Yosemite, Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks (Fodor's) - Fodor's [36]
Return to Route 180 and head east on what is also known as the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway. Be sure to pull off at an overlook or two as you approach the canyon, which begins near Boyden Cavern. Check out the caverns if you don’t mind postponing lunch, but otherwise continue to Cedar Grove Village (having taken 10 minutes for a gander at Grizzly Falls along the way). Eat at a table by the South Fork of the Kings River, or on the deck off the Cedar Grove Snack Bar. Now you are ready for the day’s highlight, a stroll about Zumwalt Meadow, which is a few miles past the village.
After you have enjoyed that short trail and the views it offers of Grand Sentinel and North Dome, you might as well go the extra mile to Road’s End, where backpackers embark for the High Sierra wilderness. Make the return trip—with a quick stop at Roaring River Falls—past Grant Grove and briefly onto southbound Generals Highway. Pull over at the Redwood Mountain Overlook and use binoculars to look down upon the world’s largest sequoia grove, then drive another couple of miles to the Kings Canyon Overlook, where you can survey some of what you have done today. If you’ve made reservations and have time, have a late dinner at the Wuksachi Lodge.
EDUCATIONAL OFFERINGS
There are no regularly scheduled tours of Kings Canyon. Grant Grove Visitor Center has maps of self-guided park tours. Ranger-led programs take place throughout the year in Grant Grove. Cedar Grove and Forest Service campgrounds have activities from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Check bulletin boards or visitor centers for schedules.
RANGER PROGRAMS
Ranger Walks.
Rangers conduct daily walks to General Grant Tree and in various Kings River Canyon locales daily in summer, less often at other times of year. Check bulletin boards throughout the park for the week’s offerings.
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KINGS CANYON SPORTS AND THE OUTDOORS
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The siren song of beauty, challenge, and relative solitude (by national parks standards) draws hard-core outdoors enthusiasts to the Kings River Canyon and the backcountry of the park’s eastern section. Backpacking, rock-climbing, and extreme-kayaking opportunities get even the most experienced adrenal glands pumping, but the park also has day hikes for all ability levels. Winter brings sledding, skiing, and snowshoeing fun. No off-road driving or bicycling is allowed in the park, and snowmobiling is also prohibited.
BICYCLING
Cedar Grove has a designated bike trail. Other than that, bicycles are allowed only on the paved roads in Kings Canyon. Cyclists should be extremely cautious along the steep highways and narrow shoulders.
CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING
Roads to Grant Grove are easily accessible during heavy snowfall, making the trails here a good choice over Sequoia’s Giant Forest when harsh weather hits.
Grant Grove Ski Touring Center.
The Grant Grove Market doubles as the ski-touring center, where you can rent cross-country skis in winter. This is a good starting point for a number of marked trails, including the Panoramic Point Trail and the General Grant Tree Trail. | Grant Grove Market, Generals Hwy. (Rte. 198), 3 mi northeast of Rte. 180, Big Stump entrance 93633 | 559/335–2665 | $6–$11 | Daily 9–6.
FISHING
There is limited trout fishing in the park from late April to mid-November, and catches are minor. Still, Kings River is a popular spot. Some of the park’s secluded backcountry lakes have good fishing. Licenses ($10.75 for two days, $29.40 for 10 days, less for state residents) are required for those over 16, and are available, along with fishing tackle, in Grant Grove and Cedar Grove. Only Grant Grove is open year-round. Fishing licenses are issued by the California Department of Fish and Game (916/653–7661 | www.dfg.ca.gov).