Our Definitive Sequoia National Park Itinerary
1-2 days in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park is the perfect amount of time for beginners!
The main attractions in the parks are two incredible giant sequoia trees:
- General Sherman: The largest tree on earth
- General Grant: The second largest tree on earth
But there are museums, countless trails, and one of the most unique hikes we’ve ever taken – all available within the park!
Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Park are easy to navigate, less popular than nearby parks, and have two of the most famous trees in the world within walking distance!
Sequoia was our first national park trip together and the only park we have visited multiple times. We jokingly believe it’s our core mission to inspire folks to see sequoia trees in their lifetime.
So if you’re planning to visit Sequoia, look no further than this 1-2 day itinerary to Sequoia National Park!
Summary: 2 Days in Sequoia National Park
One Day Itinerary for Sequoia
- Hike General Sherman Tree
- Explore Congress Trail
- Scale Moro Rock
One Day Itinerary for Kings Canyon
- Explore General Grant
- See Panoramic Point
- Drive Kings Canyon Scenic Byway
- Drive Generals Highway
Day 1: General Sherman Tree and Things to Do at Sequoia
Sequoia was the second park established by the National Park Service, just after Yellowstone and right before Yosemite National Park.
In fact, Sequoia National Park was the first park created to protect a living organism – the giant sequoia tree.
The biggest attractions are the giant sequoia groves spread throughout the park. We’ve spent full days here and have still not gotten tired of seeing them!
What’s even more incredible is due to the ecology of Sequoia National Park and the Sierra Nevada Mountains, this is the only place on earth where sequoia trees grow naturally. You are truly getting a one-in-a-million experience.
Let’s dive into how to spend your weekend in Sequoia and Kings Canyon:
General Sherman Tree
The General Sherman Tree Hike is the most popular attraction within Sequoia – and for good reason! Start the day by visiting this area.
General Sherman:
- Stands at 275 feet tall
- Weighs a world-record 1,385 tons
- Is a world-record 52,500 cubic feet
- And is over 2,200 years old!
It is the single largest tree in the world by volume. It is even sometimes described as the single largest organism on earth.
The hike to General Sherman is 1.2 miles round trip and is easy-to-moderate.
The trail starts near the main General Sherman Tree parking lot off Wolverton Road and descends about 200 feet down to the tree. The hardest part of the trail is coming back up to the parking lot. You will definitely find people stopping to catch their breath along the path!
The area around General Sherman is fun to explore. The tree itself is fenced off and you cannot enter the area, but you can walk around and see it from multiple angles.
It feels surreal to stand next to something so old and so gigantic. We have never quite been able to duplicate this incredible experience at any other National Park.
If for some reason you only had time for one thing at the park, General Sherman would be the one thing to see and explore.
Congress Trail
Near the General Sherman Tree is the Congress Trail. We love this particular trail because you can actually stand up close and touch some of the sequoia trees!
Most folks will pair a hike down to General Sherman with the Congress Trail loop. It took us 2-3 hours to explore the entire area.
The Congress Trail itself is a 2.9 mile loop with 470 feet of elevation change. It starts just south of General Sherman and leads you through impressive groves of giant sequoias.
No other trail in the park is as impressive and as immersive as the Congress Trail. Some of the most popular groups of trees are the House Group and the Senate Group.
It’s by far the best hike in Sequoia National Park!
Moro Rock
We mentioned up front that Sequoia has one of the most unique hikes we’ve taken in any national park – this is it!
The Moro Rock Trail is located near the Giant Forest Museum. During the summer, the free shuttle can take you down to the trailhead.
The trail itself is a short, but steep hike to the top of Moro Rock. There are 350 stairs carved into the side of the mountain.
We’d call it strenuous, though I’m sure frequent hikers would find it easy (don’t forget, we’re newbies at this!)
Handrails safely lead you to the top of the rock, where you get a spectacular view of the Sierra Nevada wilderness.
Our favorite part of the hike was walking to the edge of the granite rock and getting a full 360 view of the area.
Moro Rock famously looks over the Great Western Divide Peaks. The Great Western Divide acts as the main dividing line, separating the Kern River on the east from several other rivers on the west, with notable ones being the Kaweah and Tule Rivers.
Day 2: General Grant and Kings Canyon National Park Deep Dive
Your second day is all about exploring Kings Canyon National Park near Sequoia.
