Kings Canyon National Park is a fabulous destination in the heart of the Sierra Nevada mountains. However, as it is sandwiched between two more famous national parks, it rarely receives the recognition that it deserves, meaning many people often overlook it.
This is a real shame, especially with how many people visit the area for its natural beauty each year. That is why we have decided to create our Kings Canyon National Park Guide, to not only encourage more people to make the trip but also to ensure they know what to do when they are there.
We will provide all of the information you could possibly need to plan your dream travel itinerary and explore Kings Canyon National Park and its surrounding area. So, if you are making a trip to the area and want the most comprehensive experience possible, this is the article for you.
Facts & Figures About Kings Canyon National Park
Established on the 4th of March 1940, Kings Canyon National Park is the 24th oldest national park in the United States. However, it also includes all of the former General Grant National Park, which was founded in 1890 and was the nation’s 3rd oldest national park until the merger.
At just over 461,900 acres, Kings Canyon is the 21st largest national park in the U.S., and its 563,000 annual visitors make it the 38th most visited. Much of the park is located within the eponymous Kings Canyon which, at a depth of 8,200 feet (2,500 metres) is the 2nd deepest in the nation.
Directly connected to Sequoia National Park to its south, by the Generals Highway, these are the only two national parks in the U.S. which you can internally drive between. In 1976, UNESCO listed the whole area as the Sequoia – Kings Canyon Biosphere Reserve.
Kings Canyon is also part of a trio of national parks, along with Sequoia and Yosemite National Park, known as the Majestic Mountain Loop. A perfect representation of the Sierra Nevada landscape, it is the most densely grouped set of national parks in America.
Kings Canyon National Park Temperature
The Kings Canyon National Park Temperature usually ranges between a low of 25°F (-3.9°C) and a high of 87.5°F (30.8°C). The highest temperature ever recorded in the park is 91°F (33°C) and the lowest is -6°F (-21°C).
The highest temperatures in the park occur between early June and the end of September, while the coldest stretch is from November to April. The park gets rain throughout the year, but it is relatively dry from mid-June to late September. It also sees heavy snowfall from late October to early May.
The Wildlife & Landscape Of Kings Canyon National Park
The landscape of Kings Canyon National Park is largely defined by the deep gorge in which it lies, the towering walls of which border it on either side. This is then filled with a number of creeks, lakes, rivers, and waterfalls, as well as meadows, caves, and countless hiking trails and rock formations.
There is also a number of forests in Kings Canyon National Park, particularly at its entrance and up in the mountains. At varying altitudes these include cedars, firs, giant sequoias, hemlocks, oaks, pines, sycamores, willows, and various other species of hardwoods.
These trees are then interspersed with a range of other vegetation, including bushes, chapparal, shrubs, and different types of grass. All of this is then finished off with an incredible range of wildlife.
The park is home to a variety of animals, including black bears, marmots, mountain lions, mountain yellow legged frogs, mule deer, pikas, Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep, Yosemite toads, over 200 types of birds, such as finches and pipits, and one of the largest trout populations in California.
How To Get To Kings Canyon National Park
The closest airport to Kings Canyon National Park is Fresno Yosemite International Airport, which lies 53 miles (86 kilometres) away in Fresno and takes about 1 hour to reach.
International travellers and those coming from airports not served by Fresno Yosemite also have San Francisco International Airport 240 miles (385 km) away and Los Angeles International Airport 250 miles (400 km) away. These take 4 and 4 and ¼ hours to reach by car, respectively.
Best Time To Visit Kings Canyon National Park
The best time to visit Kings Canyon National Park is from late June to mid-August. This period features the perfect combination of the park’s warmest, driest weather, while avoiding the height of California wildfire season, which usually hits its peak in late August.
This means you will be able to have a relaxing time enjoying the sights and scenery, without worrying about keeping warm or dry or having your trip derailed by a natural disaster.
Top Attractions In Kings Canyon National Park
Now that you know a little more about the area, it is time to look at the top attractions in Kings Canyon National Park.
