route 1 shuttle was that it dropped us off at the accessible parking area along Generals Highway. From here, it was a much shorter walk to the General Sherman Tree than if you park at the main General Sherman parking lot, so I was glad we took the shuttle.

The General Sherman Tree isn’t the tallest or widest tree in the world, but its enormous volume makes it the largest tree on Earth. It’s absolutely massive and worth the hype.

We reached the tree before 9:00 AM, and while there were already plenty of visitors, the crowds were still very manageable. If you’re visiting during the busy summer months, I would try to get here early.

Congress Trail

From the General Sherman Tree, we continued onto the Congress Trail. This 3-mile loop has around 300 feet of elevation gain, and it ended up being my favorite hike in Sequoia National Park.

The crowds started to thin out as we got farther along the trail, making it feel much more peaceful than the area around the General Sherman Tree.

I was completely awestruck by the House and Senate groups of giant sequoias. No picture can truly capture their magnificence. You just have to experience them in person. It was simply mind-blowing.

There are several other famous trees along the trail, including the President Tree and the McKinley Tree, but the House and Senate groups are what I’ll remember most from this hike.

We spent about two hours here because we kept stopping to admire the trees and take photos. If you keep a brisk pace, you could easily finish the trail in about an hour.

Moro Rock

Next, we took the Route 2 shuttle to Moro Rock. By the time we got there, it was around 11:00 AM, which meant we had to climb all those steps in the midday heat!

I was so amazed that someone thought of carving stone steps into this massive granite rock so that people like me could climb to the top and enjoy the panoramic views of Sequoia National Park.

There are around 375 steps to the top, but there are handrails throughout, so even if you’re afraid of heights, I think most people will be comfortable doing this hike. It took me about 20 minutes to reach the top because I needed several breaks along the way. Thankfully, there are a few flat sections where you can catch your breath while enjoying the views.

The 360-degree views from the top were absolutely worth the climb. We waited in line to take a picture by the Moro Rock sign, but unfortunately, the sun was directly overhead by then, so our photos didn’t turn out that well. If getting good pictures is important to you, I think visiting earlier in the morning would be a better idea.

Tunnel Log

From Moro Rock, we continued on the Route 2 shuttle toward Crescent Meadow and got off at Tunnel Log for a quick photo stop.

Tunnel Log is a fallen giant sequoia with a tunnel carved through its trunk, large enough for cars to drive through. Since we were using the shuttle, we simply walked over to take some pictures before continuing on to Crescent Meadow.

It was around 1:00 PM when we got here, so the overhead sun wasn’t ideal for pictures, but it was still a fun and quick stop. We waited around 15 minutes for the next Route 2 shuttle to continue to Crescent Meadow.

Crescent Meadow

Our next stop on Route 2 was Crescent Meadow, where we first ate our packed lunch at the picnic area. By this point, my legs were pretty tired after hiking the Congress Trail and climbing Moro Rock, so I decided to sit out the full Crescent Meadow Loop.

My husband did the entire loop and loved it. He said the scenery was beautiful, and it took him around 45 minutes to complete. If you have the stamina, it’s definitely worth adding to your day.

I did the shorter walk to the meadow and back, which is a good option if you’re tired or short on time. After everything we had already done that morning, I was perfectly happy with the shorter version!

Big Trees Trail

After Crescent Meadow, we took the Route 2 shuttle back to the Giant Forest Museum area. The Sentinel Tree is right next to the museum, along with restrooms and a water bottle filling station. We didn’t go inside the museum, but this is also where the Big Trees Trail begins.

By this point my legs were tired, and I really had to push myself to do one more trail. I’m so glad I didn’t skip this one!

The Big Trees Trail is an easy, flat 1-mile loop around Round Meadow, surrounded by giant sequoias. It was so beautiful and peaceful, especially along the back part of the trail where we hardly saw anyone.

This ended up being one of my favorite walks of the day. Even if you’re tired after a full day of exploring Sequoia National Park, don’t skip this one. It’s easy, beautiful, and a perfect way to end the day.

