Kings Canyon National Park

Where Is It: 225 miles north of Los Angeles; 250 miles southeast of San Francisco.

The famous naturalist John Muir first visited the area in 1873 and 1875 and quickly came to love it, but he became very concerned for its condition. Sharing his concerns, some began to consider the idea of preserving the natural wonders in the area. Considerable credit for the efforts which culminated in the establishment of the original park go to George W. Stewart, a Visalia newspaperman and conservationist, and Daniel K. Zumwalt of the Southern Pacific Railroad. The area surrounding the Grant Grove of giant sequoias was withdrawn from sale for logging in 1880. This same area around the sequoias was created as the fourth national park on the same day as Yosemite (October 1, 1890), in the same legislation and one week later than the second park. It was called General Grant National Park.

Threats to the resources in the park area persisted into the twentieth century. In the 1920’s a plan was created to create a reservoir in the Cedar Grove area. However, these were resisted and in 1940, Kings Canyon National Park was created, encompassing the original General Grant Park and a great deal of additional land north of Sequoia National Park. In 1943, as a wartime economy measure, the park began to be administered by the same superintendant as Sequoia, an arrangement which persists to this day. The park reached its present size in 1965 when the Cedar Grove area and the Tehipite Valley were included within its borders.

Size: 461,901 acres

# Visitors: 567,544 visitors in 2013. Attendance peaks in July and is least in December.

Choices: There are 2 entrances to Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks:

Big Stump entrance, accessible on California 180 from Fresno. I prefer this entrance; from Los Angeles I exit at the 198, but then go through Dinuba to get to the 180 and go up the mountain.

Ash Mountain entrance, Accessible on California 198 from Visalia. This entrance enters the Park at a lower elevation, and has a very twisty turny road to get to SNP.

Fees: $20 for each car entering the Sequoia/Kings Canyon area.

Staying There: There are multiple hotels between the entrances of the Parks, which are largely on non-park owned property. They are easily accessible, here. Campsites are available in multiple locations; fees are currently $18 daily for single campsites and $35 daily for group sites. Running water is available near most sites; flush toilets are available as well.

Crystal Springs is my favorite campsite. Some of the sites are really close together … but get there early, pick your spot, and you’ll have a wonderful experience.

Contact Info:

By Mail:
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
47050 Generals Highway
Three Rivers, CA 93271-9700

By Phone:
559-565-3341
For 24-hour recorded information.
Speak with park staff from 8:15 a.m.-4:15 p.m., weekdays only.

Current Issues: From NationalParksTraveler.com:

It took the help of a helicopter, but Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep are once again roaming the Great Western Divide that forms part of the border between Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks.

It’s been a century at least since bighorns called the Divide home, according to a park release. Some were returned there in late March as 10 ewes and four rams were translocated from land in the Inyo National Forest to … more.

Don’t Miss This: Some of the biggest attractions in the Kings Canyon National Park:

Boyden’s Cavern
Grant’s Grove
King’s River
Big Stump Meadow

As Autumn arrives each year in the foothills, these acorn woodpeckers can be seen busily harvesting the new mast of acorns. The birds usually store their acorns in a granary tree, which may have up to 50,000 holes in it, each of which is filled with an acorn. From the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Facebook page.