Kings Canyon National Park is a breathtakingly beautiful park located in the southern Sierra Nevada mountain range of California. The park is known for its stunning granite cliffs, deep valleys, towering trees, and rushing rivers.
Where is Kings Canyon National Park
The park is located about 4 hours southeast of San Francisco and about 3 hours northeast of Los Angeles.
Once you arrive in the vicinity of the park, there are several entrances you can use. The most popular entrance is the Big Stump Entrance, located on Highway 180 in the town of Grant Grove. The Cedar Grove Entrance is another popular entrance, located on Highway 180 about 35 miles east of Grant Grove.
How much time to spend in Kings Canyon
The amount of time you should spend in Kings Canyon National Park depends on your interests and how much you want to see and do in the park. We spent three days between Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Park. This was enough time to hike Zumwalt Meadow and Mist Trail, go on two guided tours in Boyden Cavern and Crystal Cave and explore Sequoia National park.
If you are interested in hiking and exploring the park’s trails, you may want to plan for at least two or three days to fully experience the park’s wilderness areas. Some of the park’s most popular hikes, such as the Mist Falls Trail and the Rae Lakes Loop, can take a full day or more to complete.
If you are primarily interested in sightseeing and visiting the park’s main attractions, such as General Grant Tree, Zumwalt Meadow, and Crystal Cave, you may be able to see most of the park’s highlights in a day or two.
Best hikes in Kings Canyon National Park
Zumwalt Meadow Trail
Zumwalt Meadow Trail is an easy, 1.5-mile loop trail located in Kings Canyon National Park. The trailhead is located at the end of Zumwalt Meadow Road, which can be accessed from the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway. The trail begins by crossing a wooden bridge over the Kings River, which provides a picturesque view of the river and surrounding mountains.
Mist Falls Trail
Mist Falls Trail is a popular hiking trail in Kings Canyon National Park that takes you through some of the park’s most beautiful scenery. The trailhead is located at Roads End in Cedar Grove, which can be accessed from the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway. The trail is 8 miles round trip, with a total elevation gain of about 600 feet.
Lakes Trail
This 12.4-mile round trip hike takes you past several stunning alpine lakes, including Heather Lake, Emerald Lake, and Pear Lake.
Panorama Trail
This 8.5-mile trail offers stunning views of the High Sierra and Kings Canyon, as well as a chance to see wildlife such as marmots and black bears.
Visit Boyden Cavern
Boyden Cavern is a limestone cave system located in the neighboring Sequoia National Forest, adjacent to Kings Canyon National Park. The cave system was discovered in 1907 by Walter J. Boyden and has been a popular tourist attraction ever since.
You can take a guided tour of the cave system, which takes about 45 minutes to an hour to complete. The tour includes a walk through the cave’s passages, where visitors can see a variety of unique formations, including stalactites, stalagmites, and helictites.
Boyden Cavern is open seasonally from late May through September, and visitors are encouraged to book their tours in advance, as they often sell out during peak season.
