Be sure to experience a drive on the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway!
Kings Canyon National Park is an immense and beautiful park, but it is usually lumped in with its neighbor Sequoia National Park. In actuality it is slightly larger than Sequoia, and we felt that it did not get the recognition it deserves! In fact, naturalist John Muir once called Kings Canyon “a rival to Yosemite.”
While you can see both Sequoia and Kings Canyon in one day easily thanks to the Generals Highway connecting the two parks, we definitely recommend spending a good amount of time in both. Because of the mountainous terrain, only a handful of roads exist in each park. To truly see Kings Canyon in all it’s glory, don’t skip driving on the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway! Every turn shows a new panoramic landscape of the Sequoia National Forest and the giant canyon below. Driving through this part of the Sierra Nevada mountain range is truly breathtaking.
Itinerary for a Perfect Day in Kings Canyon
How to Get to Kings Canyon
There are a few ways to enter Kings Canyon, coming from CA-180 you will begin right at the Kings Canyon Visitor Center and Grant Grove Village. You can also enter from the south on the Generals Highway driving through Sequoia. The Kings Canyon Scenic Byway is the only road that takes you down into the canyon and through the park.
Be sure to gas up your vehicle and fill your cooler with ice before beginning the scenic byway, there are no gas stations inside the parks. Stony Creek Village sits between the parks and offers a gas station, but it is only open during the summer months. Along the byway, Hume Lake has a general store and gas station about 11 miles down a winding path. Outside of Sequoia, the town of Three Rivers has gas stations and convenience stores.
Driving the Generals Highway
The Generals Highway begins as soon as you enter the park from CA-180. Turn left to begin exploring Kings Canyon, or right to head south towards Sequoia.
The road is notoriously steep, narrow, winding, and difficult to drive. There are numerous switchbacks and the speed limit is 10-15 MPH in most parts. Pay attention to signage, there are some sections with vehicle length limits of 22 feet.
Tip: If you are traveling with kids in the backseat or anyone with motion sickness, take Dramamine before starting out! This was one of the more twisty roads we’ve been on in a long time.
Visiting Grant Grove Village
When entering Kings Canyon from the Big Stump entrance, you immediately arrive at the Grant Grove Village. There is a small market here where you can re-supply with snacks, drinks, and other travel essentials. They also have the Grant Grove Restaurant offering local and organic dining, a small post office (we sent our kids a postcard from the gift shop), and a Visitor’s Center. Now you are ready to check out Kings Canyon!
The Village is also where you will find the John Muir Lodge and the Grant Grove Cabins if you are interested in staying inside the park.
The General Grant Tree
General Grant is one of the largest trees in the world, second only to its big sister General Sherman in Sequoia National Park. Standing at the base however, you really can’t tell which one is bigger. It was even designated as the “Nation’s Christmas Tree” by President Coolidge in 1926!
The best part of the 1/3 mile paved walk to the tree is the lack of crowds. While Sequoia had long lines to see the big trees and the trails were quite crowded, Kings Canyon had a much calmer vibe. There were no crowds, and at times we felt like we were the only people exploring the park!
Along the path to General Grant you will pass the Fallen Monarch, a hollowed out Giant Sequoia that is possibly centuries old. In the 1800’s this tree was even used as a shelter, a hotel of sorts, and then a horse stable. You can walk through the tree to get a sense of how people used to lodge inside of it.
Travel Recommendation
One thing we never travel without on a road trip is this portable GPS navigation. Not only was it a life saver when we found ourselves in the middle of a national park like Kings Canyon with ZERO cell phone or car GPS services, but you can type in basically anything you want to see and it will direct you there.
No more trying to look up coordinates or trailheads, or Googling addresses to landmarks on my phone. For this trip, all we had to do was type in anything we wanted to see like “General Grant” and this GPS would show us directions. We definitely recommend it if you are travelers like us!
This post contains affiliate links. This means I may earn a commission should you choose to make a purchase using my link to Amazon.com.
Panoramic Point
For a fantastic perspective of Kings Canyon, head to Panoramic Point. After leaving the parking area for Grant Grove, cross over 180 and immediately head to Panoramic Point Road. Follow the short but winding road up to the top. There, the overlook is just a half mile round-trip walk from the parking area.
Panoramic Point gives you a sweeping view of the canyon from 7,520 feet high. You can see the Sequoia National Forest, Hume Lake, and the high Sierra Nevada mountains.
Kings Canyon is actually the deepest canyon in the US rising to 8,200 feet, even deeper than the Grand Canyon! Panoramic Point is a great spot to sit and look at the beauty that makes up this national park. And the best part, we were the only people up here. For an even better view into the canyon though, you have to drive the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway!
Drive the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway
Driving the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway was definitely the best part of our day in Sequoia and Kings Canyon. Every turn exposes a new view of the canyon! Driving alongside the Kings River, the road zigzags among granite cliffs, forests, Sequoia Groves, and the Sierra Nevada mountains.
The scenic byway is a 50 mile stretch that links the Kings Canyon Visitor Centers in Grant Grove and Cedar Grove, all along highway 180. It is the only vehicle route into the Kings Canyon. Beginning at 2,000 feet, the byway climbs to 6,500 feet and then heads back down. The Kings Canyon byway passes breathtaking overlooks, waterfalls such as Grizzly Falls and Roaring River Falls, and end at Zumwalt Meadow at Roads End.
You will reach Cedar Grove towards the end of the scenic byway, at the bottom of the canyon. There is a small lodge here and a Kings Canyon Visitor Center, as well as many trailheads to further explore the canyon. Driving time on the scenic byway round trip takes 2-3 hours, depending on how many overlooks and waterfalls you stop at!
Note: The byway is only open from May through November past Hume Lake.
Continue Exploring into Sequoia National Park
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks can definitely be seen in the same day, and we suggest spending time in both parks. Each park has a different feel to it, and while Sequoia may be a little crowded, Kings Canyon was just the opposite. Take your time to explore each park, and make sure the scenic byway is on your agenda!
LEARN MORE: One Day in Sequoia National Park
Tips for visiting Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks
- Pack a cooler before you head into the park. Stock it with ice, waters, and cold drinks for the day because amenities are few and far between.
- Wear sunscreen, and remember to reapply. The sun is strong at higher elevations, and not all hikes are shaded.
- Wear UPF clothing, and a good hat.
- I brought a UPF car blanket like this one that really helped keep the sun off my legs during the day.
- Bring a good GPS, there is no cell phone service in the park. We loved having this one on this trip!
- Pack some sandwiches in your cooler and snacks for the car. Then you can eat whenever and wherever you want.
- Fill up your gas tank before you enter the park in Three Rivers outside of Sequoia or Hume Lake outside Kings Canyon. There are no gas stations inside either park. If you need to refill there is a gas station between the parks in Stony Creek Village, only open during the summer months.
- Drink plenty of water! Parts of the park are at higher elevations and you can easily become dehydrated. Here is our absolute favorite travel mug. It stays cold all day, holds 40 ounces of liquids, comes in over 10 colors, AND fits in our cup holders!
Be sure to check out the entire road trip we took through California! This amazing trip took us from Las Vegas through Death Valley, Sequoia and Kings Canyon, Yosemite, Napa Valley, and San Francisco.
Other fantastic trips with scenic byways:
Happy Travels!
