So impressive! Sequoia, named for the giants of the forest, is home to the largest trees on Earth. It is so much more than trees!! We had already visited the Coastal Redwoods so we thought we had a good idea of what to expect from Sequoia, but we were blown away by the majesty of the Sierra Nevadas, scenic hikes, and of course the famous General Sherman and General Grant trees.
The Lodge
We stayed in the Wuksachi Lodge inside Sequoia, and were so happy with this choice! When we passed the Sequoia National Park sign we were excited to arrive, only to realize we had another hour of switchbacks to get to 7,000 feet up in the mountains. We were so thankful not to do that drive up into the park everyday! It was in the 80s in the foothills, but upon arrival to the lodge we were surprised to see snow in April and temperatures in the 40s! Definitely pack accordingly for the higher elevation weather! The lodge rooms were great, the location is unbeatable, however the rooms are uphill from the parking lot so getting luggage in and out was a challenge. In addition, there are no elevators so request a first level room.
We had just come from Death Valley’s lodge where food prices were expensive. The dining options and store at the Wuksachi Lodge were more more affordable. We enjoyed a pizza lunch outside on their deck after our hike up Moro Rock!
The Hikes
We really enjoyed the hikes in Sequoia and found it was a great way to enjoy some solitude in the park. The areas around the Sherman and Grant Tree can get a little congested, but outside of those areas we were on our own. Unlike other parks it is very tough for us to pick a favorite hike, they were all spectacular!
The Congress Trail which leaves near General Sherman was a great way to walk among some other giant Sequoia groves, a perfect add-on when visiting the largest tree on Earth. It was a very easy trail which our youngest walked the whole way!
Two hikes that will make you feel on top of the world are Moro Rock and Little Baldy! We visited in the early Spring when the road to Moro Rock was still closed, so the only option was to hike the 1.5 mile road to the base of the rock. It was an enjoyable hike on a paved road winding through the forest with many Sequoia trees with options to also walk by Auto Log and Tunnel Log on your route. It was a great time to visit because Moro Rock required a little more work than normal, making it less busy. The boys loved climbing the rock steps to the top of Moro Rock, and the view from the top was spectacular! If you’re looking for a more secluded hike with an equally spectacular view definitely check out Little Baldy! The hike is a little more demanding and still had some snow covering much of the trail in April, but it was passable. At the top there are no railings or informational signs, just a large granite dome to enjoy for as long as you want. There’s much more space at the top of Little Baldy, pack a picnic or snack and enjoy a view that is tough to beat! Parking at Little Baldy is very limited so this would be a good one to arrive at early in the day.
A surprising gem of hike was Topokah Falls, with beautiful scenery the whole way! You follow the river through a pine forest all the way to the waterfall, with some rock scrambling at the end. The boys loved the variety on this hike, the river, the mountain views, and climbing on the rocks. This is a great afternoon hike to enjoy the sunset on your walk back.
The Sights
The primary attraction in Sequoia is obviously the giant Sequoia trees, which can live up to 3,000 years and grow close to 300 feet, you have to see it to believe it! The largest tree in the world (by volume) is the General Sherman tree, the main attraction of the park. To the north inside Kings Canyon is the General Grant tree, the third largest tree in the world. Both trees are must-sees, just amazing!! Also, to the north in Kings Canyon is the Big Stumps Trail where you’ll find the Mark Twain Stump. This massive stump is located along a trail in an old logging area, a reminder of why National Parks are so important to protect. This was the perfect spot to swear in our new Junior Rangers after we studied the features of the stump. On our drive north between Sequoia to Kings Canyon we were able to stop at an overlook of the canyon, a beautiful natural wilderness area.
Kings Canyon
We only scratched the surface of Kings Canyon. The road to the north and into the eastern side of the park was still closed for the winter season. We would like to come back someday and explore this part of the park. This was a good lesson in planning a trip to a National Park, most are open year round, but that doesn’t mean all the road and trails will be open. Many of the parks with high elevations have roads that only open in the summer.
Best time to visit:
Winters are long in the high Sierras, think about visiting in Spring, Summer, or Fall. Even in April some roads were still closed for the winter season.
Where we stayed:
We loved staying at the Wuksachi Lodge and being inside the park.
An option outside the park if you prefer that is Visalia, CA. We stayed at a lovely Airbnb with its own pool for a little break time during our cross country roadtrip. Can’t recommend these hosts enough, they were terrific! This would be an awesome option if you can’t get into the lodge.
Other things to do:
Explore Kings Canyon NP in the summer.
