Kings Canyon National Park

The Cedar Grove portion of the park is the most remote section and takes some time to get there.  It is completely worth it as you drive the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway through the Sequoia National Forest. All of the stops within the forest land are dog friendly while inside the National Park you can only have your dog in the parking lots.

Our first stop was in the Sequoia National Forest where we wandered the boardwalk around Hume Lake. This is a great place to stretch your legs and walk the dog. This is the lowest elevation point you will be at during your trek through King’s Canyon.  From there we took Hwy 180, which is the Kings Canyon Highway over to the Cedar Grove Area of the park. On the way make sure to stop at Boyden Caverns parking lot to see the river or take a tour.

Just outside of Kings Canyon is grizzly Falls. This is an absolute must stop on your way to the Cedar Grove section of Kings Canyon. There are restroom, facilities, plenty of parking, and picnic tables.  This made a great stop to sit and have our lunch with the sound of the massive waterfall in the background.

Besides the drive itself, Roaring River Falls is a fantastic reason to visit this side of Kings Canyon. There is a handicap, accessible paved walk of only .3 miles round trip to the falls. The amount of water coming through the box canyon makes this an impressive stop on your journey.

Our next hike was to the Zumwalt meadows . This is a 1.3 mile loop or a .3 mile out and .3 mile back if you skip the loop.  The view of the grassy meadow framed by the jagged mountains makes this hike very worthwhile. The beginning of the path is paved, but there is a very rocky section before you get to the meadow, so be sure to wear proper shoes and take it slow so that you don’t roll your ankle.

Throughout the day we saw a lot of people fishing in the rivers. All that is needed is your California fishing license and to make sure that you are following the rules.

Our second day in Kings Canyon we entered through the Grant Village section of the park. We hiked the Big Stump Grove loop which is a 1.5 mile loop to see the Mark Twain Stump. Next we stopped in Grant Grove Village to wander the visitors center and gift shop. There is also a restaurant, lodge and picnic area. From the visitors center, we took the road behind the restaurant and followed the signs to Panoramic Point. The trail from the parking lot is a quick .5 mile round trip hike up to see the beautiful mountains and a birds eye view of Hume Lake. Our last stop was the General Grant Tree. This is a quick .5 mile long trail but you can add on the 1.8 mile North Grove Trail which is very interesting.