Hiking in Kings Canyon National Park

Kings Canyon National Park in southern California is located in the heart of the Sierra Nevada region. It is adjacent and managed jointly by the Park Service with Sequoia National Park to the south of it. These parks are considered “A Land of Giants,” with the Earth's largest trees and magnificent mountain peaks. Deep canyons and valleys add to the rugged landscape. Kings Canyon encompasses nearly 463,000 acres.

The Redwood Mountain Grove and General Grant Grove make up the park's two main areas. Redwood Mountain is the largest Giant Sequoia grove in the world. The most visited area in either park is Kings Canyon's Grant Grove which has the famous General Grant Tree. At 267 feet high, towering above the other younger trees, it was officially declared “The Nation's Christmas Tree.”

The Kings River and the South Fork of the San Joaquin River have extensive glacial canyons. Kings Canyon is more than 8,000 feet deep, making it the deepest canyon in the U.S. This granite canyon was carved by glaciers in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The Kings River running through the U-shaped canyon is a popular whitewater rafting location.

Cedar Grove is filled with gorgeous scenery. There are many nature trails running through the grove to landmarks such as Roaring River Falls and the Zumwalt Meadow. Roaring River Falls is a shaded, 5-minute walk from a parking area to a rushing waterfall flowing out of a granite chute into a green pool below. The Zumwalt Meadow is a field of ponderosa pine trees with views of the Grand Sentinel and North Dome rock formations. The 1-mile trail leading around the meadow is one of the most scenic and popular trails in Kings Canyon National Park.

Ten miles west of Cedar Grove is Boyden Cavern. This cave has guided tours where people can explore intriguing formations such as the flowing “Mother Nature's Wedding Cake.” The Jennie Lakes Wilderness east of Grant Grove is a good day hiking area with a view of towering Mitchell Peak, forests, and lowland meadows. Kings Canyon National Park also has a 45,000-acre area set aside called The Monarch Wilderness. It is a steep area ranging in elevation from 950 to over 11,000 feet and crosses into Sequoia National Park.