Frommer's National Parks of the American West - Don Laine [376]
Sentinel Trail
4.6 miles RT. Easy. Access: Short-term parking area at Road's End; pass Cedar Grove Village and follow signs.
Essentially this hike encircles a small length of the South Fork of the Kings River. After following the river's north side for 2 miles, the trail splits and heads north to Mist Falls and Paradise Valley or east across Bailey Bridge toward Bubbs Creek. Follow the eastern trail, but instead of hiking to Bubbs Creek, follow a sign that reads ROAD'S END— 2.6 MILES. This will take you through dense groves of pine and cedars, with occasional views of Grand Sentinel. You'll cross Avalanche Creek before emerging in a huge meadow and returning near the riverbank. At 2 miles, you can see Muir's Rock, the huge, flat boulder described above. At 2.25 miles, you'll find a footbridge that points back to the parking area.
Zumwalt Meadows
1.5 miles RT. Easy. Access: Zumwalt Meadows parking area, 1 mile west of road's end, on Calif. 180 past Cedar Grove Village.
Cross the bridge and walk left for 100 yards to a fork. Take the trail that leads right for a bird's-eye view of the meadow before descending 50 feet to the ground below. The trail leads along the meadow's edge, where the fragrance of ponderosa pine, sugar pine, and incense cedar fills the air. The loop returns along the banks of the South Fork of the Kings River. Grand Sentinel and North Dome rise in the background.
OTHER HIKES
Cold Springs Nature Trail
2 miles RT. Easy. Access: Mineral King's Cold Springs Campground, across from ranger station.
This easy loop illustrates the natural history and beauty of the region. It passes near private cabins that predate the area's addition to Sequoia National Park in 1978. The walk offers views of the Mineral King Valley and surrounding peaks. It can get hot and dry in summer, so carry additional water.
Deer Cove Trail
4 miles RT. Strenuous. Access: In the Monarch Wilderness, on Calif. 180, about 2¾ miles west of Cedar Grove Village turnoff. Parking area is on north side of road. This hike in the Monarch Wilderness, maintained by the U.S. Forest Service, starts at 4,400 feet and climbs to 5,600 feet. It follows short, steep switchbacks that climb through bear clover and manzanita. After the first .5 mile, it passes above a large spring. Deer Cove Creek is in a steep drainage area at the 2-mile mark. This area is heavily wooded with cedar, fir, and Jeffrey pine. To continue, see the description of the Wildman Meadow Trail (below).
Kings River National Recreation Trail
6–10 miles RT. Easy to Spring Creek; strenuous to Garlic Meadow Creek. Access: On Calif. 180, 6 miles below Big Stump Entrance, turn north on F.S. 12SO1 (a U.S. Forest Service road), a dirt road marked MCKENZIE HELIPORT, DELILAH LOOKOUT, CAMP 4½ MILES. Drive 17½ miles to the Kings River. Turn west and drive another 2½ miles to Rodgers Crossing. Cross the bridge and turn east, following signs to Kings River Trail. The trailhead is at the east end of a parking lot another 7 miles ahead, at the road's end.
It's a long drive to the trailhead, but after hiking in upper Kings Canyon, this is a great place to see what it looks like from the bottom. The views here rival anything in the park, with peaks towering overhead and the river rushing nearby. The hike cuts through the Monarch Wilderness along the belly of Kings Canyon, although this trail, too, lies in the national forest, not the park. The trail starts along a dirt road and soon departs and follows the river, which is broad and powerful at this point. The first mile alternates between rapids and great fishing pools. At 1.5 miles is a view up Converse Creek and its rugged canyon.
At 3 miles you'll find Spring Creek, a short