We will cover all of the best and most popular sites and activities in the park, to help everyone plan the perfect travel itinerary, no matter what their personal tastes may be.
Be Amazed By The Grant Grove And General Grant Tree
General Grant Grove is home to some of the largest living giant sequoias anywhere in the world, like the General Grant Tree, and is perhaps the most famous section of Kings Canyon National Park.
With the 3rd greatest diameter of any giant sequoia on Earth, the General Grant Tree is named after the 18th U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant and was named the “Nation’s Christmas Tree” by the 30th U.S. President Calvin Coolidge in 1926. It is thought to be between 1,650 and 2000 years old.
Located at the southeast corner of the park, the grove is set away from most of the Kings Canyon’s other attractions. However, it boasts a few historic attractions, such as the Gamlin Cabin and Fallen Monarch, and is also where you will find Grant Grove Village.
The most built up section of the park, the village is home to the Kings Canyon Visitor Center and Grant Grove Stables, as well as a lodge, general store, restaurant, and rental cabins. This makes it the perfect place to learn more about the park and stock up before you set out into the wilds.
Take A Hike Through Zumwalt Meadow
Zumwalt Meadow is one of the largest flat areas in Kings Canyon, as well as one of its greenest landscapes. Surrounded by towering rock formations, it is a perfect opportunity to experience a little bit of everything the park has to offer.
A 1.5 mile (2.4 km) loop trail, you will see beautiful green meadows, imposing canyon walls, stunning wildflowers, powerful rivers, giant sequoias, and much more.
With its relatively short length, it offers the perfect opportunity for a pleasant hike, no matter how little or how much time you have.
Drive The Park’s Only Road
There is only one road running through Kings Canyon National Park, which is the north end of the General’s Highway and the east end of California State Route 180.
The two merge in the southwest corner of the park, near Grant Grove Village, to become the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway and run for 34.5 miles (55 km) to Kanawyers.
Along this route, you will not only pass almost all of the park’s major attractions, but some of the lesser known ones too, such as the Boole Tree, Chicago Stump, and Kings Canyon National Park Entrance Sign. You will also see some of the most beautiful views on offer.
Spots like Cedar Grove Overlook, Junction View, Kings Canyon Panoramic Point, McGee Vista Point, Scenic Byway Viewpoint, Sunset Overlook, Vista Point Of Hume Lake, and Yucca Point Overlook all offer some of the most breathtaking, panoramic views and photo opportunities in the park.
This all combines to make driving the route an essential activity for anyone wanting a comprehensive experience of Kings Canyon National Park.
Explore Beyond The Road’s End
Located in the Kanawyers region of Kings Canyon, Road’s End is located at the far end of the park’s only road and represents the true end of civilisation and start of the wilderness.
The location of the start of many of the best hiking trails, this will be the end of the journey for most day trippers but the start of the adventure for more hardened adventurers.
With the Bubbs Creek, Copper Creek, Muir Rock, Rae Lakes, and Sierra High trails all starting here, and the Avalanche Creek, Lewis Creek, and Woods Creek trailheads not far away, it is the perfect place to set out from to explore the Kings Canyon backcountry.
Make The Most Of The Park’s Water Features
Kings Canyon is well known for its incredible collection of water features. You have the Roaring River and South Fork Kings River carving their way through the landscape, with countless creeks running off of them in every direction imaginable.
There are the beautiful waterfalls, such as Grizzly Falls and Roaring River Falls, where flowing waters cascade over the park’s rock formations to create some truly stunning scenery. Then there are more serene options in the form of the park’s lakes, which includes Hume Lake.
Whether your intention is to enjoy some high octane activities like kayaking and canoeing, sit on the beach and relax, take part in some casual boating, or simply snap some photos and appreciate the natural beauty, the waters of Kings Canyon is undoubtedly among its most defining features.
Journey Into Darkness In The Boyden Cavern
Although Boyden Cavern is technically in Sequoia National Forest, the entrance is located on the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway, making it a great stop to enjoy while in Kings Canyon National Park.
