Kings Canyon's Natural Splendor

Kings Canyon National Park was originally created to protect the world’s second-largest tree, and that’s the General Grant Tree.

It was later expanded to include what became its current namesake, King Canyon.

Kings Canyon is one of three national parks where visitors can experience the greatness of the sequoia tree, which grows only in a 60-mile radius here in the Sierra Nevada.

Within this beautiful park’s boundaries, you’ll find:

• hiking trails
• panoramic vistas
• diverse wildlife
• and so much more of Mother Nature’s beauty

Of course, the stars of the show in this park are the giant sequoia trees and the magnificent canyon.

Kings Canyon National Park is so much more than a collection of sites. It’s raw wilderness with a rich history of people who loved it and worked to preserve and protect it for us to enjoy today.

Explore Kings Canyon with Shaka Guide

With Shaka Guide as your co-pilot, you’ll explore Kings Canyon National Park at your own pace.

We’ve picked the best things to see and do, but with our app, you can stop and go as you please, and not miss a beat. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride.

Tour Options

Our tour gives you an option: you can take the full tour into the canyon, or you can take an abbreviated tour that will allow you to continue to or from Sequoia National Park.

Either way, the tour will take 3-5 hours to complete but can go much longer depending on how many hikes you take. And don’t forget, you can get out and explore anywhere you’d like along the way.

Preparing for the Journey

We recommend getting started bright and early, which means by 8 a.m. in order to experience all of the amazing things on this tour.

There are two places to start the tour: Generals Highway coming from Sequoia National Park or near the Big Stump Entrance Station.

It’s extremely important to make sure you have a full tank of gas before embarking on this journey. There are no gas stations in the park. There are a couple of mini-marts in the park with food and basic necessities.

Itinerary

1. Big Stump Picnic Area

• Duration: 45-60 minutes

The Big Stump Picnic Area is the first stop on this tour. From the picnic area, an easy two-mile loop leads to Big Stump itself, which is what’s left of the Mark Twain Tree. Before it was chopped down and put on display in the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the British Museum in London, the tree was a whopping 16 feet in diameter, and over 300 feet tall.

2. Redwood Mountain Overlook

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• Duration: 5 minutes

Pull up to Redwood Mountain Overlook to see Redwood Mountain Grove. Spanning almost 2,500 acres, it’s the biggest sequoia grove in the whole world. Below the overlook in Redwood Canyon, hikes include the Sugarbowl Loop at 6.8 miles, or 11 kilometers long, and the Hart Tree Loop at 7.3 miles, or 11.8 kilometers long. To reach the trailhead, drive about a half mile east from the overlook and follow the signs for Redwood Canyon. Then it's a 2-mile drive on a dirt road to the trailhead.

3. Kings Canyon Overlook

• Duration: 5 minutes

You don’t need long hikes to see breathtaking views in this park. And at Kings Canyon Overlook, you just have to pull up for a gorgeous panoramic view. Yup, it overlooks the park’s namesake natural wonder, Kings Canyon itself. The park’s claim to fame is that it’s almost 2,000 feet deeper than the Grand Canyon! While Kings Canyon reaches 8,200 feet, or 2,500 meters deep, the Grand Canyon’s depth maxes out at just 6,000 feet deep.

4. Kings Canyon Visitor Center and Village

• Duration: 30 minutes

At Kings Canyon Visitor Center in Grant Grove Village, you can learn all about the park and watch a short film about it. It has a Sequoia Parks Conservancy Store that also sells maps, books, and souvenirs. Next door is the Grant Grove Market, which sells basic necessities and food. The Grant Grove Restaurant is also there, which serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

5. Grant Grove

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• Duration: 45 minutes

Here's where you see the General Grant Tree, AKA the world’s second-largest tree. It’s also home to the Fallen Monarch, Gamlin Cabin, and the Centennial Stump. The General Grant Tree is 268 feet tall and 107 feet around. You can reach it on a third of a mile, easy, paved loop trail.

