Established
1940
Size
461,901 acres
Visitors / yr
699K
Entrance
$35
Best season
May through October
Nearest airport
FAT Fresno Yosemite International
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Why Kings Canyon is worth the trip
California · Established 1940
Kings Canyon is two parks wearing one name. The first is Grant Grove, home of the General Grant Tree, the second largest tree on Earth and the nation's official Christmas tree since 1926. The second is the canyon itself, a glacier-and-river-carved trench with more than 8,200 feet of relief from summit to floor, deeper than the Grand Canyon by that measure.
The drive between them is the show. The Kings Canyon Scenic Byway drops out of the sequoias, hugs cliffs above the roaring Kings River, and dead-ends at the aptly named Road's End, where the pavement quits and the High Sierra backcountry begins. That dead end is the filter. Yosemite's crowds never make it here, and the folks who do get granite walls, river meadows, and trailheads into some of the wildest country in California.
Start with our full Kings Canyon guide, then use the planning below.
02
Top things to do in Kings Canyon
Where we would start, and what we would plan a day around. Read the full guide.
Start here
15 Things to Do in Kings Canyon National Park
Read the guide
01
Hiking · nps.gov
Paradise Creek
Explore Paradise Canyon in the Foothills of Sequoia National Park. This gentle trail parallels Paradise Creek, taking you past waterfalls and pools.
02
Cross-Country Skiing · nps.gov
Wolverton Winter Trail
This short trail connects the Old Lodgepole Road with the Wolverton Parking area. This steep hillside route requires considerable control for downhill travel when...
03
Museum Exhibits · nps.gov
Visit the Foothills Visitor Center
This visitor center is one mile past the Ash Mountain entrance station along the Generals Highway. Stop here for information, maps, books, gifts, and...
04
Hiking · nps.gov
Explore Hidden Sequoias at Muir Grove
Take a hike to a sequoia grove that is tucked away from the road. Muir Grove provides a quiet experience among these giant trees....
Hiking · nps.gov
Paradise Creek
Explore Paradise Canyon in the Foothills of Sequoia National Park. This gentle trail parallels Paradise Creek, taking you past waterfalls and pools.
02
Cross-Country Skiing · nps.gov
Wolverton Winter Trail
This short trail connects the Old Lodgepole Road with the Wolverton Parking area. This steep hillside route requires considerable control for downhill travel when...
03
Museum Exhibits · nps.gov
Visit the Foothills Visitor Center
This visitor center is one mile past the Ash Mountain entrance station along the Generals Highway. Stop here for information, maps, books, gifts, and...
04
Hiking · nps.gov
Explore Hidden Sequoias at Muir Grove
Take a hike to a sequoia grove that is tucked away from the road. Muir Grove provides a quiet experience among these giant trees....
Before you go
Get the Kings Canyon heads-up
Permit windows, closures and seasonal alerts, plus our best Kings Canyon guides, in your inbox before you go. Free, no spam.
03
Plan your trip
Our guides for the big decisions, plus the gear, maps and lodging we would actually use for Kings Canyon.
Where to stay
Gateway towns with lodging, food and outfitters.
Maps & guides
Carry paper. Cell service dies fast inside most parks.
America the Beautiful pass
$80 a year. Covers entrance fees at more than 2,000 federal recreation sites.
Get the pass
What to bring
Field-tested picks we bring on park trips.
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Bear SprayRequired carry in grizzly country. Practice the quick-draw before you need it. View on REI
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Trail ShoesLightweight with good traction for maintained trails. View on REI
-
Rain JacketMountain weather turns fast. Pack a shell even on clear mornings. View on REI
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Merino Hiking SocksPrevent blisters and keep your feet comfortable for miles. View on REI
Getting there
- FAT Fresno Yosemite International 80 mi
Some links in this section are affiliate links. If you book or buy through them we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend what we would use ourselves.
Kings Canyon map
VC Visitor Center
CG Campground
Nearby Park
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When to go
Loading weather...
Month-by-Month Conditions
Tap any month for details
Month
High
Low
Crowds
Roads
Jan
46°
26°
Low
Open
Feb
46°
25°
Low
Open
Mar
48°
27°
Low
Open
Apr
52°
30°
Light
Open
May Best
60°
38°
Heavy
Open
Jun Best
71°
46°
Peak
Open
Jul Best
79°
52°
Peak
Open
Aug Best
78°
52°
Peak
Open
Sep Best
73°
47°
Heavy
Open
Oct Best
63°
39°
Moderate
Open
Nov
52°
32°
Light
Open
Dec
46°
25°
Low
Open
Best months to visit
Crowd level (low to peak)
05
More Kings Canyon guides
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Parks near Kings Canyon
Within reach if you are building a longer trip.
Worth protecting
Kings Canyon belongs to all of us
Protections that took generations to win can be rolled back in a single session of Congress. We keep watch so they hold.
Stay in the Loop
Free dispatches on the parks and the policy fights around them, almost every day. Threats tracked, wins celebrated, no fluff.
Threatened Lands Map
Follow what's happening on federal lands across the country with our interactive map.
View the Tracker