16 Top Things to Do in Kings Canyon National Park

You’re probably planning a trip through California’s Sierra Nevada and already know you want to visit Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks. But Kings Canyon is harder to figure out.

It’s awkwardly shaped. It can just seem like Sequoia 2.0. And some of its best scenery seems weirdly difficult to reach.

After three day-hiking trips and at least five wilderness backpacking trips in Kings Canyon, I can confidently say it deserves a place on your itinerary. The park offers quieter trails, enormous sequoias, and the most dramatic canyon drive in California.

I’ll show you what to see in Grant Grove and Cedar Grove, explain what is actually inside the national park, and help you choose the best stops and hikes that are worth your limited time.

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Kings Canyon National Park Need to Know (Quick Facts)

Regions of Kings Canyon

If you look at Kings Canyon on a map, you might be confused by the boundaries. You drive into the national forest, and then into the park, and then back into the national forest… but it’s also a national monument?! 

I know. I was a bit confused too. Let’s go over the regions quickly together to get our bearings before jumping into the must-see sights.

Grant Grove Area

Grant Grove Village is where you first enter the park at the Big Stump Entrance, and the section you visit first if you’re driving in from Sequoia National Park.

This is where you’ll find Kings Canyon’s main sequoia grove: Grant Grove. You also have the main visitor center, 2 lodging options, 3 campgrounds, a restaurant, and a grocery store.

Cedar Grove & Road’s End

Cedar Grove is located 33 miles down the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway road from the Big Stump Entrance. There aren’t any sequoia trees down here: but there are incense cedars! The road here also closes in the winter, so this is more of a summer destination.

Cedar Grove has a much different feel than Grant Grove. This area feels more like Yosemite: big granite walls, a gorgeous clear river, and distant mountain views. You’ll find a small visitor center, wilderness center, a lodge, a restaurant and small grocery/gift shop, 4 campgrounds, and many wilderness trailheads.

Giant Sequoia National Monument

When you drive through Grant Grove on the way to Cedar Grove, you actually leave the national park and enter the northern unit of Sequoia National Forest. The majority of this is also the Giant Sequoia National Monument. You’ll also enter the national forest when you leave Kings Canyon and drive toward Sequoia National Park.

There’s a lot to see here. There are countless hiking trails, tons of campsites – both official and dispersed, lodging options, Hume Lake, private camps, 2 gas stations (Hume Lake and Stony Creek Village), and a couple of meal options at the private lodging options.

The High Sierra Backcountry

This is actually the crown jewel of Kings Canyon National Park. Thousands of acres of stunning granite peaks, wildflower filled meadows, hundreds of alpine lakes, glistening waterfalls and rivers await deep into this stunning wilderness area. And most of it doesn’t even have trails.

There are 2 main spots to access the backcountry: Cedar Grove and multiple trailheads in the Eastern Sierra off of Highway 395 – the other side of the mountain range. I’ve been lucky enough to hike the Rae Lakes Loop, and the entire John Muir Trail through the park, and there is still so much I want to experience out here.

Best Things to Do in Kings Canyon National Park

While the best parts of Kings Canyon are hiding miles into the wilderness, there is still plenty to see and do in the frontcountry during a shorter trip to the park.

My personal favorites are the General Grant Tree, Mist Falls, Panoramic Point, the Scenic Byway, and Buck Rock Lookout.

See the General Grant Tree

The General Grant Tree is kind of tied for the second largest tree in the world by volume! I’ll let you read about the intricacies in what to include in measuring tree volume from the NPS. No matter what, it’s a BIG tree and it has also been designated the Nation’s Christmas Tree.

I love walking the easy 0.4 mile paved path to see the General Grant in Grant Grove, along with a few other sights like the Fallen Monarch, Gamblin Cabin, and Centennial Stump. 

Unlike the General Sherman in Sequoia, the Grant Tree is a little bit more hidden in the grove and I feel like there’s slightly less fan fare. But, the way the light seems to always stream in and douse the Grant in a golden glow is pretty magical. So it’s worth a stop even after seeing Sherman!