Considered a sister park to the north, Kings Canyon is divided into two distinct areas:
- Sequoia groves near the General Grant Tree
- Acres of wilderness to the east primarily accessible on foot or horseback
In fact, over 94% of both Sequoia and Kings Canyon are designated as managed wilderness or wilderness-only.
Grant Grove and Cedar Grove are the only two tourist areas of the park with access to services and facilities.
Avid hikers and backpackers love Kings Canyon for its miles of serene and untouched wilderness.
For newbies like us, on the other hand, we stick primarily to the roads, main attractions, and easier to get places!
We have hopes of doing wilderness trips some day, but for now let us tell you about Kings Canyon!
Kings Canyon National Park Facts
Kings Canyon National Park has one of the deepest canyons in North America.
In some areas it reaches depths over 8,000 feet—deeper than the Grand Canyon in some places!
Within the park’s boundaries, you’ll find some of the world’s largest trees, such as the General Grant Tree (more on that in a second!) The Giant Sequoias that have called the area home for thousands of years.
Thanks to its remote location and minimal light pollution, Kings Canyon is a designated International Dark Sky Park, providing unparalleled opportunities for stargazing and astrophotography.
The Kings River flows through the heart of the park and carved out much of majestic Kings Canyon.
General Grant Tree and Grant Grove
The General Grant Tree is the second largest tree in the world by volume. Second only to our beloved General Sherman, General Grant is gigantic.
General Grant Grove is located on the north end of Sequoia and Kings Canyon, approximately 1 hour north of the General Sherman Tree.
Incredible General Grant Tree Facts
- Age: 1,700 Years Old
- Height: 268 Feet
- Weight: 1,254 Tons
- Volume: 46,608 Cubic Feet (second-largest in the world)
In our experience, General Sherman is a much more popular hike for some reason. In both of our visits, General Grant has been easy to explore with fewer crowds.
But the tree itself is just as magical to experience. General Grant is the widest known sequoia tere in existence – 40 feet across. And this tree looks and feels dense.
With branches curving out hundreds of feet in the air, the General Grant Tree is memorable and lovely to experience.
The General Grant Tree trail is also one of the easiest hikes in the park:
- Easily accessible parking lot
- Entirely Paved
- 0.7 miles (short)
- And takes less than 30 minutes to complete!
There are additional paths around Grant Grove, including a path that takes you to an old cabin called the Gamlin Cabin and a fallen sequoia called the Fallen Monarch.
Panoramic Point
Across the road from the General Grant Tree Road is Panoramic Point Road.
Passing the John Muir Lodge, this 2.2 mile twisting and winding road takes you up to a roundabout parking lot where the short hike to Panoramic Point begins.
There is plenty of parking, restrooms, and picnic tables – we enjoyed a serene lunch up here!
The hike up to Panoramic Point from the lot is 0.5 miles, paved, accessible, and moderately sloped. Panoramic Point overlooks hundreds of miles of the Kings Canyon wilderness.
Down below is the well-known Hume Lake and above are more High Sierra peaks.
Drive the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway
One of the absolute must-do experiences during your visit to Kings Canyon National Park is driving along the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway.
This highway takes you through some of the most stunning landscapes this national park has to offer. As you navigate the serpentine roads, you’ll be surrounded by towering granite cliffs, lush forests, and the majestic Kings River flowing alongside.
The sheer scale of the canyon walls is awe-inspiring, and you’ll find numerous viewpoints and pullouts to stop and soak in the panoramic vistas.
From Grant Grove Village to the end of the highway at Kanawyers is about 1 hour. If you are planing to drive this road, you should accommodate between 2-3 hours!
Explore the Generals Highway
Technically in both Sequoia and Kings Canyon, the Generals Highway is the primary highway connecting both parks.
From the Kings Canyon Visitor Center to the Foothills Visitor Center via the Generals Highway is roughly 50 miles and will take you 1 hour and 45 minutes to drive.
Yes, it is a long day of driving. But there are plenty of stops, lookouts, and beautifully curving roads along the way.
This scenic road will be worth it if you are interested in getting easy views of the Sierra Nevada wilderness.
Plan Your Visit: Sequoia National Park Itinerary
If you are planning a trip to Sequoia, we hope this post has inspired you!
These parks are some of our favorite places to explore because of the unmatched giant sequoia trees. It’s unlike anywhere we’ve been in the world.
Getting to stand up close to General Sherman, General Grant, and the various other trees in the area make this Sequoia National Park itinerary worth it.
Let us know when you plan on going by emailing: [email protected]
Time to get outside and explore Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park!