6. Panoramic Point Overlook

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• Duration: 10 minutes, or more to hike

Here’s a great look at Kings Canyon without the need to drive into it. This high-elevation view also includes Hume Lake. The view is only a few steps away from the parking lot. If you want more alpine scenery, then check out the trail to the Park Ridge Fire Lookout. This is a 5-mile, or 8 km, moderately difficult hike to a fire lookout tower. There may even be a volunteer fire observer to say hello to. The hike takes 2.5 to 3 hours.

7. McGee Vista Point

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• Duration: 10 minutes

Here’s another great view! While looking down from McGee Vista Point you’ll see the damage done by the Rough Fire. During the tour, you’ll learn more about the unique relationship between wildfire and sequoia trees.

8. Junction View

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• Duration: 5 minutes

At Junction View, you’ll be treated to a panoramic view of the Western Sierra all the way to Mount Whitney, which is the tallest peak in the lower 48 states. The overlook gets its name from the view of the junction of the Middle and South forks of the King River, and a view of Kings Canyon.

9. Yucca Point Overlook

• Duration: 5 minutes

The drive into the canyon is a long, twisty one, so take advantage of another scenic overlook to get out of the car and get another great look at the Sierra Nevada. This overlook sits above the Kings River.

10. Scenic Byway Viewpoint

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• Duration: 5 minutes

The Scenic Byway Viewpoint offers an awesome view of the limestone vein, also known as marble, that runs through the park. Look for the gray stone in contrast to the surrounding ground cover.

11. Boyden Caverns

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• Duration: 1 hour

Take a guided tour of this incredible marble cavern, filled with stalactites, stalagmites, and other rock formations. Guided tours are 45 minutes to an hour long. Tours of the caverns are run by a small company and charge a small fee for entrance. Keep in mind there is a short, but steep walk from the parking lot to the cave entrance.

12. Grizzly Falls Picnic Area

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• Duration: 15-30 minutes

At Grizzly Falls Picnic Area you can relax by the waterfall, which cascades about 80 feet down in a shaded part of the forest. The falls are a short walk from the picnic area and the parking lot, and it’s a great place to eat lunch. Restrooms make it a convenient stop, but the waterfall is a must-see.

13. Kings Canyon National Park Entrance Sign

• Duration: 5 minutes

The Kings Canyon National Park Entrance Sign stands roadside and is a perfect opportunity for that classic travel pic. Just park in the pull-off on the right side of the road, and throw shakas for your pic! One, two, three, shaka!

14. Cedar Grove Visitor Center

• Duration: 15 minutes

The second and last visitor center of the day is the Cedar Grove Visitor Center. It’s located in the heart of Cedar Grove Village. It offers information about the area’s natural and cultural history, and is open seasonally, from around Memorial Day through mid-September. The Sequoia Parks Conservancy Store inside the visitor center is a good place to pick up souvenirs, clothing, and other knick-knacks.

15. Knapp's Cabin

• Duration: 10-15 minutes

Go back in time to Knapp’s Cabin and get a gorgeous view of the canyon. This riverside cabin belonged to a man named George O. Knapp, who brought friends on fishing trips here. It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is reachable via a short trail from the parking area.

16. Roaring River Falls Trailhead

• Duration: 30 minutes

It doesn’t get any more peaceful than spending time by Roaring River Falls. It’s reached by an easy, nearly third-of-a-mile, out-and-back trail. From there, you can continue to Zumwalt Meadows on a four-mile or 6-kilometer trail.

17. Zumwalt Meadows Trailhead

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• Duration: 30-60 minutes

Walking to Zumwalt Meadows is a can’t-miss Kings Canyon experience. You can reach this gorgeous meadow by an easy, 0.75-mile, out-and-back trail. Keep an eye out for wildlife there.

18. Muir Rock

• Duration: 15-30 minutes

Muir Rock is the last stop on the tour, and the canyon naturally saved the best for last. The rock is a flat slab resting on the bank of the Kings River, and it’s a fabulous place to sit in peace. Local lore says that John Muir loved to hang out there and chat with passersby. The rock is just a short easy walk from the parking area.

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Ready to take the tour? Check out Shaka Guide's Kings Canyon National Park Tour!

We hope that we’ve given you all the information you need to make the most of your day. Your vacation is extremely important to us so if you have any questions feel free to reach out at aloha@shakaguide.com.

For more detailed information to help you plan, check out our Kings Canyon National Park Know Before You Go article.