Yosemite, Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks (Fodor's) - Fodor's [34]
Mineral King Trails.
Many trails to the high country begin at Mineral King. The two most popular day hikes are Eagle Lake and Timber Gap, both of which are somewhat strenuous. At 7,800 feet, this is the highest point to which one can drive in either of the parks. Get a map and provisions, and check with rangers about conditions. | Trailhead at end of Mineral King Rd., 25 mi east of Generals Hwy. (Rte. 198) 93262.
HORSEBACK RIDING
Trips take you through redwood forests, flowering meadows, across the Sierra, or even up to Mt. Whitney. Costs per person range from $25 for a one-hour guided ride to around $200 per day for fully guided trips for which the packers do all the cooking and camp chores.
OUTFITTERS AND EXPEDITIONS
Grant Grove Stables
is the stable to choose if you want a short ride.
Horse Corral Pack Station.
Hourly, half-day, full-day, or overnight trips through Sequoia are available for beginning and advanced riders. | Off Big Meadows Rd., 12 mi east of Generals Hwy. (Rte. 198) between Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks 93262 | 559/565–3404 in summer, 559/564–6429 in winter | www.horsecorralpackers.com | $35–$145 day trips | May–Sept.
Mineral King Pack Station.
Day and overnight tours in the high-mountain area around Mineral King are available here. | End of Mineral King Rd., 25 mi east of East Fork entrance 93262 | 559/561–3039 in summer, 520/855–5885 in winter | mineralking.tripod.com | $25–$75 day trips | July–late Sept. or –early Oct.
SLEDDING AND SNOWSHOEING
The Wolverton area, on Route 198 near Giant Forest, is a popular sledding spot, where sleds, inner tubes, and platters are allowed. You can buy sleds and saucers, starting at $8, at the Wuksachi Lodge (559/565–4070), 2 mi north of Lodgepole.
You can rent snowshoes for $15–$20 at the Wuksachi Lodge (559/565–4070), 2 mi north of Lodgepole. Naturalists lead snowshoe walks around Giant Forest and Wuksachi Lodge, conditions permitting, on Saturdays and holidays. Snowshoes are provided for a $1 donation. Make reservations and check schedules at Giant Forest Museum (559/565–4480) or Wuksachi Lodge.
SWIMMING
Drowning is the number-one cause of death in both Sequoia and Kings Canyon parks. Though it is sometimes safe to swim in the parks’ rivers in the late summer and early fall, it is extremely dangerous to do so in the spring and early summer, when the snowmelt from the high country causes swift currents and icy temperatures. Stand clear of the water when the rivers are running, and stay off wet rocks to avoid falling in. Check with rangers if you’re unsure about conditions or to learn the safest locations to wade in the water.
* * *
Previous Chapter | Beginning of Chapter | Next Chapter | Contents
EXPLORING KINGS CANYON
Previous Chapter | Next Chapter | Contents
SCENIC DRIVES
Kings Canyon Scenic Byway.
About 10 mi east of Grant Grove Village is Jackson View, where you’ll first see Kings River Canyon. Near Yucca Point, it’s thousands of feet deeper than the much more famous Grand Canyon. Continuing through Sequoia National Forest past Boyden Cavern, you’ll enter the larger portion of Kings Canyon National Park and, eventually, Cedar Grove Village. Past there, the U-shaped canyon becomes broader. Be sure to allow an hour to walk through Zumwalt Meadow. Also, be sure to park and take the less-than-five-minute walks to the base of Grizzly Falls and Roaring River Falls. The drive dead-ends at a big parking lot, the launch point for many backpackers. Driving the byway takes about one hour each way (without stops).
WHAT TO SEE
Kings Canyon National Park consists of two sections that adjoin the northern boundary of Sequoia National Park. The western portion, covered with sequoia and pine forest, contains the park’s most visited sights, such as Grant Grove. The vast eastern portion is remote high country, slashed across half its southern breadth by the deep, rugged Kings River Canyon. Separating the two is