Hike Mist Falls

Mist Falls is by far my favorite hike in Kings Canyon National Park – and I think it is the best day hike in the park. 

It might seem long and formidable at 8 miles round trip, but if you’re a regular hiker, you’ll probably think those 8 miles breeze by since the trail is pretty mild with very gradual uphill that gets a bit steeper as you approach Mist Falls.

The trailhead is located at Road’s End, right next to the wilderness office. There are pit toilets and a water fill station nearby. It’s a great opportunity to ask any ranger questions you might have too!

You can hike it fairly quickly, or take time to pull over and post up at some of the easy river access points along the way for a nice break, but make sure you hike all the way to Mist Falls, and take the time to enjoy the view of the Sphinx mountain behind you as you approach Mist Falls.

A quick note of caution on this trail: black bears are a common sight, as are rattlesnakes. So be aware of your surroundings and don’t approach wildlife. In both of these cases it’s best to back away and let them pass before continuing. 

For rattlesnakes I will sometimes throw small rocks in the vicinity of the snake (don’t hit the snake) to encourage it to move along. Remember: a coiled snake is in striking position, a long snake is less of a danger.

Drive the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway

This is the road you’ll drive in between the Grant Grove and Cedar Grove areas of the park. And once you pass the Hume Lake area on the road, you’ll be greeted with some outstanding views.

Kings Canyon is argued to be the deepest canyon in the United States – at 8,200 feet deep between Spanish Mountain and the confluence of the Middle and South Forks of the Kings River. Which you can see on this drive at Yucca Point – a hairpin turn in the road. You can even hike the Yucca Point trail down to the confluence, though it’s steep and hot.

If you’re like me, you’ll just enjoy the views from the car, pulling over in the many turn-outs to take in the views. I personally love driving back up the byway during golden hour before sunset: the glow on these mountains is incredible, and the best pullouts are on the river side of the highway anyway, making it easier to pull over when you’re driving uphill.

Junction View is one the the best and largest pullouts on the highway, but make sure you also stop at 36.81730° N, 118.83970° W near Convict Flat Campground. It’s one of my favorite canyon views.

There is a private campground a little after Junction View called Kings Canyon Campground. You can make reservations on Hipcamp. I stayed here one time before a backpacking trip, and it’s fine, just hot.

They have gas and ice cream when the main part is open, but those hours seem to fluctuate and shouldn’t be relied upon. But if they’re open… ice cream is always a fun road trip treat when it’s 90°F outside!

Sunset at Panoramic Point

Panoramic Point shouldn’t be missed on your visit to Kings Canyon. It’s a short uphill walk (0.5 miles round trip) to the viewpoint where you’ll see Hume Lake below you, surrounded by the Sierra mountains. 

I’ve been here for sunset twice, and it’s an incredible experience: especially with how intense the sun glows as it sets behind the trees to the west. I’d love to visit for sunrise to watch the sun break over the mountains.

A couple things to keep in mind:

1. Air pollution is a problem in California’s Central Valley and you may experience this here. Both the nights I visited it was pretty hazy from air quality and probably fire smoke, so the mountains weren’t as sharp to the eye as I was hoping. It’s still beautiful.
2. The road is very narrow and windy in parts. Longer vehicles like RVs won’t be able to make this drive, but a 22 ft campervan should be fine.

Hike to Park Ridge Lookout

From Panoramic Point you can continue hiking the ridge to a volunteer-manned fire lookout: Park Ridge. 

I decided to hike it during golden hour and sunset near the summer solstice, starting around 6:45 pm, and got back to Panoramic Point around 9:10 pm. I wasn’t able to go inside the lookout at this time – the visiting hours are 10:30 am – 5:00 pm.

The sunset views were even more incredible along the ridge than Panoramic Point, and you can get some better mountain views just past Panoramic Point and then again closer to the lookout. The wildflowers were also so beautiful in mid-June.

I’d say this hike isn’t a must-do if you’re short on time, but I also had to share the summit area with a PG&E worker in his idling truck making a phone call (there is a maintenance forest road to the top as well), which kind of ruined the peace. 