We were back at the Lodgepole Visitor Center around 6:00 PM, and the Lodgepole Market was buzzing with people getting something to eat after a long day in the park. I bought my Sequoia National Park magnets, and we were more than ready to finally sit down and enjoy a meal!

My watch had tracked around 7 miles of walking that day, and my legs definitely felt it. It had been a long day, but such a memorable one. We then drove back to John Muir Lodge for some much-needed rest before starting fresh for Kings Canyon the next morning.

Our One Day in Kings Canyon National Park

After a full day in Sequoia, we spent our second day exploring Kings Canyon National Park. We started in the Grant Grove area before driving all the way into Kings Canyon to Zumwalt Meadow and making several stops along the way.

Kings Canyon does not have a shuttle system, so we drove to the different trailheads and stops throughout the day. We didn’t have any major issues finding parking, even though we visited in July.

While the giant sequoias around Grant Grove were beautiful, the drive deep into Kings Canyon was the highlight of the day for me. The scenery here was completely different from Sequoia, with towering granite cliffs, the Kings River, waterfalls, and vast canyon views.

General Grant Tree Trail

We started our day at the General Grant Tree Trail in Grant Grove. There is a cluster of magnificent giant sequoias right in the parking area, so you don’t have to walk far before you’re surrounded by these massive trees.

The General Grant Tree is the main attraction on this short loop. At around 1,700 years old, 268 feet tall, and 40 feet in diameter, it is the third-largest tree in the world by volume. It felt so humbling to stand in front of a tree that massive and that old.

It was crowded around the General Grant Tree, and people were lining up to get their pictures in front of it. Everyone was really nice about taking photos for each other, which made the wait easy. Make sure to walk around to the back of the tree as well, where you can see a large fire scar.

Another fun stop along the trail is the Fallen Monarch, a completely hollow fallen sequoia that you can actually walk through from one end to the other. Once we were inside, it felt more like walking through a cave than a tree!

We also passed the historic Gamlin Cabin, which was built in 1872 by Israel and Thomas Gamlin, who lived there while working in the area. The cabin isn’t open to visitors, but it was still cool to see something that has been standing there for more than 150 years.

The entire loop is less than a mile, paved, and easy to walk. It took us around 30 minutes, including plenty of time to stop at the different trees and take pictures.

Kings Canyon Scenic Drive

When I was researching for this trip, a lot of itineraries kept the drive into Kings Canyon as optional, but after having done that drive, let me tell you that this drive is the real Kings Canyon and not the General Grant area! Please do not skip driving into the canyon. It is now one of my favorite scenic drives in California!

The scenery just kept getting better as we drove deeper into the canyon. The granite cliffs towering around us made for some jaw-dropping views, and once we reached the bottom of the canyon, the Kings River started flowing alongside the road.

The drive is an out-and-back, so you’ll return along the same road. We spent around four hours driving into the canyon and back with several stops along the way. If you want to add longer hikes like Mist Falls or visit Boyden Cavern, I would plan to spend most of the day inside the canyon.

Grizzly Falls

Our first stop inside the canyon was Grizzly Falls. The parking lot is small, but since this is a quick stop, cars were coming and going and we didn’t have trouble finding a spot.

It’s only about a 0.1-mile walk to the waterfall, making this one of the easiest stops along the drive. The falls were nice, and we saw a few people getting into the water here, although we didn’t. We spent around 10 minutes before continuing the drive.

Roaring River Falls

Next, we stopped at Roaring River Falls. There is another small parking lot here, but we were able to find a spot without waiting.

A short paved trail, about 0.3 miles round trip, leads to the waterfall. I found Roaring River Falls much more impressive, especially with the massive boulders surrounding the rushing water. There were signs warning visitors not to enter the water here, and you could see why, as the water was moving fast.

We spent around 20 minutes here in total before continuing toward Zumwalt Meadow.

Boyden Cavern

We skipped Boyden Cavern on this trip since we wanted to spend our time exploring the outdoor stops along the scenic drive. The cavern is located along the drive and can be visited on a guided tour, so it’s something you could add if you have more time.

Zumwalt Meadow

Zumwalt Meadow was our final stop in Kings Canyon. The parking lot here was much larger than at the waterfalls, but it was packed when we arrived. We had to wait a little while before eventually finding a spot.

