Frommer's National Parks of the American West - Don Laine [381]
In the Hume Lake area, all the Forest Service campgrounds have pit toilets except the beautiful Hume Lake Campground, which is on the banks of the lake and has flush toilets. It's about 3 miles south of Calif. 180 on Hume Lake Road. The largest campground in this area is Princess, on Calif. 180; two smaller campgrounds, both beyond Hume Lake on Ten Mile Road, are Landslide and Upper Ten Mile.
In the Stony Creek/Big Meadows area, you'll find vault toilets at all U.S. Forest Service campgrounds except Stony Creek Campground, off Generals Highway in Stony Creek Village, which has flush toilets. Among the larger campgrounds in this area is Big Meadows, which sits along Big Meadows Creek. Nearby trails lead to the Jennie Lakes Wilderness. From Grant Grove Village, drive 7 miles southeast on the Generals Highway, then turn east on Big Meadows Road and drive 5 miles to the campground.
For additional information on the above and other campgrounds in the national monument, contact Giant Sequoia National Monument, Sequoia National Forest, Hume Lake Ranger District, 35860 E. Kings Canyon Rd., Dunlap, CA 93621 (☎ 559/338-2251; fax 559/338-2131; www.fs.fed.us/r5/ sequoia).
Another great place to camp is Horse Creek Campground, operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It's along the south shore of Lake Kaweah, in Lake Kaweah Recreation Area, about 6 miles east of the community of Lemon Cove off Calif. 198. The lake, which is about 5 miles long and a half-mile wide, covers 1,900 acres when full. It is popular with boaters, who take to the water in kayaks, canoes, personal watercraft, fishing boats, and larger patio boats. There are several boat ramps, and boat rentals are available at the Kaweah Marina (☎ 559/597-2526). Call for current rates and availability. This is also a popular fishing lake, where you're apt to catch largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, catfish, and rainbow trout. The number of campsites varies with the water level, with the fewest usually in spring, when the lake is at its highest; much of the campground is often flooded into July. There are some shady sites and some open, and most have good views across the lake. The campground has flush toilets. For information, contact U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Lake Kaweah Recreation Area, P.O. Box 44270, Lemon Cove, CA 93244 (☎ 559/561-3155 or 559/597-2301). Campsite reservations are available from the National Recreation Reservation Service (☎ 877/444-7275; www.reserveamerica.com).
Those seeking a full-service commercial campground with RV hookups and all the usual amenities should head to Lemon Cove/Sequoia Campground, 32075 Sierra Dr., P.O. Box 44269, Lemon Cove, CA 93244 (☎ 559/597-2346; www.lemoncovesequoiacamp.com). This attractive and convenient campground on the west side of Lemon Cove is 22 miles east of Visalia in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. It can handle large rigs with slide-outs and offers cable-TV hookups, propane sales, a convenience store, grassy and shaded sites, a recreation room, a playground and volleyball court, and an outdoor swimming pool.
Where to Stay
INSIDE THE PARKS
Lodging in these parks ranges from rustic cabins to pleasant, well-equipped motel-style accommodations, usually with a mountain-lodge atmosphere and great views. There are also several good choices in the nearby Giant Sequoia National Monument and in the gateway towns of Visalia, Three Rivers, and Lemon Cove (see "Outside the Parks," below).
Cedar Grove Lodge
Calif. 180, Cedar Grove, Kings Canyon National Park (mailing address: Sequoia Kings Canyon Park Services Company, 5755 E. Kings Canyon Rd., Suite 101, Fresno, CA 93727). ☎ 866/ 522-6966 or 559/452-1081. Fax 559/452-1353. www.sequoia-kingscanyon.com. 18 units. A/C. $109–$125 double. AE, DISC, MC, V. Closed Nov–Apr.
This motel offers comfortable rooms on the bank of the Kings River. Getting here is half the fun