It’s a great hike though for getting off the beaten path in Kings Canyon and you’ll probably appreciate it if you get to go inside the fire lookout for even better, above-the-ground views!

Swim at Muir Rock

Muir Rock is a big rock right next to the South Fork of the Kings River at Road’s End. You access it via a very short trail from the main parking lot at Road’s End (it’s usually signed).

I spent about 3 hours here one afternoon just hanging out on the rock and jumping in the river from the top of the rock. It was a lot of fun, and there were many families partaking as well.

I highly recommend bringing a picnic and some folding chairs and setting up by the river’s edge. It’s beautiful, relaxing, and the river is the most gorgeous clear-blue-green color.

A word of caution: It’s definitely fun to jump in and swim in the river, but the river current is very strong here, and you should not swim across the river, especially in early summer. I watched 2 young girls almost get swept downriver and watched their father struggle to catch them and stay afloat himself. It had a happy ending but all of us watching had our hearts collectively stop and no one was breathing for those few seconds. 

Just be smart around the river. If you jump in from Muir Rock, stay close to the rock and exit as soon as the small beach behind the rock comes into view.

Stroll Through Zumwalt Meadow

Zumwalt Meadow is such a fun short walk in Cedar Grove. The mountain and meadow views are incredible, and you can hike up the trail to the rocks on the southern side, where you’ll get more of a birds-eye view!

Sadly the meadow trail was damaged and is closed so you can’t walk in the meadow right now, but I still think walking over the bridge on the river is fun and walking up to the trail closure sign still gives you wild views of North Dome peak.

See Roaring River Falls

This is a road-side stop in Cedar Grove with a 0.25 mile short, paved walk to the falls. It’s such a quick stop that it’s definitely worth it. While the falls aren’t very tall, they’re packed with power as the water comes shooting out of a small corner in the canyon wall.

I loved being here at the beginning of golden hour looking back at the canyon: the walls were starting to glow and I hadn’t seen views like that in Kings Canyon yet.

Hike Big Stump Loop

The Big Stump Loop is one of the most powerful reminders of human greed. This short hike takes you past hundreds of sequoia stumps in just a small area, with the largest being the Mark Twain Stump: the tree felled to bring to the World’s Fair as proof of these giant trees (and the east coasters laughed and called it a hoax).

While a trail of stumps might not seem fun, I think it’s an important stop and a great reminder of the importance of protecting the natural wonders of our world before humans wreck havoc.

Hike Buena Vista Peak

Buena Vista Peak is a short hike with some great views of the Sierra range, the Redwood Mountain Grove (which sadly burned), and the Central Valley.

I hiked this trail mid-day, but I’d probably recommend it as a sunrise or sunset hike for the best views, light, and cooler temperatures.

I haven’t yet hiked up Big Baldy, but they are on the same side of the highway, and I’m going to guess have relatively similar views. Big Baldy is about 400 feet taller than Buena Vista Peak but also twice as long of a hike. So depending on what kind of hike you’re looking for, I’d probably choose one or the other to hike.

I’d also say Buena Vista Peak has better views for less effort than the Park Ridge Lookout hike if you’re trying to decide between these and have limited time.

Hike Kearsarge Pass

Kearsarge Pass is not on the western side of the park. The trailhead is on the eastern side, off of Highway 395, but I wanted to mention it because it’s the shortest trail to access Kings Canyon from the eastern Sierra slope, and it’s also absolutely stunning.

The top of the pass is the border between Inyo National Forest and Kings Canyon. So this is one of the very few trails you can hike with your dog to the top of the pass: you just can’t hike down into the park with your pet.

If you’re petless though and want a slightly longer hike, continue down to Kearsarge Lakes or Bullfrog Lake to enjoy the views and swim in the lakes.

This is a super popular hike. You’ll see many backpackers and day hikers. I used it as a resupply trail when I was thru-hiking the PCT and the top of the pass is one of my all-time favorite views in the Sierra.

Go Backpacking

Getting further away from the main roads is one of the best parts of Kings Canyon, as the park is mainly designated wilderness. 