We did the approximately 1.5-mile out-and-back trail, which starts with an easy dirt path running alongside the Kings River. The trail eventually reaches a bridge crossing the river, and I loved the views of the water from here. You can also easily walk down to the riverbank to dip your feet in the water or just sit by the river for a while.

After crossing the bridge, the trail became much rockier, with stone steps leading toward the meadow. The meadow itself was quite overgrown during our July visit, and there was only a small area where we could really see it. The granite cliffs surrounding the meadow were beautiful, though.

For me, the area around the bridge and the Kings River was actually the highlight of this trail rather than the meadow itself. Maybe seeing the beautiful Round Meadow on the Big Trees Trail the day before dampened the Zumwalt Meadow experience a little for me, but I would still do this trail again just for the views of the flowing river.

Knapp’s Cabin

After Zumwalt Meadow, we started driving back out of the canyon and stopped at a few viewpoints along the way. We found it easier to make these stops on the return drive because the pullouts were on our side of the road.

Our first stop was Knapp’s Cabin, a small historic cabin tucked into the canyon. The cabin itself was empty, but it was still cool to walk around, and there were some nice canyon views from behind it.

Yucca Point and Junction View

We also stopped at Yucca Point and Junction View on our way back. Both offered vast panoramic views over Kings Canyon, with the Kings River flowing far below.

Seeing just how deep and expansive the canyon is from these viewpoints was awe-inspiring. These were quick stops, but I’m glad we pulled over for them.

We started our drive into Kings Canyon around 10:00 AM and were back in the Grant Grove area by about 3:00 PM, including our stops and the Zumwalt Meadow hike. We stopped at the Grant Grove Restaurant area for lunch before continuing with the rest of our day.

Big Stump Trail

Later in the day, we drove to the Big Stump Picnic Area to hike the Big Stump Trail. The trail heads downhill through the forest to several massive sequoia stumps, with the Mark Twain Stump being the main attraction.

The trail is supposed to be a loop, but somehow we ended up doing it as an out-and-back! Along the way, we even had to climb over a large fallen tree, which made the hike a little more interesting.

The Mark Twain Stump is huge, and there is a ladder that lets you climb right onto the top of it. Standing on the stump really shows you just how massive this tree once was. I have to admit, though, I felt sad knowing that this enormous sequoia was cut down in 1891 so sections of it could be displayed in museums.

We returned the same way we came. If you’re short on time during your one day in Kings Canyon, I think this is one trail you can skip. The Mark Twain Stump is interesting to see, but I would prioritize the drive into Kings Canyon, General Grant Tree, and Panoramic Point.

Panoramic Point

We ended our day in Kings Canyon by driving up to Panoramic Point. The road from the Grant Grove area is narrow and mostly single lane with quite a few blind turns, so we took it slow. I was a little apprehensive about this road before we went, but it wasn’t as bad as I had expected.

There is a large parking lot at the end of the road, followed by a short 0.3-mile round-trip walk to the overlook. The views of Kings Canyon and Hume Lake from here were beautiful and made this a nice final stop of the day.

There are two overlook areas, so make sure you walk up to both. The upper viewpoint has a large boulder and gives you another view over the surrounding mountains and canyon.

We didn’t stay until after sunset because we really didn’t want to drive back down that narrow road in the dark. After a full day exploring Kings Canyon, this was a great place to end our day.

Final Thoughts

After living in California for close to 25 years, I can’t believe it took me this long to finally visit Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks! We covered a lot in two days, and I felt that dedicating one full day to each park worked really well.

My biggest wow moments were hiking the Congress Trail among the giant sequoias and driving deep into Kings Canyon. The views from Moro Rock and the peaceful Big Trees Trail were also some of my favorite experiences from the trip.

If you’re short on time, I would skip the Big Stump Trail in Kings Canyon and the full Crescent Meadow Loop in Sequoia before cutting any of the other stops from this itinerary.

I would love to return to Kings Canyon in the future and stay at Cedar Grove Lodge to spend more time exploring the hikes there. After finally seeing just how beautiful this part of California is, I know this won’t be my last visit.