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—it's a 36-mile drive down a winding highway that provides beautiful vistas along the way. The rooms are standard motel accommodations—comfortable, but nothing special—but what you're really paying for is the location, surrounded by tall trees with a pretty river. Most of the rooms are above the Cedar Grove Café (see "Where to Dine," below), with communal decks and river views. However, we prefer the three smaller, not quite as attractively appointed rooms on ground level, which have private patios looking right out onto the river and their own refrigerators and microwaves. Although Cedar Grove Lodge has no room phones, a 24-hour pay phone is just outside.

Grant Grove Cabins

Calif. 180, Grant Grove Village, 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. 53 units (9 with private bathroom). $57–$79 cabin with shared bath; $115–$125 cabin with private bath. Register at Grant Grove Village Registration Center, between the restaurant and gift shop. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Although these are all cabins, they offer a wide range of amenities and prices, from handsomely restored cabins with private bathrooms that ooze historic charm, to rustic tent cabins that simply provide a comfortable bed out of the weather at a very low price. Those who want to rough it in style should reserve one of the nine cabins, built in the 1920s, that have electricity, indoor plumbing, and full private bathrooms. A bit less modern but still quite comfortable are the 43 rustic cabins that have kerosene lanterns for light and wood-burning stoves for heat; these share a bathhouse. Tent cabins, with wood floors and walls but canvas roofs, are available in summer only. All cabins have full linen service. It's a 10-minute walk to the Grant Grove Visitor Center from the cabins, which are also near the Grant Grove Restaurant (described under "Where to Dine," below).

John Muir Lodge

Calif. 180, Grant Grove Village, 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. 30 units. $159 room; $259 suite. Register at Grant Grove Village Registration Center, between the restaurant and gift shop. AE, DISC, MC, V.

This handsome log lodge, built in 1998, looks perfect in this beautiful national park setting. It is an excellent choice for visitors who want a mountain-lodge atmosphere and quiet, comfortable, modern rooms, with full bathrooms and the other comforts we've all come to appreciate. Standard rooms are simply but tastefully decorated, with two queen beds and wonderful views of the surrounding forest. Suites are pretty much two connecting lodge rooms, except that one of the rooms has a queen bed and a queen sofa sleeper instead of two queens. The lodge also has a gigantic, very attractive log-beam lobby.

Silver City Mountain Resort

Mineral King, Sequoia National Park (mailing address: 2570 Rodman Dr., Los Osos, CA 93402). ☎ 805/528-2730 in winter; 559/ 561-3223 summer only. Fax 805/528-8039. www.silvercityresort.com. 14 cabins, 7 with shared central bathhouse. $75–$295 double. Discounts June 1–15 and Sept 18–Oct. MC, V. Closed Nov–May. Take Calif. 198 through Three Rivers to the Mineral King turnoff. Silver City is a little more than halfway between Lookout Point and Mineral King.

This is an excellent choice for those who seek a woodsy experience in a handsome cabin. There are three types of cabins, with a variety of bed combinations (some sleep up to eight) and wood stoves for heat (wood is provided). The resort furnishes blankets and pillows, but guests need to bring their own sheets, pillowcases, bath and kitchen towels, paper towels, and tall trash bags. The top-of-the line Swiss Chalets are finished in knotty pine with completely equipped kitchens, full bathrooms, phones with dataports,