Photo:
Marty Aligata / CC BY-SA 4.0
Sequoia is the park of giants, home to the General Sherman Tree, the largest single-stem tree on Earth by volume, and grove after grove of the massive sequoias that give it its name. Behind the big trees rises a wilderness of the highest Sierra Nevada, including Mount Whitney, the tallest peak in the lower 48. Co-managed with Kings Canyon, it pairs easy forest walks with genuinely serious high country.
The park rises from oak foothills through the great sequoia groves of the Giant Forest, where trees over 2,000 years old still grow, into subalpine forest, granite domes like Moro Rock, and a vast high country of peaks, passes and lakes along the Sierra crest, culminating at Mount Whitney. Black bears, mule deer, marmots and bighorn sheep live across this range.
Summer through early fall is prime, with the high country clear of snow and the rivers dropping from their spring peak. Snow lingers up high into early summer and returns in fall, and winter brings deep snow to the Giant Forest, beautiful for snowshoeing, though roads may require chains or close. The lower groves are accessible much of the year.
The Generals Highway climbs steeply from Three Rivers on Highway 198 into the Giant Forest and on to Kings Canyon; its tight, steep grades limit long vehicles and RVs, so check restrictions. In summer, a free shuttle serves the Giant Forest and Lodgepole areas to ease parking, but a vehicle is needed to reach and move around the park.
Stand beneath the General Sherman Tree, wander the Giant Forest and Congress Trail among the sequoias, and climb the stairway up Moro Rock for a Sierra panorama. Crystal Cave offers guided tours of a marble cavern, while backpackers head into the High Sierra on the High Sierra and Pacific Crest trails, and the strongest aim for Mount Whitney via its permitted routes.
Black bears are active, and bear canisters are required through much of the wilderness. Store all food and scented items properly. Rivers run cold, fast and dangerous in spring and early summer, so keep back from the water. At altitude, hydrate and pace yourself, watch for snow and ice on high routes, and carry a map and satellite messenger in the backcountry.
A single entry fee covers both Sequoia and Kings Canyon, all overnight backpacking needs a wilderness permit, and Mount Whitney has its own competitive lottery. Plan well ahead. Check vehicle-length limits on the Generals Highway. This page is a general overview, not a live conditions report; always confirm current conditions, road status and permits with the National Park Service before your trip.
Set this declination on your compass, then align it to the map's north lines; it is the angle between true north and magnetic north, refreshed each year.
