Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon in One Day

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are nestled together about 3.5 hours outside Los Angeles. Filled with one of the highest peaks in the US, deep canyons, and the largest trees in the world. You could spend several days here. However, if you only have one day, you have just enough time to visit the highlights of both parks.

For my 30th birthday, we took a short road trip and spent the night at Grant Grove Village in Kings Canyon. We spent the day exploring both parks and ended with a hike to Moro Rock.

Kings Canyon National Park

Kings Canyon is separated into two parts: General Grant Grove and Cedar Grove/Zumwalt Meadows. General Grant Grove is home to the second-largest tree in the world. Cedar Grove and Zumwalt Meadows are located in the valley of Kings Canyon. This is a great place to visit and for those who want to explore the backcountry.

Be sure to cruise down the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway. It’s about 50 miles long of panoramic views. We stopped at Grizzly and Roaring River falls just near Cedar Grove. We started our day around 7:30 am and were able to beat all the crowds.

Sequoia National Park

The giant trees in Sequoia National Park attract quite the crowd during the summer. While most people visit for the trees, did you that Sequoia National Park is also home to Mount Whitney, the tallest mountain in the United States?

To get to the Sequoias from Kings Canyon, you’ll take Generals Highway, the scenic road that connects the two parks together. Along the way, you can stop at the Grant Grove Restaurant (Kings Canyon) for lunch.

We visited the General Sherman Tree and wandered through the giant forest. We finished our day with a short hike up 400 steps to summit Moro Rock. One of the best viewpoints of Sequoia National Park.

Giant Forest

Roaring River Falls

Moro Rock

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