Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks

In the southern Sierra Nevada in Tulare and Fresno counties, CA, Sequoia-Kings Canyon is one of several of the most popular and treasured National Parks in California.

This landscape testifies to nature's size, beauty, and diversity -

huge mountains, rugged foothills, deep canyons, vast caverns, and the world's largest trees! These two parks lie side by side in the southern Sierra Nevada, east of the San Joaquin Valley. Visitor activities vary by season and elevation (1,300' to 14,494'.)

Each December the Sanger Chamber of Commerce makes the trek to see the Nation's Christmas Tree, General Grant, inside this national park. General Grant Tree is not the oldest tree nor the biggest. The oldest tree is 1,500 years older. The biggest tree in the nearby forest is General Sherman Tree 27 miles away from General Grant.

Known for the General Sherman, the largest living organism and biggest tree on Earth, Sequoia is California's first national park and one of the world's best natural attractions, drawing visitors from around the globe.

The park features Accessible trails and parking, programs, accommodations from hotel options to campgrounds with varying degrees of comfort and cost.

What you should know before you go: If you bring food or any product with a scent, do not leave it in your car. Bears are active, even in winter. The ranger told us they do not all hibernate. They wander the area year-round. Bears will smash your car windows to get food.

Snow chains are required if there's snow on the roads.

There are no gas stations inside the parks. You can fill up at the base of the mountains, but cheaper gas is available in cities such as Tulare.

Winter activities such as ranger led hikes generally are restricted to weekends. During the week you are on your own to explore the countryside and mountain trails. During our stay we found no cell service, so plan accordingly.