Frommer's National Parks of the American West - Don Laine [370]
South of the Giant Forest is the turnoff for Crystal Cave, one of more than 200 caves in the park and one of just 2 in the area that offer guided tours. (Boyden Cavern in the neighboring Giant Sequoia National Monument is the other.) The cave consists of limestone that has turned to marble, and it contains a wonderful array of formations, many still growing, that range from sharply pointed stalactites and towering stalagmites to beautiful flowing draperies. To reach the entrance, drive 7 miles down the narrow, winding road (RVs, trailers, and buses are prohibited); the cave is an additional half-mile walk down a steep path (which you'll have to hike up after your cave tour). The Sequoia Natural History Association conducts 45-minute tours daily from 11am to 4pm from mid-June to Labor Day, and less often in May and September. Tickets are sold at the Lodgepole and Foothills visitor centers, not at the cave. Cost is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors 62 and older, $5 for children 6 to 12, free for children under 6. A special summer-only discovery tour begins at 4:15pm Sunday through Friday. It is less structured, limited to 12 people, and has a minimum age of 13. The fee is $16 per person. Information is available at visitor centers and by telephone (☎ 559/565-3759). It gets cold underground, so take a sweater or jacket.
Lodgepole, the most developed area in both parks, lies just northeast of the Giant Forest on the Generals Highway. Here you'll find the largest visitor center, a large market, several places to eat, a laundry, and a post office. Nearby is Wuksachi Village, with a restaurant, lodge, and gift shop.
About 16 miles south of Giant Forest is the region of the park known as the Foothills. Located near the Ash Mountain Entrance, the Foothills has a visitor center, several campgrounds, and Hospital Rock, a large boulder with ancient pictographs that are believed to have been painted by the Monache Indians, who once lived here. Nearby are about 50 grinding spots once used to smash acorns into flour. A short trail leads down to a beautiful spot along the Kaweah River where the water gushes over rapids into deep, clear pools. Hospital Rock also has a picnic area.
Mineral King is a relatively undeveloped region in the southern part of the park. This high-mountain valley was carved by glaciers and is bordered by the tall peaks of the Great Western Divide. To reach this area, patient drivers must follow the marked highway sign 3 miles outside Sequoia National Park's Ash Mountain Entrance. From the turnoff to Mineral King, it's a 28-mile trip that makes many tight turns and takes 1½ hours. Trailers, RVs, and buses are not allowed. The road is closed in winter.
The rocky landscape in Mineral King is as colorful as a rainbow—red and orange shales mix with white marble and black metamorphic shale and granite. In winter, this area is prone to avalanches. The most prominent point in the area is Sawtooth Peak, which reaches 12,343 feet. Sawtooth and other peaks in this region resemble the Rocky Mountains more than the rest of the Sierra Nevada because they are made of metamorphic rock. The trails in Mineral King begin at 7,500 feet and climb from there. Park rangers sometimes conduct hikes in this area.
KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARK
With its rugged canyon, huge river, and desolate backcountry, Kings Canyon is a hiker's dream. It consists of Grant Grove and Cedar Grove, as well as portions of the Monarch Wilderness and Jennie Lakes Wilderness. Note: Between Grant Grove and Cedar Grove is a stretch of land that lies not in the park but in Giant Sequoia National Monument (see the sidebar later in this chapter).
Grant Grove is the most crowded region in either park. Not only is it just a few miles from a main entrance, but the area is also a thoroughfare for travelers heading from Giant Forest to the south or Cedar Grove to the east. The grove was designated General Grant National Park in 1890, and was incorporated into Kings Canyon National Park when it was created in 1940.