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The Wonder

Nature's skyscrapers, including the world's largest: General Sherman. Some of the ancient, conifer sentinels here might be 2,700 years old.

The Adventures

Hiking, camping, backpacking, horseback riding, rock climbing, cross-country skiing, ranger programs, Giant Forest, Crystal Cave

One for the Bucket List

Salute the General of Sequoia National Park. Although there are numerous trails within the parks, the short 1/2-mile hike through the Giant Forest to see the king of nearly all livings things, the General Sherman sequoia, is a humbling experience. General Sherman (pictured left) is the largest tree on the planet -- 36.5 ft. wide at its trunk and approximately 275 ft. tall. If General Sherman was rooted on Liberty Island in New York City, its top branches would rise about as high as the tip of the Statue of Liberty's crown.

Seasons and Hours

Sequoia's Foothills Visitor Center (on the main park road 1 mile from the Highway 198 entrance) and Kings Canyon Visitor Center (closer to the Highway 180 entrance) are open all year, but the parks' other visitor centers and stations, including the Giant Forest Museum, are only open from mid-May to September. A number of campgrounds are open all year-round, with July and August being the most popular months for campers. The majority of the parks' 14 campgrounds are first-come, first-served.

Getting There

Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon National Park are twin parks bordering each other. Sequoia occupies the southern half, with a main entrance off of Highway 198 near Three Rivers, CA, and Kings Canyon takes up the northern half, with a main entrance off Higway 180. There are no entrances on the eastern side of the parks. See map.

Sequoia Shuttle: From late May to late September, you can board the Sequoia Shuttle, which runs from Visalia, through Three Rivers and up to the Giant Forest Museum and other areas within Sequoia National Park. In the summer the Sequoia Shuttle also offers free bus routes within the park.