3 National Parks in 1 Day - Yosemite, Kings Canyon & Sequoia
This week we celebrate the 132nd anniversary of the establishment of our country’s second and third oldest national parks. To celebrate both Sequoia & Yosemite National Parks, this week we’re going on an epic national park day trip! Join me as we start in Yosemite, then pass through Kings Canyon, and finish the day in Sequoia National Park.
Yosemite Falls seen from Cook’s Meadow boardwalk
Lower Yosemite Falls in Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park
Yosemite Valley is the perfect place to start your day. From watching the sun rise at Tunnel View or Valley View to strolling the valley loop, there’s no shortage of natural beauty here.
Today we’re getting an early start hiking to Lower Yosemite Falls. This trail is under a mile round trip and it’s one of the quickest and easiest ways to see North America’s tallest waterfall. Once we’ve had our fill of watching the water come crashing down, we’ll take a short stroll along Cook’s Meadow back to our car before heading on to our next national park.
Mark Twain Tree along Big Stump Trail in Kings Canyon National Park
Shattered Giant along Big Stump Trail in Kings Canyon National Park
Kings Canyon National Park
The drive from Yosemite Valley to the Big Stump Entrance of Kings Canyon National Park is 130 miles and takes just under 3 hours. Just past the entrance we’ll head out on a hike through Big Stump Trail. This gentle 2 mile hike takes you past some incredible fallen giants, including the Shattered Giant and the Mark Twain Tree. The Big Stump Picnic Area is great place to stop for lunch before continuing on.
General Grant Tree in Kings Canyon National Park
Grant Grove
Just a five mile drive past Big Stump Trail you’ll find Grant Grove. General Grant Grove is a 1/3 of a mile paved loop located just 1 mile northwest of the Kings Canyon Visitor Center. Showcasing nearly 2 dozen mature sequoias in 154 acres, this is a perfect trail for anyone. One of the main highlights here is the General Grant Tree, which is 267 feet tall and the third largest known tree in the world. The General Grant Tree is over 1,500 years old and was named as the United States's National Christmas Tree in 1926. Grant Grove Village has multiple lodging options, a restaurant, a market store, and restrooms available…so you can stop here for anything you need before the drive to Sequoia National Park.
General Sherman Tree in Sequoia National Park
Sequoia National Park
Next we’re heading to Sequoia National Park to visit the largest tree in the world. The drive from Kings Canyon’s Grant Grove to Sequoia’s General Sherman Parking area is 30 miles, and this is a must stop spot on any visit to Sequoia National Park. In 1931 General Sherman was first identified as the largest tree in the world. It stands at over 275 ft tall and 100 ft in circumference at the base. This giant is believed to be over 2,000 years old and still growing at nearly 1/3 an inch in diameter each year. The trail to this giant is an easy paved walk at 1 mile round trip with 200 feet in elevation change. If you have time I highly recommend visiting Congress Trail (one of the most incredible groves of Giant Sequoia in the world) when visiting General Sherman…but this trail could certainly be its very own full day adventure. See my full Congress Trail blog post here for details.
Hanging Rock in Sequoia National Park
Moro Rock & Hanging Rock
If you have time for one more afternoon hike, I definitely recommend making the 3 mile drive from General Sherman to Moro Rock and Hanging Rock. Moro Rock is a famous hike inside Sequoia National Park. This is a short hike at under 1/2 a mile, but there are over 350 rough steps you must climb here to reach the famous overlook point. Most park visitors miss a great hike just a quarter of a mile down the road from Moro Rock - Hanging Rock Nature Trail. This hike is certainly one of the easiest in all of Sequoia at under a 1/2 mile round trip with just over 100 feet in elevation gain…but it offers some of the most impressive views in the whole park, and it showcases incredible unobstructed views of Moro Rock in the distance. A special added bonus to this walk is the easy 0.2 mile detour to Roosevelt Tree. This giant Sequoia was named after Theodore Roosevelt following his visit to the area in 1903. This short path is uncrowded and definitely worth a stop between the Hanging Rock and Moro Rock trailheads.
Tunnel Log in Sequoia National Park
Tunnel Rock along Generals Highway in Sequoia National Park
Tunnel Log & Tunnel Rock
As evening arrives a great way to wrap up our national parks adventure is a drive through Tunnel Log. The fallen Tunnel Log was a 275 foot tall tree that is believed to have been at least 2000 years old when it fell in 1937. The Civilian Conservation Corps cut a tunnel 17 feet wide and 8 feet high so cars could drive through as a visitor attraction.
Driving south on Generals Highway just a few miles before exiting the park we can make one last stop at Tunnel Rock. The narrow tunnel that was dug under this massive rock by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1938 served as the only road for traffic to drive through on the west side of Generals Highway until 1997 when the road was widened. Enjoy a quick stroll underneath or scramble all the way to the top at this quick but photo worthy stop.
Roosevelt Tree in Sequoia National Park
In Summary
Thanks so much for joining me and helping me celebrate Sequoia & Yosemite’s birthday this week. For a virtual visit along this one day itinerary, make sure to watch my Behind the Blog YouTube video at the top of today’s post. Until next week I hope you find adventure and encouragement wherever you go
Near Hanging Rock Nature Trail in Sequoia National Park
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About Me
I’m Dawn Marie, a travel and lifestyle blogger based out of Southern California. With in-depth articles, travel guides, and reviews on hotels & products, I seek to share my journeys to help you plan for your own. My adventures take me all over California, the western United States, and around the globe...and every Monday I post new content here, including a comprehensive blog post and YouTube video.
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What are the best places to stay in Yosemite National Park? Today I'm sharing one of the best Yosemite hotels for your next national park vacation. Centrally located near iconic landmarks, hiking trails, and viewpoints, Yosemite Valley Lodge is one of the top spots to stay in the park. Hike to the base of Lower Yosemite Falls, see Half Dome from Cooks Meadow, and grab food at on-site restaurants.