One of the most popular multi-night treks is the Rae Lakes Loop, which you can access from Road’s End or Kearsarge Pass. I’ve done this full loop once and also hiked Rae Lakes and Glen Pass during my thru-hikes of the PCT and JMT and it is truly an incredible area and well worth the trek.

Some other popular backpacking trips include the Big SEKI Loop (or split it into the northern and southern loops) and Evolution Basin. Once you look at a map, you’ll realize that there’s lots of opportunity to get into the Kings Canyon wilderness from nearby forest trailheads near Courtright Reservoir, Florence Lake, South Lake, and Lake Sabrina.

You do need a wilderness permit to go backpacking in Kings Canyon, and you’ll reserve one through Sequoia-Kings Canyon, Inyo National Forest, or Sierra National Forest depending on your trailhead access point. Snow-free backpacking is generally available from July – September, but it really depends on the prior winter.

Sequoia National Forest Activities

Because Kings Canyon is surrounded by the Sequoia National Forest and you will drive through it when visiting the National Park, I wanted to make sure you knew about these other cool spots to visit on your trip!

These aren’t things I’d say are essential on a first-time visit or if you have a limited amount of time, but I’d definitely recommend them for longer visits or if you’ve seen the park highlights already!

Just a head’s up: Sequoia National Forest is very large, and it’s split into two districts. The area near Kings Canyon is the Hume Lake, or Northern district. The southern district is down by Lake Isabella – way too far away for a Kings Canyon trip!

Climb Up Buck Rock Lookout

This was my favorite thing in Sequoia National Forest. Like Park Ridge, this is a volunteer-manned operational fire lookout you can visit! It’s so much cooler than Park Ridge though. This one was built into a huge rock!

The climb might scare you if you’re afraid of heights, but the views of the High Sierra are the best I have ever seen from the western slope of the mountain range so I highly recommend visiting.

Please be respectful of the space and the bathroom here: a volunteer lives here during the entire summer watching for fires. And please leave a cash tip if you’re able to at the top to support the volunteer program!

Driving note: This is an off-road destination and you should have a high clearance, AWD vehicle with good tires. You can also park your car at the campground at the base of the road and hike 4 miles round trip on the road if you’re worried about your clearance or tires.

Pro tip: Bring binoculars to get the best view of the mountains from the fire lookout!

Tour Boyden Cavern

Boyden Cavern is a road-side stop as you drive down to Cedar Grove. It’s a cave you can explore by guided tour only after a short but steep climb to the entrance.

It costs about $20 for adults depending on the day of the week and the tour is about 1 hour long. I’d book your tour in advance, but I did see people booking on the spot too.

I thought it was a fun stop, plus you get some cool views of the river and canyon walls on the hike up and down.

If you’re deciding between Crystal Cave in Sequoia and this one, I think Crystal Cave is more stunning with larger rooms and more stalactites and stalagmites. 

But this one was fun to see some special glow-in-the-dark features and the “wild exit” where you can hike through a stream on the way out. I went in mid-June and this was a bad snow year, so there wasn’t a ton of water in the stream bed, but it’s still fun: there’s tighter curves to navigate!

See Grizzly Falls

Grizzly Falls is located just past Boyden Cavern on the way to Cedar Grove, so it makes sense to stop here and enjoy the waterfall and picnic area before continuing into Kings Canyon! It’s less than a quarter mile round trip: you can see the falls from the parking lot.

The flow here will depend on visiting in early vs. late summer and how much snow fell in the mountains the prior winter. In mid-June it was already a pretty light flow, but it was also an abysmal snow year in California.

This parking area is pretty small and definitely gets crowded after each timed Boyden Cave tour. I decided to stop by on my way out of the canyon and it was much less crowded.

Visit Hume Lake

Hume Lake is an interesting little spot. There’s basically three things: the lake, a forest service campground, and the Hume Lake Christian Camp. 

The camp hosts kids and families year-round (not something I expected when we visited in early March), but seems to only offer public services like their restaurant and boat rentals to non-campers in the summer months.