A Mesozoic marble karst cave, the 0.63 miles (1 km) that have currently been mapped are filled with rock formations like curtains, flowstones, helictites, shields, soda straws, and stalactites.
The cavern is also home to a large bat colony, which lives in an area known as the Bat Grotto.
With regular tours by experienced guides and a gift shop where you can purchase literature and souvenirs dedicated to the caves, Boyden Cavern provides the opportunity to do something a little different and see a completely different side of the Kings Canyon landscape.
Things To See And Do Near Kings Canyon National Park
Kings Canyon National Park is a fabulous natural destination that is full of exciting things to do and see. However, there are plenty of things in the surrounding area that are equally enjoyable as well.
That is why we will now look at the best things to see and do near Kings Canyon National Park, to help you plan the most comprehensive travel itinerary possible for your visit.
Sequoia National Park
Kings Canyon’s immediate neighbour to the south, Sequoia National Park is famed for its forests of old growth giant sequoias.
With countless hiking trails running throughout, the park offers a perfect place to go for a walk and enjoy some of the best views and wildlife you will ever experience.
Sequoia National Park even boasts a number of iconic attractions, such as the General Sherman tree and Mount Whitney.
There is also a collection of more unique sites to enjoy, like Crystal Cave, Log Tunnel, Moro Rock, Rock Tunnel, and the General’s Highway, to provide options for everyone.
Sierra National Forest
Sierra National Forest sits immediately to the north of Kings Canyon National Park, separating it from Yosemite National Park.
It covers 1.3 million acres and is the perfect combination of the two landscapes, boasting lakes, mountains, rivers, trails, wilderness areas, and stunning scenic views.
Receiving significantly fewer visitors than either of the parks around it, Sierra National Forest provides a more peaceful experience of the landscape.
This has helped it to become a popular spot for hiking, nature watching, camping, fishing, climbing, and boating, as well as skiing in the winter.
Yosemite National Park
The 3rd oldest national park in the U.S., Yosemite National Park is one of the most famous natural destinations on Earth.
Known for a landscape filled with mountains, rivers, meadows, and lakes, its most famed attraction is its waterfalls, including the tallest falls in North America, Yosemite Falls.
With manmade attractions like the Sugar Pine Railroad, Yosemite History Center, and its galleries and museums perfectly balanced with the stunning surroundings, Yosemite is the ideal place to truly appreciate the nature and history of this part of the United States.
Best Place To Stay Near Kings Canyon National Park – Montecito Sequoia Lodge
The Montecito Sequoia Lodge is a 4-star hotel located just over the border in Sequoia National Park, on the Generals Highway.
A beautiful, family friendly establishment with fabulous views of the surrounding area, it is the perfect place to set up a base from which to explore both parks. Each of the rooms is spacious and boasts comfortable furniture and beautiful views.
You then have a bar, snack bar, and restaurant that are open all day, as well as an outdoor pool, kid’s play area, tennis and basketball courts, and arts and crafts programs to keep your whole party entertained.
Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the site and every reservation includes free parking.
How Many Days To Spend In Kings Canyon National Park
Most people will ideally want to spend 1 to 2 days exploring Kings Canyon National Park. This will give them plenty of time to see the top attractions, go for some hikes and drives through the landscape, and enjoy activities like caving and boating.
Many feel the perfect way to see Kings Canyon National Park is by spending 3 days exploring it and Sequoia National Park together. This gives you a day and a half in each park, which should allow you to see most of the attractions and landscapes, without getting bored.
Those who only have a single day to spare will still be able to enjoy most of what Kings Canyon National Park has to offer, you will just need to stick to some of the shorter hikes and activities.
Conclusion
Kings Canyon National Park is one of the most beautiful national parks in the country and should get a lot more attention than it currently does. This Kings Canyon National Park guide will hopefully have given you everything you need to go and see it for yourself.
From when to go, where to stay and how long for, and how to get there, to the best things to do and see when you arrive, you now have all the information required to plan your dream travel itinerary and go and explore Kings Canyon National Park for yourself.