In general, this is on forest service land, and is pet friendly, and there’s a hiking trail around the lake, so it’s a nice spot to visit if you have a dog since most of the park is not dog-friendly. There’s also fishing and non-motorized boating.

I have not visited in summer, but I imagine it’s pretty crowded from the camps. In March it was eerily quiet aside from the camp, which seemed to be either starting or ending on the day we visited – either way, we were confused about where we were allowed to park there.

There is a gas station here though if you’re running low. It’s insanely expensive, so I wouldn’t do a full tank fill – just enough to get you to Fresno or Visalia.

How to Visit Kings Canyon National Park

Kings Canyon is located in the southern Sierra Nevada near Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks. The easiest access is from the western side of the mountain range. 

Most people are going to visit Kings Canyon on their trip to Sequoia National Park to be able to see both parks! I highly recommend doing this. I think they’re best seen and experienced together, but I have made trips just to Kings Canyon before as a California local, and think it’s worth it by itself as well!

Best Month to Visit Kings Canyon

I think June is the best month of the year to visit Kings Canyon, especially if you won’t be backpacking.

The temperatures are a bit cooler than mid-summer, there’s still not a ton of people in the park, the bugs aren’t terrible, and the waterfalls will be at their peak flow, while the popular hiking trails are snow-free!

However, if it’s been a big snow year, the road to Cedar Grove might not be open yet in June. If that’s the case, I’d say to save your visit for the end of summer: ideally September, after Labor Day. The waterfalls might not be roaring, but you’ll have lots of peace and quiet and less bugs.

My potential hot take for Kings Canyon is that I don’t think it’s worth a visit in the winter and that Sequoia is much better to visit in the winter.

How Many Days Do You Need to See the Park

If you want a taste of Kings Canyon, you can see most major sights in just one full day. But I think 2 days is more appropriate so you don’t need to rush around. If you want to do more hiking and exploring in the national forest, you definitely need 2 days.

If you’re also visiting Sequoia National Park, I’d make sure you have at least 3 days to fully explore both parks to really experience the best of them!

➡️Get my free one day Kings Canyon itinerary here!

How to Get To Kings Canyon

The closest cities to Kings Canyon National Park are Fresno, CA and Visalia, CA. Both of these towns are about a 1 – 1.5 hour drive from the Big Stump Entrance, and make great starting points for a visit.

Flying to the Park

If you’re flying in, you’ll either fly into Fresno, CA (FAT) or one of the larger cities in California like San Francisco (SFO), Sacramento (SAC), or Los Angeles (LAX). Flight prices and connections/layovers will probably be the largest considerations for choosing where to fly into.

Once you land, you’ll need to rent a car. There is no public transportation to Kings Canyon and there are no park shuttles to take you to the sights within the park. 

Make sure you have a full tank of gas before leaving! I would not recommend an EV unless you plan to stay in Fresno, Visalia, or Three Rivers.

➡️ Check car rental prices here!

Driving to the Park

I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, and driving to Kings Canyon is surprisingly easy. I find that it takes about 4-4.5 hours to drive to the park, only slightly longer than the drive to Yosemite Valley.

I personally like to stop at Costco in Fresno off of CA-99 to fill up on gas before heading into the park. I’d also recommend the Costco in Visalia if you’re coming from Los Angeles (avoid Bakersfield traffic if possible).

Where to Eat in Kings Canyon

There are only 2 restaurants inside the national park, and a couple of others surrounding it.

Grant Grove Restaurant is in Grant Grove Village, right next to the visitor center, gift shop, and grocery store. It is not continually open throughout the day – there is a closure between breakfast and lunch, so double check the hours and plan accordingly. 

The Cedar Grove Grill is located inside the Cedar Grove Lodge. It also has staggered dining hours.

I have not eaten at either of these locations since I’ve always been camping when in Kings Canyon, but I have eaten at Lodgepole and Wuksachi in Sequoia and they are run by the same dining company. The food is fine for national park fare. Nothing to write home about, but I did enjoy the huckleberry ice cream.

The Christian Camp in Hume Lake also has a restaurant that also seems like it has pretty standard middle-of-the-mountains dining fare with limited hours. Stony Creek Lodge in between Kings Canyon & Sequoia also has food, but the dining hours seem to be short and TripAdvisor and Google have mixed reviews.

I’d personally stick with the park dining options, and just make sure you bring some of your favorite snacks with you.

Best Places to Stay In Kings Canyon

There are not a ton of hotels in Kings Canyon but there are plenty of campgrounds. No matter which way you swing, I’d recommend staying in Grant Grove Village if you also want to visit Sequoia National Park on your trip. If you’d rather have more access to longer hiking trails, I’d stay in Cedar Grove.

Hotels

Similar to where to eat, there are 3 hotels within the national park: Cedar Grove Lodge in Cedar Grove, and John Muir Lodge and Grant Grove Cabins in Grant Grove. These are run by the concessionaire.

I haven’t stayed in either of these, but I would expect pretty standard national park accommodations. Basic, and you’re paying for location rather than services.

Because the lodging is incredibly limited in the park, if you prefer to stay in a hotel vs. camping, I would probably recommend staying in Fresno or Visalia for more variety and more affordable options. The drive into the park from these towns is not that bad.

Cabins

There are private rental cabins in Wilsonia, which is a private community near Grant Grove Village. You can find these on VRBO and AirBnb.

Campgrounds

I’ve camped each time I’ve visited Kings Canyon. I’ve stayed at both Azalea and Sunset campgrounds and think they are both completely fine. There’s a third campground near Grant Grove: Crystal Springs Campground, and 4 more options in Cedar Grove.

You can reserve all campsites on recreation.gov, and I’ve had good luck booking last minute sites at Kings Canyon, unlike camping in Yosemite.

Something to keep in mind with these campgrounds (and you can see this information when booking online) many of them have shared parking spaces with your neighboring campsite. So be aware of this if you sleep in your car or a van at campgrounds. You might want to pay attention and make sure you have a private parking space because we all know how those pesky camp neighbors can be sometimes.

Before You Go: Important Things to Know

A few reminders before you head off on your trip:

Leave No Trace

It’s so important to follow the 7 Leave No Trace Principles when you’re visiting all of our National Parks and forests – and really any outdoor space. Doing things like staying on the designated trails, not littering, not playing music out loud, and adhering to fire restrictions, are all examples of “leaving no trace”.

The 7 principles are:

1. Plan Ahead and Prepare
2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
3. Dispose of Waste Properly
4. Leave What You Find
5. Minimize Campfire Impacts
6. Respect Wildlife
7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors

Bears & Food in Cars

Do not leave any food, wrappers, or toiletries in cars overnight. That includes dirty baby car seats as well. Bears are all over the place in Kings Canyon and they will break into your car if they smell something attractive in there. And by “break in”, I mean completely mangle your car’s door frame, and a hefty bill from a towing company.

Use provided bear lockers at trailheads, and bring all your scented items with you into your lodging. You don’t need to worry about this during short day hikes, but make sure nothing is visible from peering into your car.

Download Offline Maps

There’s WIFI in Grant Grove Village, but that’s it. I would download your entire driving map area on Google Maps, and all of the trails you want to hike on AllTrails. 

AllTrails Plus has a neat feature where you can download an entire National Park – so in case you want to hike a different trail or get off track, you have the whole area downloaded! You can get 30% off AllTrails Plus with the code backcountryemily30.

If You Want to Explore More Around Kings Canyon National Park

If I’m being honest, Kings Canyon National Park is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to exploring the southern Sierra region. There is so much to see and I know that I have so much more I want to discover in this gorgeous area.

But if you follow this list, I promise you’ll have a great time beginning to discover the wonders of this park!

Kings Canyon is amazing on its own, but if you’re a national parks lover like I am, I know you’re going to pair this trip with a visit to Sequoia, so make sure you check out this guide to the best things to do in Sequoia National Park.

And if you’re still trying to figure out how to fit these things into an easy to handle itinerary, check out my 1 day guide to Kings Canyon or 3 day joint Sequoia-Kings Canyon itinerary!